tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87895012063970552102011-06-09T20:55:25.376-07:00GO NBAThis blog is for you, for the people that LOVE THIS GAME,
come to learn and read everything about your favorite sport,
you can also see the last images of the word of NBA BASKETBALLJGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-84884551726616090062011-06-09T20:55:00.000-07:002011-06-09T20:55:25.387-07:002011-06-09T20:55:25.387-07:00Brendan Haywood can't go in Game 5Dallas Mavericks backup center Brendan Haywood was ruled out of Thursday night's Game 5 of the NBA Finals.<br />
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Haywood missed Game 3 against the Miami Heat with a strained right hip flexor and tried to play in Game 4 but was limited to three minutes before exiting for good.<br />
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His absence means starting center Tyson Chandler will likely be forced again to shoulder a heavy work load. He played 40 minutes in Game 3 and 43 minutes in the Game 4 victory, finishing with 13 points and 16 rebounds.<br />
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"If I need to play 48 [minutes] from here on out, it is what it is," Chandler said. "When you're playing for a championship, you do what it takes."<br />
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Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said he will closely monitor Chandler as the game progresses.<br />
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"My job becomes important tonight," Carlisle said. "I've got to keep him fresh. And exactly how we do that is going to depend on the ebb and flow of the game."<br />
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Carlisle then uncharacteristically had a little fun with the media during his pregame interview session when he said that Caron Butler would fill the open roster spot.<br />
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He then added: "Just kidding."<br />
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Second-year guard Rodrigue Beaubois will be active for the second time in the Finals and third time in the playoffs. He has yet to play.<br />
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Butler has been out since he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee on Jan. 1 and underwent surgery days later. <br />
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It has been speculated, mostly by Butler, since the first round that he could possibly make a return before the end of the playoffs, but he still has not been cleared to participate in contact drills.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmSa9hmSLk4/TfGVpkW3l5I/AAAAAAAAA2g/lz_y1IDfS4A/s1600/Brendan+Haywood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmSa9hmSLk4/TfGVpkW3l5I/AAAAAAAAA2g/lz_y1IDfS4A/s320/Brendan+Haywood.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-8488455172661609006?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-8479463215113638312011-06-09T20:53:00.000-07:002011-06-09T20:53:41.446-07:002011-06-09T20:53:41.446-07:00LeBron James: Game 5 my 'biggest'After spending a sleepless night reading columns about his struggles in Game 4, LeBron James is fully aware of the gravity of Thursday night's Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It's the biggest game of his life to this point.<br />
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"I understand what is at stake," James said Thursday morning. "This is a big game, probably the biggest game of my life. I'm approaching it that way. Not probably, it is."<br />
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James scored a career playoff-low eight points in the Miami Heat's Game 4 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, setting up a pivotal Game 5 with the series tied 2-2. <br />
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Instead of avoiding reactions from his letdown game, James chose to watch TV and look up what columnists had said about it on the Internet.<br />
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"I'm my own critic," James said. "You've got to go out and do it yourself."<br />
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James has promised to be more aggressive in Game 5 after spending most of Game 4 on the perimeter. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra hinted he'd try to call more plays that put James in control of the ball.<br />
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"We're always at our best in attack mode," James said. "It starts with me. I'm a big believer in my ability."<br />
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Early Thursday morning, the following message was posted on James' Twitter page: "Now or Never!!"<br />
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"That's just how I was feeling at the time, honestly," James said of the tweet. "It was just a personal message to myself. It has nothing to do with anyone else besides myself. I was just in the zone at that point."<br />
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James also briefly responded to Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson, who said James had "checked out" in the fourth quarter of Game 4.<br />
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"He has a right to say what he wants to say," James said. "I'll be on the court for 45 minutes, we'll see what happens."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBjL0YYt2vU/TfGVPTXnwVI/AAAAAAAAA2c/EyLjBI5AbCw/s1600/LeBron+James.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBjL0YYt2vU/TfGVPTXnwVI/AAAAAAAAA2c/EyLjBI5AbCw/s320/LeBron+James.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-847946321511363831?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-82044222108073059332011-06-09T20:52:00.000-07:002011-06-09T20:52:06.487-07:002011-06-09T20:52:06.487-07:00Dwyane Wade (hip) leaves gameDwyane Wade might be limping through the rest of the NBA Finals.<br />
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The Miami Heat guard and 2006 Finals MVP bruised his left hip on a first-quarter drive in Game 5 at Dallas on Thursday night, forcing him to the locker room for evaluation. He missed about 5 minutes of the first half, then remained in the locker room after halftime for additional treatment, not checking in again until 4:33 remained in the third quarter.<br />
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Wade was in obvious pain as soon as he collided with Dallas forward Brian Cardinal with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter. He grabbed at the outside of the hip repeatedly and grimaced, eventually hobbling over to the Heat bench, falling to the court and covering his face with a towel while being tended to by Miami trainer Jay Sabol.<br />
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Moments later, Wade went to the locker room.<br />
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Wade had 11 first-half points for Miami, which came into the night with the series 2-2.<br />
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Mike Miller started the second half in Wade's place, making two 3-pointers for Miami's first two field goals of the third quarter.<br />
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Wade, who had 32 points in Game 4, has been snakebitten at times during his playoff career. He missed Game 6 of the 2005 Eastern Conference finals with a rib injury, returning to play in a Game 7 loss where he was clearly ailing. <br />
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In 2007, Wade's knees pained him so much that he could barely jump in what became a four-game ouster at the hands of the Chicago Bulls. <br />
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And in 2009, he played through a balky back in a first-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1rnyxnBlXPs/TfGU4br0dII/AAAAAAAAA2Y/9N2lyCfhBCY/s1600/playoffs+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1rnyxnBlXPs/TfGU4br0dII/AAAAAAAAA2Y/9N2lyCfhBCY/s1600/playoffs+2011.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-8204422210807305933?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-49669068976390207942011-06-08T10:32:00.000-07:002011-06-08T10:32:31.278-07:002011-06-08T10:32:31.278-07:00NBA owners, players meet to talk CBAGiven the sizable gap in their positions, it would be easy for NBA owners and players just to walk away.<br />
Instead, they will follow a long negotiating session Tuesday by heading right back to the bargaining table as planned Wednesday.<br />
"I just take it as a real positive that we're continuing to meet," Commissioner David Stern said. "When you have parties like this, it's just as easy if you don't think that there's the possibility of a breakthrough to say, 'All right, let's pack it in and let's go home.' But nobody on either side wanted to go home."<br />
The meeting Tuesday lasted more than five hours, so long that Dallas owner Mark Cuban and Miami's Micky Arison had to leave the nearby hotel ahead of their colleagues to get to the arena for Game 4 of the NBA finals between their teams.<br />
Deputy commissioner Adam Silver said there were about eight players and 10 owners in the session, which Stern said included "good and frank" discussion.<br />
With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire June 30, both sides say they hope frequent meetings can prevent a lockout. They sat down last week in Miami, had a larger gathering here, and Silver wouldn't rule out even adding a third day here if things went well Wednesday.<br />
Stern said they "haven't reached agreement on anything," and he reiterated that owners still want massive changes to the league's salary structure, saying they need a "very significant restructuring for the owners to have a sustainable investment here on hopefully approaching $5 billion of revenue."<br />
The union declined to comment until after Wednesday's meeting.<br />
The NBA says 22 of its 30 teams lost money last season and expects leaguewide losses of around $300 million this season after losing hundreds of millions in each previous year of the agreement that was ratified in 2005.<br />
Owners are seeking a hard salary cap to replace the current system that allows teams to exceed it under certain exceptions, and have sought to reduce player salary costs by about $750 million annually. Stern has said the central issue is the split in revenues, with the players currently guaranteed 57 percent.<br />
The union has offered a reduction of the guarantee and argues the system has largely worked, saying improved revenue sharing among owners would help with their losses.<br />
Both sides have said they want to avoid following the NFL's labor dispute into the court system, and that can only be done with more bargaining.<br />
"We know, we understand that all of the jockeying is going on in the NFL: litigation, appeals, motions, motions to come, court hearings set for September, which seems like an awful long time away for us," Stern said. "And so what it does is cause us to say we've got to keep on talking to try to have a breakthrough here, and we're going to continue that effort tomorrow."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zHIduAvmBpo/Te-yJnlGouI/AAAAAAAAAyM/_H4BZsDBfKM/s1600/NBA+owners%252C+players+meet+to+talk+CBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zHIduAvmBpo/Te-yJnlGouI/AAAAAAAAAyM/_H4BZsDBfKM/s320/NBA+owners%252C+players+meet+to+talk+CBA.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4966906897639020794?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-41599705966466840122011-06-08T10:31:00.000-07:002011-06-08T10:31:32.125-07:002011-06-08T10:31:32.125-07:00Game 4 draws 11.1 overnight ratingGame 4 of the NBA Finals <span style="color: black;">between Miami and Dallas drew an</span> 11.1 overnight rating, up 22 percent from the fourth game of the Heat-Mavericks title matchup in 2006.<br />
ESPN says Tuesday night's viewership peaked between 11:30 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. ET with a 15.5 rating. It's the 23rd consecutive time a Finals game has been the highest-rated program on a given night, according to Nielsen.<br />
In Miami, the game got a 34.2 metered market rating, making it the second most-watched game in South Florida since records began being kept in 2003. The game had a 30.5 metered market rating in Dallas.<br />
Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country's largest markets.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ca4tOG3CTE/Te-x7RpIQeI/AAAAAAAAAyI/ankygKGVaYM/s1600/Miami-vs-Dallas-300x191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Ca4tOG3CTE/Te-x7RpIQeI/AAAAAAAAAyI/ankygKGVaYM/s1600/Miami-vs-Dallas-300x191.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4159970596646684012?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-47795585314858539042011-06-08T10:30:00.000-07:002011-06-08T10:30:25.872-07:002011-06-08T10:30:25.872-07:00Dirk Nowitzki fights off fever to rally Mavs past Heat, even Finals at 2Coughing and wheezing, his temperature spiking to 101, worn out from hardly sleeping the night before, Dirk Nowitzki went through three miserable quarters in Game 4 of the NBA finals.<br />
Yet the fourth quarter was his time to shine. Again.<br />
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And now the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=dal"><span style="color: black;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a> and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mia"><span style="color: black;">Miami Heat</span></a> are starting over in the NBA finals, this best-of-seven series reduced to a best-of-three.<br />
Nowitzki fought through a sinus infection and everything else that ailed him and his team to power a 21-9 run over the final 10:12, lifting the Mavericks to a memorable 86-83 victory Tuesday night.<br />
In the final period, Nowitzki scored 10 of his 21 points -- including a driving right-handed layup that spun in off the backboard with 14.4 seconds left -- and grabbed five of his 11 rebounds as Dallas pulled off its second stunning finish this series.<br />
"Just battle it out," Nowitzki said, sniffing throughout his postgame interview with his warm-up jacket zipped all the way up, still in his uniform instead of changing into street clothes like the NBA prefers. "This is the finals. You have to go out there and compete and try your best for your team. So that's what I did."<br />
The Mavs avoided going down 3-1, a deficit no team has ever overcome in the finals, and guaranteed the series will return to Miami for a Game 6 on Sunday night.<br />
Game 5 is Thursday night in Dallas, and Nowitzki vowed to be ready.<br />
"There's no long term," Nowitzki said. "I'll be alright on Thursday. ... Hopefully I'll get some sleep tonight, take some meds and be ready to go on Thursday."<br />
Nowitzki wasn't as dominant as <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1035/michael-jordan" jquery1307554417122="68"><span style="color: black;">Michael Jordan</span></a> when he scored 38 points despite a 103-degree fever in Game 5 of the 1997 finals -- but it was that kind of performance down the stretch. With everyone knowing he wasn't at full strength, the Mavs still ran their offense through him in the fourth quarter, and he delivered, making 2 of 6 shots and all six of his free throws.<br />
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If the Mavericks wind up winning their first championship, what Nowitzki's done this series will go down among the greatest. Remember, in Game 2 he bounced back from a torn tendon in the tip of his left middle finger to score the final nine points in Dallas' 22-5 rally, including two left-handed layups among his final three baskets.<br />
"The average person, you know, has sick days and battling 100-something (fever), it's just tough to get out of bed," Dallas center <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/984/tyson-chandler" jquery1307554417122="69"><span style="color: black;">Tyson Chandler</span></a> said. "This guy is playing against the best athletes in the world."<br />
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What Nowitzki did grows in stature when compared to how meek a healthy <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james" jquery1307554417122="70"><span style="color: black;">LeBron James</span></a> played.<br />
James made only 3 of 11 shots -- a tip-in during the first quarter, then a 15-foot jumper and a breakaway dunk in the third quarter. Not only did he fail to score in the fourth, he took only one shot while playing all 12 minutes.<br />
He finished with eight points, ending a double-figure scoring streak of 433 consecutive games, regular season and postseason. It was his fewest points ever in the playoffs.<br />
"I've got to do a better job of being more assertive offensively," said James, who nonetheless contributed nine rebounds and seven assists. "I'm confident in my ability. It's just about going out there and knocking them down."<br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1987/dwyane-wade" jquery1307554417122="71"><span style="color: black;">Dwyane Wade</span></a> led Miami with 32 points, but missed a free throw with 30.1 seconds left and fumbled an inbounds pass with 6.7 seconds left. He knocked the ball back to <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/558/mike-miller" jquery1307554417122="72"><span style="color: black;">Mike Miller</span></a> for a potential tying 3-pointer, but it wasn't even close to hitting the rim. Fans jumped to their feet and began roaring as soon as they could tell the ball was off-target.<br />
Dallas players savored it, too, except for Nowitzki, who walked off looking somewhat sullen, obviously ready for a hot shower and a warm bed.<br />
His illness hit Monday night. After struggling to get any rest, he showed up for shootaround but hardly did anything.<br />
His condition was kept a secret, and he helped keep it that way by hitting his first three shots. Then he missed 10 of 11 and it was obvious something was wrong. The biggest giveaway: he also missed a free throw for the first time since Game 4 of the conference finals.<br />
The Heat didn't know, and didn't care.<br />
"There is not an illness report before the game or anything," Miami's <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1977/chris-bosh" jquery1307554417122="73"><span style="color: black;">Chris Bosh</span></a> said. "I've never been out there and somebody pointed and said, 'He's got a fever!' "<br />
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle tried resting Nowitzki as much as he could. During timeouts, he stayed in his chair as long as possible, trying to conserve every ounce of energy.<br />
"You've got a guy that's 7-foot, there's a different kind of toll it takes on your body when you're sick," Carlisle said. "Everyone could tell looking at him that he labored."<br />
This series is now more fascinating than ever. It just went from two games decided by two points, the first time that happened in the finals since 1998, to being settled by three points.<br />
Coming into this game, the Heat felt they should have been up 3-0. The Mavs felt they should have been up 2-1. This game was all about figuring out whether Miami was going to runaway with the championship, as many have expected since "The Decision" last summer, or if the plucky veterans from Dallas really had what it took to be champs for the first time.<br />
Now it's 2-2. Both teams are 1-1 at home, and all those stats about who wins under various circumstances seem pretty moot.<br />
The folks in the NBA office and at ABC are loving it the most. Ratings already have been setting records and they're sure to be up again, with interest for Game 5 higher than ever.<br />
"This series is a jump ball," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "These guys live for these type of moments. It's about execution and disposition in the fourth quarter, being able to close out. We have a golden opportunity in the next game."<br />
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Miami seemed to have taken control when it went ahead 74-65, its biggest lead of the night. Then Dallas went to a zone and the Heat struggled.<br />
They scored a series-low 14 points in the fourth quarter, committing six turnovers and making only 5 of 15 shots. They actually made their first two, so they missed 10 of their final 13.<br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/841/jason-terry" jquery1307554417122="74"><span style="color: black;">Jason Terry</span></a> -- who kick-started Dallas' Game 2 comeback with six straight points, but was 0 for 7 in the fourth quarter of the other two games -- got the Mavs going with consecutive baskets. He capped the winning rally with two free throws with 6.7 seconds left that forced Miami to need a 3-pointer to force overtime.<br />
"These are two teams trying to figure out a way to make plays down the stretch," James said. "We've seen in this series a seven- or eight-point lead is nothing. You just got to continue to execute offensively, continue to grind defensively, and put yourself in the best possible chance to win late."<br />
Carlisle shook up Dallas' lineup, starting <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3055/jose-juan-barea" jquery1307554417122="75"><span style="color: black;">J.J. Barea</span></a> instead of <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/808/deshawn-stevenson" jquery1307554417122="76"><span style="color: black;">DeShawn Stevenson</span></a>, and made <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/130/brian-cardinal" jquery1307554417122="77"><span style="color: black;">Brian Cardinal</span></a> the primary backup for Nowitzki, instead of <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/813/peja-stojakovic" jquery1307554417122="78"><span style="color: black;">Peja Stojakovic</span></a>. Like his late move to the zone, these changes worked out quite nicely. He also made an adjustment after Miami grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the first quarter; the Heat got just six more.<br />
Stevenson scored 11 points, his first time in double-digits since Feb. 2. Cardinal drew a charge on James early and provided seven solid minutes, giving Nowitzki much-needed rest.<br />
Terry scored 17, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/510/shawn-marion" jquery1307554417122="79"><span style="color: black;">Shawn Marion</span></a> 16 and Chandler had 13 points and 16 rebounds.<br />
Backup center <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1000/brendan-haywood" jquery1307554417122="80"><span style="color: black;">Brendan Haywood</span></a> returned to the lineup after missing Game 3 with a hip injury, but lasted only 3:05. Chandler could tell he was hurting and jumped off the bench to go back in.<br />
"I told Coach, 'You have to get me back out there, I will play 48 (minutes) if I need to,' " Chandler said.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"><span class="subhead">Game notes</span></span></strong>Bosh scored 24 points. Other than Miami's three superstars, none of the Heat scored more than six. ... Of the last 26 times the finals have been tied at 2, the Game 5 winner has won it all 19 times. Last year was among the exceptions, with the Celtics winning Game 5 and the Lakers taking the last two. ... The 2006 finals between these teams also was tied 2-2, but Miami overcame an 0-2 deficit to win four straight. ... This was Wade's fifth 30-point game of the playoffs.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4779558531485853904?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-69153665517741197472011-06-07T16:02:00.000-07:002011-06-07T16:02:53.019-07:002011-06-07T16:02:53.019-07:00Mark Jackson named Warriors coach<span style="color: black;">Mark Jackson's leadership skills as a player more than outweighed his lack of coaching experience when it came time for the Golden State Warriors to hire their coach.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The Warriors hired Jackson to replace Keith Smart on Monday, giving the former point guard and television analyst his first chance to be a head coach on the game's biggest stage.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Jackson's deal is worth $6 million over three years with a team option for a fourth year, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"He epitomized leadership as a player in this league for 17 seasons and we think that characteristic -- and many other positive traits -- will translate very well into his coaching duties with our young team," owner Joe Lacob said in a statement. "He was a leader and a winner both on and off the floor in this league and we're convinced that he is the right person to guide this team into the future and help us achieve the success that we are striving for as an organization."</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Jackson played 17 years as a point guard in the NBA, for New York, the Clippers, Indiana, Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1988 and made the playoffs 14 times. He ranks third on the NBA's all-time assists list.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">But he has never coached, spending the past few seasons as the lead analyst for ESPN and ABC for their NBA coverage. He won't start his new job until after he's finished calling the NBA Finals.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">His first coaching job is a daunting one, taking over a team that has made the playoffs just once since 1994.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"I am really elated about this opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenge of building the Warriors into a perennial contender," Jackson said.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">New Orleans Hornets assistant Michael Malone has agreed to serve as Jackson's lead assistant, NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein, after the Warriors made what one source described as a "generous" offer to Malone.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">With new Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown trying to convince Malone to leave the Hornets for L.A., sources said Lacob offered terms Malone couldn't refuse to spurn the Lakers.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"It's a good night for everybody up there," new Warriors consultant Jerry West told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday night. "They've got one person (Jackson) and they're going to get the other person (Malone)."</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The addition of Malone is a strong one as the Warriors look to build a strong staff of assistants around Jackson.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Malone interviewed with the Lakers on Monday, sources said, after NBA.com's David Aldridge reported that Malone had his final interview with Golden State on Sunday. Brown badly wanted to hire Malone and freshly fired ex-Detroit Pistons coach John Kuester as assistants in L.A. to join a staff that will also feature Ettore Messina. Reports in Italy surfaced over the weekend that Brown has convinced Messina, one of Europe's most successful coaches, to finally jump to the NBA as a full-time Lakers consultant.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Though Jackson has no first-hand coaching experience, he has played for five Hall of Fame coaches in his college and pro career: Lou Carnesecca, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Larry Brown.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Jackson, 46, had been looking to get into coaching while working as an analyst in recent years. He interviewed for the opening in New Orleans last year and was one of three finalists for the Minnesota job in 2009, but lost out to Kurt Rambis. He also interviewed in previous years for openings in Phoenix, New York and Chicago.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">He finally ended up getting the offer he wanted from the Warriors, who have made big changes in the front office and coaching staff under Lacob's new ownership.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"I have sensed that Joe is committed to winning and building a team and a culture the right way," Jackson said. "I think we all witnessed that with some of the recent front office additions as well and some of the other positive things that have been done in recent months. This is an incredible opportunity."</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The hiring of Jackson is the latest move by Lacob, who took over the team last year after buying it from Chris Cohan for a record $450 million. The team cut ties with Don Nelson before Lacob and co-owner Peter Guber officially took over ownership and Smart coached the team to a 36-46 mark this past season.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">But Smart did not keep the job despite Golden State showing a 10-game improvement in the standings. Lacob also hired Hall of Famer Jerry West as a consultant last month and former agent Bob Myers as assistant general manager and GM in waiting in April.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Jackson takes over a team led by a high-scoring but undersized backcourt of Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. But Golden State lacks an inside presence.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"He will bring a youthful and fresh approach to our team and the fact that he enjoyed a stellar playing career, where he served most of that time as the leader of some very successful teams, will prove invaluable in the long run," general manager Larry Riley said. "We were looking for a coach with leadership ability and a strong personality and believe Mark possesses those qualities. He's very well respected in NBA circles, is a consummate professional and his knowledge and background will be an incredible asset for our team and organization."</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fILLKqS1LSg/Te6uGFFib5I/AAAAAAAAAr0/pDZog7QpyNE/s1600/Mark+Jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fILLKqS1LSg/Te6uGFFib5I/AAAAAAAAAr0/pDZog7QpyNE/s1600/Mark+Jackson.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-6915366551774119747?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-15909339889950756402011-06-07T16:01:00.000-07:002011-06-07T16:01:12.790-07:002011-06-07T16:01:12.790-07:00Tony Parker backs away from commentsSpurs guard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1015/tony-parker" jquery1307487639807="40"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Tony Parker</span></a> on Tuesday backed off comments made to French journalists last month that San Antonio can no longer likely contend for another championship.<br />
"You know newspapers need stories and to talk about stuff, and I'm in a great situation to know what it is," Parker said. "I love the Spurs. I love being a Spur. I re-signed four years so if I didn't believe we can win a championship I would not have signed."<br />
The former All-Star, however, didn't exactly go out of his way to try to clarify the remarks made last month in Paris, a few weeks after the 61-win Spurs were upset in the first round by eighth-seeded Memphis.<br />
An article on FIBA's website quoted Parker as saying, "We will always have a good team but can no longer say we're playing for a championship." He added that it would be tough for the Spurs to regenerate themselves with <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/215/tim-duncan" jquery1307487639807="41"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Tim Duncan</span></a> turning 36 next spring and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/272/manu-ginobili" jquery1307487639807="42"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Manu Ginobili</span></a> turning 34 next month.<br />
Parker is speaking French in the interview. A video of the interview, credited to the French sports daily L'Equipe, quotes Parker in English subtitles as saying, "It was sort of our last chance this season."<br />
Back in San Antonio on Tuesday, Parker brushed off the quotes, offering a vague explanation of French reporters getting carried away.<br />
"I don't have to justify anything," Parker said. "Me, bottom line, I love being a Spur and that's why I signed four more years. I have nothing to justify to you. The only thing I care about is (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich), Timmy and Manu, and my teammates."<br />
Parker has spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs, arriving in San Antonio at the age of 19 and winning the starting job that season. He turned 29 last month and begins a four-year, $50 million extension next season.<br />
Parker was equally candid about San Antonio's diminishing title hopes in training camp last October. He said then that he felt the upcoming season was the last chance for the Spurs to win a fifth championship in the Duncan era, again pointing toward the team's aging core.<br />
If this season was the Spurs' last chance, they mostly spent it playing that way. They carried the league's best record for practically the entire season and entered the playoffs with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. But the youthful Grizzlies beat the Spurs in six games, making San Antonio just the fourth No. 1 seed to fall in the first round.<br />
Parker averaged 17.5 points and 6.6 assists last season. He said no one within the Spurs contacted him after the interview in France was published.<br />
"They know me, they don't need to contact me," Parker said. "Pop doesn't have time right now. He's drinking wine and having fun."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4An3WnqLPZs/Te6ttDIuV1I/AAAAAAAAArw/hVpUzRWvNcQ/s1600/tony+parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4An3WnqLPZs/Te6ttDIuV1I/AAAAAAAAArw/hVpUzRWvNcQ/s1600/tony+parker.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-1590933988995075640?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-56078430958461273012011-06-07T16:00:00.000-07:002011-06-07T16:00:23.966-07:002011-06-07T16:00:23.966-07:00Kobe Bryant mum on Mike Brown<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/110/kobe-bryant" jquery1307487640335="30"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Kobe Bryant</span></a> had plenty to say about how he wants to help end homelessness among youth in Los Angeles. The NBA superstar had nothing to say about new Lakers coach Mike Brown.<br />
Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, appeared together at a nonprofit in Hollywood on Tuesday to announce the formation of their new foundation focused on improving the lives of youth and families in need.<br />
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Bryant has remained publicly mum since Brown was hired last week over his choice of <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/770/brian-shaw" jquery1307487640335="31"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Brian Shaw</span></a>, a longtime Lakers assistant under recently retired coach Phil Jackson.<br />
In his first public appearance since then, Bryant refused to answer questions about Brown.<br />
"Right now is not the time nor the place," he said in a stern tone. "We're here to focus on bigger issues, greater issues, and that's these kids that are here at the back. It's not fair to them. When the time comes, I will address that, but right now is not that time."<br />
Asked when that time would be, Bryant cut off his questioner, saying, "Now is not the time."<br />
The Bryants spent about 20 minutes talking privately with some of the young people who frequent the nonprofit A Friend's Place on Hollywood Boulevard. They told them how they ended up homeless.<br />
"We want to help them kick butt," he said, drawing laughter.<br />
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Bryant and his wife, who live in wealthy Orange County about an hour's drive from Hollywood, are "kind of brand new" to the issue of homelessness, he said.<br />
"We're still educating ourselves and will continue to do so," he said. "The important thing for us is that we're going to attack this."<br />
Dressed in a navy polo shirt and navy slacks, Bryant towered over everyone in the youth center. Vanessa Bryant, sporting a coral mani-pedi and an off-the-shoulders creme top, didn't speak.<br />
Bryant said he's seen homeless kids on the streets outside Staples Center, where the Lakers play.<br />
"It shocked the hell out of me because I had no idea," he said. "After a game, driving home you kind of see the issue around you, but you don't see it. It's all around us. It's something that we can solve."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6ODF1rljb0/Te6thFv-S1I/AAAAAAAAArs/oa3u2BR5G1w/s1600/Kobe+Bryant+mum+on+Mike+Brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6ODF1rljb0/Te6thFv-S1I/AAAAAAAAArs/oa3u2BR5G1w/s1600/Kobe+Bryant+mum+on+Mike+Brown.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-5607843095846127301?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-40292001306120579822011-06-07T15:59:00.000-07:002011-06-07T15:59:12.300-07:002011-06-07T15:59:12.300-07:00Heat respond to Mavs' trash talk - NBA plauoffs 2011It's been awhile since the <span style="color: #225fb2;">Miami Heat</span> had heard some public trash talk. So when some <span style="color: #225fb2;">Dallas Mavericks</span> gave them a variety of bulletin board material heading into Tuesday night's Game 4 of the NBA Finals it made an impression in the Heat locker room. <br />
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"We saw it," <span style="color: #225fb2;">LeBron James</span> said Tuesday. "We watch 'SportsCenter'."<br />
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"You have to let sleeping dogs lie sometimes," <span style="color: #225fb2;">Chris Bosh</span> said. "It's motivation. For us, it is an opportunity to not let up. Guys are talking and it fuels you."<br />
After falling behind 2-1 in the series, Mavs guard <span style="color: #225fb2;">DeShawn Stevenson</span> said James and <span style="color: #225fb2;">Dwyane Wade</span> were "great actors" when trying to get fouls called. <span style="color: #225fb2;">Jason Terry</span> said that the Heat, who are holding the Mavs to 42 percent shooting and just 88 points per game so far, aren't the best defense Dallas has seen in the postseason.<br />
But the nugget that seemed to most get under the Heat's skin was that James, who has played stretches of successful defense against Terry in the fourth quarters, would be wearing down.<br />
"We're going to see if (LeBron) can do it for seven games," Terry said Monday. "That's going to be the challenge. Right now, it's Game 4. Can he do it again in Game 4? He wasn't able to do it in Game 2. He did it in Games 1 and 3, so Game 4 is another opportunity."<br />
Heat players responded to that after their shootaround.<br />
"If he wants LeBron to turn it up then that's great motivation for LeBron," Bosh said. "Guys remember that when we're out on the floor. LeBron is going to remember that late in the game when it is close and Terry is going to try to get going. LeBron is going to guard him and we'll see who comes out on top."<br />
Terry hit a couple key shots in the fourth quarter of Game 2 as part of the Mavs' fourth-quarter rally. In Games 1 and 3, James helped hold Terry scoreless in the fourth quarters.<br />
"LeBron is 26 years old, he's not going to wear down," Wade said. "Obviously, Jason Terry is a great scorer. In the fourth quarter, LeBron's job is to make it tough on him. When you see a guy who is 6-8 and just as fast and more athletic than a lot of guys it is tough. He's not going to wear down and he's going to look forward to the challenge."<br />
James, who has avoided taking the bait from the media's questions during the series, took the high road again on Tuesday.<br />
"Those guys have a right to say what they want to say," James said. "For me and D-Wade, we're going to let our game do the talking. Those guys have the right to say what they want to say."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRgzQNJVQXk/Te6tOyWhhgI/AAAAAAAAAro/ywuGpwss8gg/s1600/miami+heat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRgzQNJVQXk/Te6tOyWhhgI/AAAAAAAAAro/ywuGpwss8gg/s1600/miami+heat.png" t8="true" /></a></div><span class="quote-start">“</span> It's motivation. For us, it is an opportunity to not let up. Guys are talking and it fuels you<span class="quote-end">”</span> <cite>-- </cite><br />
<cite>Chris Bosh on the Mavs' trash talk</cite><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4029200130612057982?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-60363800639529734582011-06-04T10:17:00.000-07:002011-06-04T10:17:25.769-07:002011-06-04T10:17:25.769-07:00Three Mavericks return with injuriesThe Dallas Mavericks return home for Game 3 of the NBA Finals with injuries to three key players.<br />
The biggest was to star forward Dirk Nowitzki, who suffered a torn tendon in his left middle finger in the opener. He played with the injury in the Mavs' 95-93 comeback victory over the Miami Heat in Game 2 on Thursday night. <br />
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Nowitzki, who scored 24 points, including the game-winner with a left-handed layup, said the finger was fine.<br />
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"I thought it wasn't going to bother me before the game and it didn't," Nowitzki said. "We were able to keep the tape a little lower, so I was able to keep my grip on the ball."<br />
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Backup center Brendan Haywood left the game with 11:34 remaining with a strained right hip flexor. Haywood, who played just 8 minutes, did not return. Team officials said late Thursday night that his injury was nothing serious, but coach Rick Carlisle on Friday told Galloway & Co. on 103.3 FM ESPN that Haywood's status for Game 3 is uncertain.<br />
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"We'll know more (Saturday). He was not feeling well when he left the game," Carlisle said. "If he's able to play I'm sure he'll play. If not we'll have to adjust."<br />
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Haywood had to purposely commit a foul so he could exit the game. He immediately headed for the trainer's room and did not return to the game. <br />
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Shooting guard Jason Terry participated with a bone bruise on his right wrist and received treatment during the game. He wore a brace on his wrist at the start of the second half while sitting on the bench but removed it once he entered the game.<br />
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The Mavericks' sixth man said he hurt the wrist while attempting a dunk in Game 1 and that the injury bothered him some Thursday.<br />
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Terry, who struggled with his shot at times, finished with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting. During the Mavs' fourth-quarter comeback, he scored six consecutive points to get things started.<br />
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"I have had games throughout my career where I've struggled," Terry said. "I've struggled throughout three quarters in the game and then, boom, in the fourth quarter the light comes on."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjXXYrw9Zdc/Tepoa5GvTuI/AAAAAAAAAnk/nYY4vK6dWNY/s1600/Dalla+mavericks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjXXYrw9Zdc/Tepoa5GvTuI/AAAAAAAAAnk/nYY4vK6dWNY/s320/Dalla+mavericks.jpg" t8="true" width="305" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-6036380063952973458?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-38773730050137351292011-06-04T10:15:00.000-07:002011-06-04T10:15:03.103-07:002011-06-04T10:15:03.103-07:00Shaquille O'Neal eager for next chapter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cm2KND1UohE/TepoCp0s2jI/AAAAAAAAAng/KQ2MczgwRCY/s1600/Shaqille+o%2527neil+retired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cm2KND1UohE/TepoCp0s2jI/AAAAAAAAAng/KQ2MczgwRCY/s320/Shaqille+o%2527neil+retired.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Shaquille O'Neal changed from his gray T-shirt and sweat pants into a three-piece suit, then walked by some of the souvenirs he accrued during his NBA days for the final time as an active player.<br />
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Framed jerseys from the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Mark McGwire, Kirby Puckett, Steve Young and Jerry Rice. An NBA Finals MVP trophy. Bottles of wine with labels bearing the "S" logo that he borrowed from Superman and essentially made his own. Basketballs with the Miami Heat logos painted on them, one to commemorate his 25,000th point, the other for his 10,000th rebound. A photo of him, Bill Russell and John Wooden.<br />
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It took him 19 years to collect those memories.<br />
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On Friday, he vowed to start truly savoring them.<br />
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"It's time for what's next," O'Neal said.<br />
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O'Neal, 39, made his retirement official Friday, reiterating what he revealed in a video posted online two days earlier that his NBA playing days are over. Saying those words made his pro career full-circle, because it all ended at his home in a suburb of Orlando, the city where his pro days began when the Magic made him the No. 1 pick in 1992.<br />
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"Never thought this day would come," O'Neal said. "Father Time has finally caught up with Shaquille O'Neal."<br />
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Speculation has been high for weeks that O'Neal's playing days were over, and what was widely expected became real on Wednesday. It took him 10 seconds to announce his plan online, and as few athletes in the world could do, those 10 seconds turned into a three-day story. Tributes have poured in since, and on Friday, O'Neal thanked just about everyone he could remember.<br />
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His parents, thanking his father for his disciplinary ways and his mother for sneaking him cake, milk and cookies when that discipline prevented the boy from getting his own. His brothers and sisters. His six children, who got an apology for his schedule demands and a promise that they would keep going to Toys "R" Us. His fans worldwide. The NBA and commissioner David Stern. The camaraderie in the locker room. The six teams he played with.<br />
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"And I'm really going to miss the free throws," deadpanned O'Neal, a notoriously bad foul-shooter.<br />
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A joker, all the way to the end.<br />
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He would not have it any other way.<br />
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He insisted he will not return, either, nor will he coach anyone but his three sons.<br />
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His career ends with 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, 15 All-Star selections, four championships and three NBA Finals MVP awards. He had a $1.4 million option to return to the Boston Celtics next season, but he said he did not want to hold up the team's plans several months if he needs Achilles surgery.<br />
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So he made the decision to retire, on his terms.<br />
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"I'm the luckiest guy in the world," O'Neal said.<br />
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For a finale, it was in a fitting place. He loves his mansion, about two miles from Tiger Woods' longtime home and surrounded by a private golf course, ironic in the sense that O'Neal has no plans to take up the game in retirement.<br />
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O'Neal bought the home in 1993, and it's remained his base ever since -- even after he left Orlando for Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston throughout the remainder of his NBA career.<br />
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The doorways are enormous, as one would expect when the primary occupant of the home is over 7 feet tall. Guests were ushered in across a red carpet laid out over his meticulous garage, which held luxury cars and motorcycles. Family and close friends gathered in the massive kitchen while the gymnasium filled for a celebration that was tinged for many with a bit of sadness.<br />
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"This is a bittersweet day on behalf of the family," said O'Neal's mother, Lucille Harrison. "It's been 19 years, but the 19 years have gone by so quick."<br />
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Dale Brown, who coached O'Neal at LSU, sat on Shaq's left. Brown told a slew of Shaq stories, including one when he asked permission to eat peanuts from a hotel minibar, not even considering sneaking the liquor instead. Brown lauded how O'Neal was raised and the charitable work he does, much of which Shaq does not reveal publicly.<br />
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O'Neal was so moved by Hurricane Katrina that not only did he arrange for tractor-trailers to bring supplies to storm-ravaged New Orleans, he personally went to oversee distribution efforts. And after that, Shaq considered signing with the New Orleans Hornets, thinking his mere presence in the city would help recovery efforts even more, but the deal simply fell through.<br />
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"He's an unbelievable person," Brown said. "He'll stay that way."<br />
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Brown lauded the work O'Neal's parents turned in, even chiding the college scandals of today by pointing out that when he went through the LSU recruiting process, there was no shady deals, no under-the-table anything.<br />
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"This just didn't happen," Brown said. "The other thing that's very obvious to me is that this should be a beacon, a beacon light for all young people watching this."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-3877373005013735129?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-49831103248792667912011-06-02T11:09:00.002-07:002011-06-02T11:09:50.464-07:002011-06-02T11:09:50.464-07:00Pau Gasol wants to play at Euros<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Los Angeles Lakers</span></a> forward <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/996/pau-gasol" jquery1307037968498="32"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Pau Gasol</span></a> says he wants to play for Spain at this summer's European Championship.<br />
Gasol confirmed his availability for the defending champions on Wednesday after missing last year's world championship in Turkey, where Spain finished sixth.<br />
According to the Spanish basketball federation's website, Gasol says that "if the coach feels he can count on me then I want to help the team win another European" title.<br />
Gasol helped Spain to a 2006 world title and a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.<br />
The decision comes after the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a> swept Gasol's Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA playoffs.<br />
The Euros will be played in Lithuania from Aug. 31 to Sept. 18. <br />
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By: <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/">http://sports.espn.go.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4983110324879266791?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-1271876322893084802011-06-02T11:09:00.000-07:002011-06-02T11:09:00.457-07:002011-06-02T11:09:00.457-07:00Ricky Rubio will play for WolvesRicky Rubio is coming to <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/min/minnesota-timberwolves"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Minnesota</span></a> after all.<br />
The Spanish point guard has agreed to join the Timberwolves next season, ending a drawn-out, delicate, two-year negotiation with the team that had many league observers believing he did not want to play in Minnesota.<br />
A person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed to The Associated Press Wednesday night that Rubio will be in Minnesota next season, giving the woebegone Timberwolves a much-needed dose of good news.<br />
The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported that Rubio, whose Regal Barcelona team is in the Spanish league playoffs, signed a deal May 31, and a news conference would be held at the conclusion of the Spanish postseason.<br />
The Timberwolves drafted Rubio fifth overall two years ago despite a buyout clause in his Spanish contract that topped $6 million. The enormity of the buyout, which would have come out of Rubio's own pocket, caused him to stay overseas rather than immediately come to the NBA, and there was talk that the precocious teenager did not want to play in Minnesota.<br />
The current labor uncertainty complicated the negotiations. But Rubio ultimately decided he was ready to come over now.<br />
Timberwolves spokesman Mike Cristaldi said the team was declining comment.<br />
"As of now, we have nothing new to report," Cristaldi said.<br />
The news marks the successful end to a long, and often winding, daliance between the Timberwolves and Rubio. With help from owner Glen Taylor, coach Kurt Rambis and assistant GM Tony Ronzone, team president David Kahn spent almost two years working to convince Rubio that Minnesota was the place to realize his NBA dream.<br />
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The Wolves were careful not to put too much pressure on the youngster, yet still emphasizing how much the team was looking forward to bringing the slick-passer to the United States.<br />
Kahn called Rubio "a virtuoso and somebody special" after drafting him in 2009. He and agent Dan Fegan came to agreement to bring Rubio over to the NBA that summer, but Rubio pulled out at the last minute after deciding he did not want to pay a buyout that topped $6 million out of his own pocket.<br />
That led to speculation that Rubio did not want to play in cold, small-market Minnesota and was hoping to force a trade to a bigger, more desirable market. But Rubio never expressed that himself, and the team remained confident through thick and thin that Rubio would one day join them.<br />
"Ricky Rubio, huh?" Timberwolves All-Star <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3449/kevin-love" jquery1307037963315="44"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Kevin Love</span></a> tweeted late Wednesday night. "I'll believe it when I see it..."<br />
His tweets continued: "Just thinking about pick and rolls...goodnight.<br />
"Pick....N....Rolls."<br />
Under current NBA rules, the Timberwolves can contribute only $500,000 to Rubio's buyout from Regal Barcelona. But by staying in Spain for another two years, Rubio's buyout now has dropped to a more manageable $1.4 million.<br />
A person with knowledge of the negotiations said the Timberwolves have been working with several local companies on some endorsement opportunities that would help pay that bill.<br />
The negotiations reached a deadline of sorts Tuesday, when Rubio needed to sign a contract in order to be put under the current rookie salary wage scale.<br />
He was faced with a difficult decision -- sign with the Wolves and lock himself into the guaranteed money of that rookie contract while risking losing games of his first NBA season to a potential lockout, or wait to see what unfolds with the league's uncertain labor situation.<br />
Waiting, however, could have cost him money in the long run if the owners are successful in their bid to gain major wage concessions from the players, or if Rubio's on-court production continued to slip like it did this season, thereby hurting his negotiating leverage.<br />
Rubio averaged a modest 6.5 points per game on 39 percent shooting while dealing with a foot injury. With Rubio coming off the bench, Regal Barcelona has reached the Spanish League finals, meaning it will likely be mid to late June before he can be introduced by the Timberwolves, who think he will flourish in the more wide-open NBA, where guards are allowed much more freedom on the perimeter.<br />
"He's gotten bigger and he plays outstanding defense, and because he's a pass-first guard -- he's going to be liked by everybody who plays with him," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said last year. Krzyzewski also coached Team USA against Rubio and Spain in Beijing.<br />
Rubio dominated the junior circuit in Europe and turned professional at 14. His flashy style and baby face made him an instant sensation in Europe and, even though his stock has dipped some this year, the Wolves are as enamored as ever.<br />
"He's a special player and a very good point guard," Lakers forward and fellow Spainiard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/996/pau-gasol" jquery1307037963315="45"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Pau Gasol</span></a> said earlier this season. "Very unselfish. He's got great size, great length. He knows how to play the game very well. He's got a great feel for the game. He's just a guy that will get the team going and do what he needs to do."<br />
The team has won just 32 games in the past two years and desperately needs a capable point guard to feed the ball to Kevin Love and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3418/michael-beasley" jquery1307037963315="46"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Michael Beasley</span></a>.<br />
It was also a bit of vindication for Kahn, who endured an avalanche of criticism for drafting Rubio at No. 5 and another point guard, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3985/jonny-flynn" jquery1307037963315="47"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Jonny Flynn</span></a>, sixth overall. The doubters said Rubio would never play in Minnesota, but Kahn stayed quiet and patient and got his man in the end.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QcvNNr2MBUM/TefRtI42N2I/AAAAAAAAAjo/seq21kfZwkw/s1600/Ricky+rubio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QcvNNr2MBUM/TefRtI42N2I/AAAAAAAAAjo/seq21kfZwkw/s320/Ricky+rubio.jpg" t8="true" width="226" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-127187632289308480?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-23083746352150822202011-06-02T11:07:00.000-07:002011-06-02T11:07:37.788-07:002011-06-02T11:07:37.788-07:00Shaquille O'Neal announces retirement<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/614/shaquille-o" neal?="">Shaquille O'Neal</a>, the man with four rings, 28,596 career points and scores of nicknames, has finally decided to call it quits, ending one of the most colorful careers in NBA history that will surely culminate with a Hall of Fame induction.<br />
<br />
"I'm going to miss the competition. I'm going to miss, you know, the chase for the ring. You know, I'm actually going to miss everything," O'Neal said on "SportsCenter" on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
He added: "Father Time has caught up with Shaquille O'Neal."<br />
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O'Neal, 39, revealed his retirement earlier Wednesday using the new social media tool Tout, a real-time video messaging service, to <a href="http://www.tout.com/u/Shaq">announce to fans</a>: "We did it. Nineteen years baby. I want to thank you very much, that's why I'm telling you first, I'm about to retire. Love you, talk to you soon."<br />
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"Once a businesman, always a businessman," O'Neal said with a smile later Wednesday. "I am the emperor of the social media network."<br />
<br />
An inveterate prankster who gave himself a new nickname -- or several -- in each of his six NBA cities, O'Neal said he wasn't prepared yet to reminisce about his long and prolific career, which produced three championships with the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=lal">Los Angeles Lakers</a> and one with the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mia/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>. "Let's save that for the press conference on Friday," said O'Neal, who will hold that media event at his Isleworth home.<br />
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Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss says that O'Neal has not notified the team of his plans.<br />
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"It was a pleasure to play with the Big Fella," Celtics teammate <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/261/kevin-garnett">Kevin Garnett</a> through a statement released by his management company. "It was most definitely a life experience. My big brother from a different mother. It's love all day and I wish him nothing but the best. The game's gonna miss you. Look out world, here comes Shaq."<br />
<br />
"He's a giant," commissioner David Stern said Wednesday at the NBA Finals in Miami. "He's physically imposing; he has an imposing smile. In the game, he imposed his will, and he has done it for quite a long time. It's been a great run here, and we're going to miss him greatly. We hope we can find ways to keep him involved in the game."<br />
<br />
Stern added later in a statement: "On behalf of the NBA, its teams, and his millions of fans around the world, I want to thank Shaq for everything he has meant to the league and to the sport of basketball, both on and off the court. We wish him and his family all the best."<br />
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O'Neal retires fifth all-time with 28,596 points, 12th with 13,099 rebounds and second only to Artis Gilmore among players with more than 2,000 baskets with a .582 field goal percentage.<br />
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"I'm a little bit sad," said Pat Riley, the Heat president who was also the coach in 2006 when O'Neal won a title in Miami. "It's the end of an absolute 20-year career. Great, great player. ... The league's going to miss Shaq. I'm sure Shaq will do something big and beyond."<br />
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<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james">LeBron James</a> tweeted: "What a career for Shaq Diesel!! The most dominating force to ever play the game. Great person to be around as well. Comedy all the time!!"<br />
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O'Neal, who's a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, said he isn't sure which team he'll enter under. <br />
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"I'm a humble and modest person so hopefully I get inducted. Let's just start there first," O'Neal said on "SportsCenter." He added, "We'll just have to wait 'til that happens, and then I'll make that decision."<br />
<br />
At each stop, he endeared himself to the fans and his new teammates with his effervescent smile and playful attitude, including the habit of adopting a new nickname he felt embodied his role with his new team. In Phoenix he was the "Big Shaqtus"; in Boston, the "Big Shamroq."<br />
<br />
O'Neal signed a two-year contract with the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/bos/boston-celtics">Boston Celtics</a> last summer but a persistent Achilles injury will prevent him from fulfilling the terms of the deal. O'Neal first injured his right Achilles on Christmas Day and was able to play in only two of the final 35 games of the regular season.<br />
<br />
On April 3 against Detroit, O'Neal returned to the court after a two-month absence and scored six points in a spirited 5 minutes and 29 seconds before coming up lame and limping off the floor. Although his injury was listed as a strained calf, O'Neal said it was the Achilles flaring up again.<br />
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"I felt like someone had shot me in the back of my leg," he said.<br />
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O'Neal did not play again in the regular season. He sat out the first-round playoff series against the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/ny/new-york-knicks">New York Knicks</a>, then tried to return in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against his old team, the Heat. O'Neal logged 8½ minutes in the 97-81 victory but woke up in considerable pain the next morning. His final game was two days later, when he toiled for three minutes of Game 4 before Celtics coach Doc Rivers pulled him for good.<br />
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In the final weeks of the the playoffs, O'Neal, over the objections of team physician Brian McKeon, had "more than five" cortisone shots in his Achilles in an attempt to play against the Heat.<br />
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"Doc (McKeon) kept telling me, 'No, no,' but I wanted to play so badly," O'Neal said. "My feeling was, 'If it ruptures, it ruptures.' The Celtics were so good to me I wanted to do everything I could to get back on the court for them."<br />
<br />
Throughout his time on the sideline, O'Neal said, he continued to do rehab as well as work on the treadmill and the exercise bike. He swam each evening at the Thoreau Club in Concord and shot a number of late-night free throws at the Lincoln-Sudbury High School gymnasium across the street from his rented Sudbury home. He lost 35 pounds and was "feeling great everywhere except for that one little spot behind my heel."<br />
<br />
O'Neal said McKeon recommended surgery that would "clean up" the area around the Achilles, but O'Neal said the recovery time would be close to nine months.<br />
<br />
"I really, really thought about coming back," he said, "but this Achilles is very damaged and if I had it done the recovery would be so long we'd have same outcome as this last year -- everyone sitting around and waiting for me.<br />
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"I didn't want to let people down two years in a row. I didn't want to hold Boston hostage again.<br />
<br />
"I'm letting everybody know now so Danny (Ainge) and the organization can try to get younger talent. I would love to come back, but they say once the Achilles is damaged it's never the same. I don't want to take that chance."<br />
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O'Neal said his final months in Boston included some of the darkest days of his career because "I just hated to let the city of Boston down. I really grew to love the place. Everyone was so welcoming to me and treated me so great. They believed in me and they took care of me, especially the great people of Sudbury. I love that town."<br />
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O'Neal also had effusive praise for Rivers, whom he said was "one of the best I ever played for."<br />
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"I thought Doc was fabulous," O'Neal said. "He stressed 'team' all the time, never wavered on that. He kept everyone together. He's an amazing coach. I want to congratulate him on his five years (contract extension).<br />
<br />
"He deserves it. He loves the organization, loves the players, and we all love him back."<br />
<br />
O'Neal is acutely aware the Celtics posted a record of 21-4 when he was able to play 20 or more minutes this season. The chemistry he shared with the Big Three (<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/261/kevin-garnett">Kevin Garnett</a>, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/662/paul-pierce">Paul Pierce</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/9/ray-allen">Ray Allen</a>) and Rondo, O'Neal said, will be an enduring memory, leaving him to wonder what would have happened had he stayed healthy.<br />
<br />
"We were supposed to win this year but 'supposed' doesn't count," he said. "The path was there for us. All the so-called superpowers were gone -- L.A. (Lakers), San Antonio. I really feel if I was on the court we would have done it, but I don't believe in 'ifs.'"<br />
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O'Neal will be remembered as one of the most dominant, recognizable and controversial figures in the game, whose body of work included rap records, movies, a lengthy business portfolio and an even lengthier history of philanthropic deeds.<br />
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O'Neal embraced social networking, amassing more than 3.8 million followers on his Twitter account and keeping them informed on his "random acts of Shaqness" -- like sitting in Harvard Square, pretending to be a statue, or going out in drag on Halloween.<br />
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"I tried to make people happy," O'Neal said, "and I tried to have fun. I think I did both."<br />
<br />
O'Neal was a franchise-saver when the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=orl">Orlando Magic</a> made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 draft. He took them from the lottery to the playoffs in two years, and then led them to the NBA Finals in his third year before they were swept by the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=hou">Houston Rockets</a>.<br />
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O'Neal then signed with the Lakers in 1996 and had his greatest success there, winning three titles alongside <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/110/kobe-bryant">Kobe Bryant</a> and coach Phil Jackson. But amid tension between O'Neal and Bryant over credit for the team's success, O'Neal was traded to the Heat in the summer of 2004, fresh off a loss to the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=det">Detroit Pistons</a> in the Finals.<br />
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"Shaq had a long and amazing career, with a huge impact both on and off the court," Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss said in a statement released by the team. "His contributions were significant to the entire NBA, but we specifically appreciate what he did with and what he meant to the Lakers during his eight years with us. We have three championships that we wouldn't have won without him, and we will forever be grateful for his significant contributions to those teams." <br />
<br />
After 3½ years in Miami, a tenure that included his fourth NBA championship, O'Neal became a veteran-for-hire, moving to Phoenix and then Cleveland and finally Boston. But he couldn't deliver another title for <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/592/steve-nash">Steve Nash</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1727/amare-stoudemire">Amare Stoudemire</a> with the Suns, with James with the Cavaliers or with the Celtics.<br />
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"I think Shaq was the most dominant big man of his era. He changed the game," former Lakers teammate Brian Shaw told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi.<br />
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He added: "The amazing thing about him was with somebody of his size, that he was as nimble as he was. He could dance and run and do anything physically that somebody who was 5-10 could do. That's unheard of for a man his size. I don't know if we'll ever see that again.<br />
<br />
The Lakers plan to honor O'Neal by raising his No. 34 jersey to the rafters.<br />
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"We don't have any specific timetable on this, but you can be assured we will retire Shaq's jersey," Lakers spokesman John Black told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin in an email on Wednesday.<br />
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With his basketball career behind him, O'Neal said he has a lot of things to fall back on, including pursuing his doctorate in human resource development at Barry University in Miami.<br />
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"If all goes well, I will be Dr. Shaquille O'Neal in December or January," O'Neal said on "SportsCenter." "That's my main focus right now, but, you know, I've got a lot of stuff going on. I'm a business man. I own a couple of businesses. But right now I guess I could sit and take care of my body, get my body back."<br />
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In all, O'Neal averaged just 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 20.3 minutes this season while playing in 37 games -- all career lows.<br />
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"I'm glad that he retired. I think it was time," former guard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/301/tim-hardaway">Tim Hardaway</a> said. "He was hurting his legacy. You don't want to see anybody hurt their legacy when they're going out. I think a lot of people are happy he didn't go through that pain of waiting too long. And I think it was tough for everybody to watch Shaq when he was playing hurt like that at the end of this season."<br />
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And that left O'Neal in the market for a new nickname.<br />
<br />
After announcing his retirement, he asked fans to give him a nickname that befit his retirement. He reported at about 5 p.m. that "The Big 401K" was the leader.<br />
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"I know you can do better, though," he said in another video. "I'm here all day. I'm retired."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vKZUMwYQ7Ig/TefRUW71g5I/AAAAAAAAAjk/go1PWQVQsl4/s1600/shaq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vKZUMwYQ7Ig/TefRUW71g5I/AAAAAAAAAjk/go1PWQVQsl4/s320/shaq.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
By: <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/">http://sports.espn.go.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-2308374635215082220?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-14212173684390933932011-06-02T11:03:00.000-07:002011-06-02T11:03:50.325-07:002011-06-02T11:03:50.325-07:00Dirk Nowitzki to wear splint for Game 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAbL7zH6-sI/TefQfqQDCNI/AAAAAAAAAjg/8V716fO0Zm8/s1600/Dirk+Nowitzki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAbL7zH6-sI/TefQfqQDCNI/AAAAAAAAAjg/8V716fO0Zm8/s320/Dirk+Nowitzki.jpg" t8="true" width="199" /></a></div><span style="color: black;">While it shouldn't be a surprise that </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/609/dirk-nowitzki" jquery1307037959644="34"><span style="color: black;">Dirk Nowitzki</span></a><span style="color: black;"> will play in Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a torn tendon in his left middle finger, the </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks"><span style="color: black;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a><span style="color: black;"> forward plans on wearing a splint Thursday night to protect it.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Nowitzki injured the finger while trying to steal the ball from Miami forward </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1977/chris-bosh" jquery1307037959644="35"><span style="color: black;">Chris Bosh</span></a><span style="color: black;"> toward the end of Game 1, and tape was used to cover the finger at the end of the game.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Nowitzki will look at two different splints before settling on one before Game 2.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"I'm not really worried about it," Nowitzki said before the Mavericks' shootaround on Thursday morning. "We'll try something right before the warm-ups. The main thing is when you hold the ball in that hand, so I don't really want to put too much tape over it. I still like to feel it, and we'll find something to protect it from the back."</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Nowitzki scored 27 points in 40 minutes in Game 1. After he injured the finger, Nowitzki made four free throws and took two shot attempts.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Most of his teammates don't seemed too concerned about the injury.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">"He looked fine," forward </span><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/510/shawn-marion" jquery1307037959644="36"><span style="color: black;">Shawn Marion</span></a><span style="color: black;"> said Thursday morning. "Looked the same as he always does."</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Said coach Rick Carlisle: He's going to play, and he's not going to complain about it."</span><br />
<br />
By: <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/">http://sports.espn.go.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-1421217368439093393?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-90137961949331677512011-05-30T16:20:00.000-07:002011-05-30T16:20:15.034-07:002011-05-30T16:20:15.034-07:00LeBron James flattered by comparisons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BAsHWcp6TPQ/TeQmJkZhUlI/AAAAAAAAAfM/JTw7v4X8o2Q/s1600/LeBron+James+flattered+by+comparisons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BAsHWcp6TPQ/TeQmJkZhUlI/AAAAAAAAAfM/JTw7v4X8o2Q/s400/LeBron+James+flattered+by+comparisons.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/663/scottie-pippen" jquery1306797487510="49"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Scottie Pippen</span></a> said <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james" jquery1306797487510="50"><span style="color: #225fb2;">LeBron James</span></a> may be basketball's greatest player ever.<br />
Among those who disagree: LeBron James.<br />
The <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mia"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Miami Heat</span></a> forward provided his reaction to Pippen's comparison between James and <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/1035/michael-jordan" jquery1306797487510="51"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Michael Jordan</span></a> on Saturday, essentially saying he was flattered by the sentiment but simply does not believe he's done enough to merit mention among the game's highest echelon.<br />
<!-- start podcast --><br />
<div class="mod-container mod-inline content-box mod-podcast floatright mod-no-header-footer"><div class="mod-content"><span style="color: #225db7;"></span></div></div><div class="mod-container mod-inline content-box mod-podcast floatright mod-no-header-footer"><div class="mod-content">"I'm not better than Jordan," James said.</div></div>Pippen -- who won six championships alongside Jordan in Chicago during the Bulls' epic run in the 1990s -- told ESPN Radio on Friday that while Jordan is "probably the greatest scorer to play the game," James "may be the greatest player to ever play the game."<br />
Pippen even backed up the comments later on Twitter, hours after his words sparked a bit of a firestorm, though tried to clarify a bit by saying that while he thinks Jordan "is the greatest," James "could" reach that pinnacle in time.<br />
James seemed mildly uncomfortable by the discussion.<br />
"Michael's an unbelievable player," James said Saturday. "I've got a long way -- long way -- to be mentioned as far as one of the all-time greats. Not even just Jordan. There's a lot of great players who have played in this league. Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all these guys who are floating around with multiple rings, Bill Russell, all these guys who have pioneered this game.<br />
"I'm gracious. Humbled by Scottie's comments, especially with him being a teammate of his and seeing Michael on a day-to-day basis. But as far as me, I'm not going to sit here and say I'm better than Jordan. I'm not better than Jordan."<br />
James is four wins away from his first NBA championship. The Heat host the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=dal"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a> in Game 1 of the NBA finals on Tuesday night.<br />
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By: <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/">http://sports.espn.go.com/</a><br />
<!--columnistprofile is null--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-9013796194933167751?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-42757041765335252872011-05-30T16:18:00.000-07:002011-05-30T16:18:51.458-07:002011-05-30T16:18:51.458-07:00Jason Terry's tattoo temporary?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UnSK9FJH6yo/TeQlzAbq8cI/AAAAAAAAAfI/jzdSkynbeMU/s1600/jason+terry+tatto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UnSK9FJH6yo/TeQlzAbq8cI/AAAAAAAAAfI/jzdSkynbeMU/s400/jason+terry+tatto.jpg" t8="true" width="338" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/841/jason-terry" jquery1306797484073="38"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Jason Terry</span></a>'s tattoo of the Larry O'Brien Trophy could be temporary.<br />
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<div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer"><div class="mod-content"><h4>If his <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a> don't beat the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mia/miami-heat"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Miami Heat</span></a> in the NBA Finals, Terry said he would have the tattoo removed from the inside of his right biceps.</h4></div></div>"I definitely know that it will hurt worse if I have to take this thing off than it did putting it on," Terry said Sunday after the Mavericks wrapped up their final practice before boarding their flight to Miami.<br />
If the Mavs fail to win their first NBA championship, Terry said it would mean his tattoo was bad luck.<br />
"I'm very superstitious," he said.<br />
Terry got the tattoo on Oct. 19 during a get-together Dallas shooting guard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/808/deshawn-stevenson" jquery1306797484073="39"><span style="color: #225fb2;">DeShawn Stevenson</span></a> had at his offseason home before the Mavericks played a road preseason game against the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/orl/orlando-magic"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Orlando Magic</span></a>. Stevenson, who has hundreds of tattoos on his face, neck, torso and arms, offered the services of his personal tattoo artist to his teammates.<br />
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Terry, the only player other than <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/609/dirk-nowitzki" jquery1306797484073="40"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Dirk Nowitzki</span></a> remaining on the Mavericks' roster from the 2006 Finals team, got the trophy inked into his arm to send a message to his teammates.<br />
"It just symbolized the fact that we had a realistic shot of getting here," Terry said. "If I didn't think we had a chance, I wouldn't have put it there."<br />
Terry certainly isn't backing off his belief in the Mavs now that they've earned a Finals rematch with the Heat, although he understands that Miami is considered the heavy favorite.<br />
"Everybody knows that they're picking Miami to win. We know that," Terry said. "It really doesn't matter to us. We know we're very focused right now. We know what the job is and we know how we have to get it done."<br />
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<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/">http://sports.espn.go.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4275704176533525287?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-61998116791373703142011-05-30T16:17:00.000-07:002011-05-30T16:17:08.951-07:002011-05-30T16:17:08.951-07:00Jim Buss talks Mike Brown, Kobe Bryant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LP9PNf4l5TI/TeQlaHw-f_I/AAAAAAAAAfE/hGnMPV6n43Q/s1600/buss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LP9PNf4l5TI/TeQlaHw-f_I/AAAAAAAAAfE/hGnMPV6n43Q/s400/buss.jpg" t8="true" width="266" /></a></div>Jim Buss, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Los Angeles Lakers</span></a> executive and son of owner Dr. Jerry Buss, says he regrets not talking to <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/110/kobe-bryant" jquery1306797481290="39"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Kobe Bryant</span></a> about the decision to hire Mike Brown as Phil Jackson's successor.<br />
"Looking back on it, we should have contacted Kobe," Jim Buss said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that ran Saturday night. "Kobe said it was management's job to pick a coach. He just said, 'Defense first.' That's what we were doing, but we should have reached out to him."<br />
Bryant had previously endorsed longtime Jackson assistant Brian Shaw to be promoted to the head-coaching job. The Lakers struck an agreement with Brown on Wednesday, and sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin that Bryant has great respect for Brown and is on board with the hiring, despite not being consulted about the choice.<br />
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<div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer"><div class="mod-content"><h4>During an interview on ESPN during halftime of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, Brown said he already had exchanged text messages with Bryant. Brown also said he's "looking forward to getting to know Kobe and being able to work with him to go and get us a championship."</h4></div></div>Jim Buss, Lakers executive VP of player personnel, expressed confidence that Bryant would mesh well with Brown, according to the Times report<br />
"The way Mike impressed the three of us, I would think Kobe would be impressed as well," Buss said. "Mike is a workaholic and Kobe is the workaholic."<br />
Buss was unconcerned about the possibility that Brown wouldn't be able to corral Bryant's talents for the good of the team.<br />
"I've seen Kobe go off the place a few times, but I'm sure the coach will know how to handle it," Buss told the newspaper. "My dad loves Kobe and so do I; we think he has a lot left. And I know Mike has some ideas on how to elongate Kobe's career."<br />
The Lakers' bid for a three-peat ended unceremoniously when the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks"><span style="color: #225fb2;">Dallas Mavericks</span></a> swept them in the Western Conference semifinals.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-6199811679137370314?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-75742183004823875992011-05-26T09:43:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:43:33.434-07:002011-05-26T09:43:33.434-07:00Jason Terry: Time to finish the job<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bpc9VzAQhY/Td6DLUzgxoI/AAAAAAAAAWs/HJzV5Wr1x9U/s1600/terry15_g6but.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bpc9VzAQhY/Td6DLUzgxoI/AAAAAAAAAWs/HJzV5Wr1x9U/s320/terry15_g6but.jpg" t8="true" width="213" /></a></div>Guard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/841/jason-terry">Jason Terry</a> was so confident the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks">Dallas Mavericks</a> would reach the NBA Finals this season, he had it printed.<br />
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In ink. On his body. Before the start of the 2010-11 regular season.<br />
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On Oct. 19, 2010 -- a day before a preseason game against the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/orl/orlando-magic">Orlando Magic</a> -- guard <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/808/deshawn-stevenson">DeShawn Stevenson</a> had a get-together for his Mavericks teammates at his house.<br />
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Stevenson, who has an offseason home in Orlando, brought his chef and his personal tattoo artist for the players. It was a team-building exercise.<br />
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Stevenson's chest, neck and arms are covered with tattoos. He even has two piercings in his chest. But despite all of his tattoos, what he saw teammate Jason Terry do was mind-boggling at the time.<br />
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Terry got one placed on his right biceps of the Larry O'Brien Trophy, given to the winner of the NBA championship.<br />
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"When he first got the tattoo, I said he was crazy," Stevenson said of the tattoo that is on the inside of Terry's arm. "I didn't say it to him. But I've never been to the [NBA Finals], and for him to have that now. Wow. And he got that tattoo in October, and it means a lot with what we've been through."<br />
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The tattoo story came up Wednesday night following the Mavericks' 100-96 victory over the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/okc/oklahoma-city-thunder">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> that clinched the Western Conference finals 4-1.<br />
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Dallas is headed to its second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.<br />
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In a way, Terry had a feeling this team was destined to play for the championship.<br />
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"Everybody laughed and they thought it was a joke at the time," said Terry, who along with <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/609/dirk-nowitzki">Dirk Nowitzki</a> are the only remaining players from the Mavs' 2006 Finals loss to the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mia/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>. "When they actually see me get it, they were like, 'This boy is serious.' And our whole talk and conversation was about right now, about us getting to this point and winning it all."<br />
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The Mavericks are four victories away from a title and are awaiting the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between Chicago and Miami.<br />
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And that tattoo on Terry's arm is looking like a good decision now.<br />
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"The whole makeup, the chemistry, just all together, all the stars have to line up for you to win it," Terry said. "They're in place right now. It's just on us to go out and finish the job."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-7574218300482387599?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-69101567842017219932011-05-26T09:41:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:41:13.299-07:002011-05-26T09:41:13.299-07:00Heat's Mike Miller thinking of daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dddaipBxbEQ/Td6Cn0hLy7I/AAAAAAAAAWo/bfvt-H-7Mps/s1600/Mike+miller+-++GoNBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dddaipBxbEQ/Td6Cn0hLy7I/AAAAAAAAAWo/bfvt-H-7Mps/s1600/Mike+miller+-++GoNBA.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div>Miami Heat guard Mike Miller traveled with the team to Chicago on Wednesday for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference final series against the Bulls as his newborn daughter, Jaelyn, remained in an intensive care unit at a South Florida hospital.<br />
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Miller said it was a tough decision to travel with the team and leave his daughter, who was born with an undisclosed health issue caused by complications from childbirth.<br />
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Jaelyn Miller has remained hospitalized since she was born last Thursday. Miller has gone back and forth from practices and games to the hospital to be with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter. The couple also has two other young sons.<br />
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"It's tough, because I really haven't been away from (Jaelyn) since she was born," Miller said after Wednesday's practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. "It's a difficult time for me and my family. But we know she'll be OK."<br />
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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he has offered Miller as much time away from the team as he needs to be with his family. Miller missed last Friday's practice but has since opted to split his time between his teammates and family.<br />
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"We're here to support him through this," Spoelstra said. "He knows we're his family, too."<br />
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Miller took part in Wednesday's light workout session after playing one of his best games of the season in Miami's 101-93 overtime victory against Chicago on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.<br />
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The Heat can close out the series with a victory in Chicago on Thursday, and would advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006.<br />
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Udonis Haslem, Miller's closest friend on the Heat and his former teammate with the Florida Gators, said he went through a similar situation when his son was born and needed to be in an ICU unit for several days earlier this season.<br />
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Haslem said Wednesday that Miller is handling things as well as can be expected.<br />
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"He's always been a family-oriented guy," Haslem said.<br />
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The situation also hit particularly close to home for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. He and his wife were expecting twins in 2007, when complications arose and both babies were lost after being born four months premature.<br />
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"He has a lot on his mind," Ilgauskas said. "You just try to be a good friend right now. He's one of the toughest individuals I've ever been around. He's worked so hard, he's just a blue-collar guy who comes to play every day. But this, this is life."<br />
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Miller had 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench, making two huge 3-pointers to help the Heat hold off the Bulls. After the game, Miller said he went directly to the hospital and was awake until about 4 a.m. ET Wednesday.<br />
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"It hasn't been easy," said Miller, who has worn pink laces in his game shoes as a tribute to Jaelyn. "But we'll get through this."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-6910156784201721993?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-28361446415793153882011-05-26T09:38:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:38:56.586-07:002011-05-26T09:38:56.586-07:00Jalen Rose admits to drunken drivingFormer Michigan star and NBA player Jalen Rose pleaded guilty Wednesday to drunken driving, telling a judge he was embarrassed to admit that he drank six martinis the night he veered off a snowy road and rolled his Cadillac Escalade.<br />
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Standing beside his attorney, Rose pleaded guilty in district court in Bloomfield Hills to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He faces up to 93 days in a jail, a $500 fine and court costs when he's sentenced July 27.<br />
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Rose was arrested March 11 in neighboring West Bloomfield Township. Despite what an officer described as an odor of intoxicants on Rose's breath and slightly blood shot eyes, Rose told police that night he didn't have a drink and that he doesn't drink.<br />
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The story was different before Judge Kimberly Small, who asked Rose how many drinks he had leading up to the crash.<br />
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"I'm embarrassed to say I had six drinks that evening," Rose said softly.<br />
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When Small asked how large the drinks were, Rose replied: "I'm embarrassed to say probably too big."<br />
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The drinks were equivalent to about 12 regular-sized drinks, Small responded.<br />
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Authorities said Rose had a 0.088 blood-alcohol level, above Michigan's legal driving limit of 0.08 percent. A hospital blood test revealed his blood-alcohol content was actually 0.12.<br />
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Rose, an NBA analyst for ESPN, left the courthouse without speaking with reporters.<br />
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A basketball standout at Detroit Southwestern High School, the brash Rose was part of Michigan's famous Fab Five, which reached the NCAA title games in 1992 and 1993. He spent 13 years in the NBA, reaching the finals with Indiana in 2000.<br />
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Rose and his female passenger were unhurt in the rollover off the two-lane Walnut Lake Road, about 20 miles northwest of Detroit. In a statement released March 30, Rose said he wasn't "feeling impaired" at the time of the accident.<br />
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Rose was given several field sobriety tests and had difficulty with each one, West Bloomfield officer Robert Stevens wrote in his report.<br />
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While stretched along the back seat of a patrol car, Rose later told the officer that there was no reason for his arrest. When he was told it was for driving while intoxicated, Rose replied: "For what, sir? But I haven't been drinking."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-2836144641579315388?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-73883038523531410182011-05-26T09:36:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:36:53.965-07:002011-05-26T09:36:53.965-07:00Mike Brown new Lakers coachMike Brown is the new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.<br />
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The Lakers were expected to announce Brown as the 22nd coach in franchise history Wednesday afternoon but first issued a statement.<br />
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"In response to rampant speculation and reports about our head coaching position and Mike Brown, we've met with Mike and are very impressed with him," the team said. "In addition, we have an outline for an agreement in place and hope to sign a contract within the next few days."<br />
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Brown, who is currently in Cleveland, will sign the contract later this week. According to league sources, the deal will be for four years and $18.25 million.<br />
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During an interview on ESPN during halftime of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, Brown said he already had exchanged text messages with Kobe Bryant, who had endorsed Jackson assistant coach Brian Shaw for the job.<br />
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Brown is "looking forward to getting to know Kobe and being able to work with him to go and get us a championship," he said.<br />
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The development is a victorious comeback for Brown, who was fired by the Cleveland Cavaliers almost a year ago to the day. Now, the 41-year-old Brown, the winningest coach in Cavaliers history, is leading one of the most prestigious and successful franchise in modern basketball history.<br />
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The contract is a three-year deal with a team option for a fourth year. If the Lakers don't pick up the option, Brown is guaranteed to receive $2.5 million.<br />
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Brown's union with the Lakers came together quickly. An ESPN analyst and the 2008-09 NBA coach of the year, he emerged as the leading candidate for the vacancy created when Phil Jackson retired after a strong face-to-face interview Saturday with Lakers brass including executive vice president of player personnel Jim Buss, ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported.<br />
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"I think it's great," said LeBron James, the face of the Cavs during Brown's tenure.<br />
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Brown, 41, guided Cleveland to the 2007 NBA Finals and two trips to the Eastern Conference finals in five seasons with the Cavaliers, posting a record of 272-138.<br />
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<br />
Mason & Ireland <br />
ESPN NBA Insider Chris Broussard explains why Mike Brown's coaching style and experience make him a great fit for the Lakers.<br />
<br />
More Podcasts »<br />
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While Brown's teams were noted for their defense, their offensive schemes were much maligned for their over-dependency on James to create without the consistent involvement of his teammates.<br />
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Brown said the Lakers would be a "defensive-minded team," saying "I thrive and I love that end of the floor because I believe that's what helps you win championships."<br />
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Although James was critical of Brown's strategies during their final playoff run together, the two-time NBA MVP strongly endorsed his former coach Wednesday.<br />
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"Mike Brown is a great coach," James said. "He brought us success that we hadn't had before in that city, and it started with his defensive concepts. He brought in a defensive mindset that we didn't have. Fifty-plus wins, he was coach of the year, he got us to the (NBA) Finals, won us the Eastern Conference finals ... because of him and his coaching staff. I respect him. He definitely helped me become who I am today."<br />
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Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss addressed the issue of the team's offense moving forward in an interview with SiriusXM Radio on Tuesday.<br />
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"We're not going to continue exclusively with the triangle," Buss told Playboy Radio's Michael Eaves and Bonnie-Jill Laflin. "Certainly, there will be facets of the triangle incorporated into any modern offense."<br />
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Brown would be likely to implement an offensive system similar to what the San Antonio Spurs run, which includes triangle principles, according to a Western Conference coach familiar with Brown's career. Brown was an assistant coach in San Antonio from 2000 to 2003.<br />
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Brown's interview, combined with his track record of success in Cleveland, moved him ahead of the two other candidates the Lakers interviewed, Rick Adelman and Shaw.<br />
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Shaw was the favorite candidate among the current Lakers, with Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum joining Bryant in throwing their support behind him. Fisher tweeted his approval of Brown's arrival late Wednesday.<br />
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"Will miss Phil but excited to start a new chapter under Mike Brown," Fisher said. "Looking forward to a different style and energy!!"<br />
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Shaw will likely be moving on to another franchise after the hiring of Brown. He is a candidate for the head-coaching job in Golden State, though sources say the Warriors want to hire a coach with prior head-coaching experience.<br />
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Lakers brass did not consult Bryant during their coaching search, but sources say Bryant has great respect for Brown and is on board with the hiring.<br />
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With the Lakers realizing their hopes of landing Brown, runner-up Adelman would move to the Warriors' short list, sources told Bucher.<br />
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Former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale is also among the Warriors' top candidates. McHale was expected to meet with Rockets owner Les Alexander on Wednesday, but a source cautioned not to interpret that as McHale being on track to get the job. McHale is battling assistant coach Dwane Casey to succeed Adelman in Houston, a source said, and the Rockets could make a decision as early as Thursday.<br />
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The Warriors, conversely, will not hire a new head coach until next week at the earliest, a source said.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOSZEfmQLiQ/Td6BmA8HpPI/AAAAAAAAAWY/Hk8t-ttc2O4/s1600/Mike%2Bbrown%2B-%2BLakers%2BGo%2BNBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="230" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOSZEfmQLiQ/Td6BmA8HpPI/AAAAAAAAAWY/Hk8t-ttc2O4/s320/Mike%2Bbrown%2B-%2BLakers%2BGo%2BNBA.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-7388303852353141018?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-40779258010292243702011-05-26T09:34:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:34:50.861-07:002011-05-26T09:34:50.861-07:00Mavs return to NBA Finals after Dirk Nowitzki's late 3 finishes Thunder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GToLRhhslI/Td6BIoAfsaI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/Ep8vBmVuiQA/s1600/dirk%2Bnowitzki%2B-%2BGo%2BNBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GToLRhhslI/Td6BIoAfsaI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/Ep8vBmVuiQA/s320/dirk%2Bnowitzki%2B-%2BGo%2BNBA.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Dirk Nowitzki stood on the court wearing a baseball hat celebrating the Dallas Mavericks' return to the NBA Finals. As his team received a silver trophy for winning the Western Conference, he looked as if he'd just been named the player of the week in November.<br />
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Nowitzki's indifferent attitude during the pandemonium around him shows just how locked in he is right now.<br />
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"We've got one of those trophies already," Nowitzki said. "This is nice for a day, but we set our goals in October to win it all. We haven't done it yet."<br />
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The superstar who has dominated this postseason added yet another highlight Wednesday night, hitting a straightaway 3-pointer with 1:14 left that put the Mavericks ahead for good on their way to a 100-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder that ended the Western Conference finals in five games.<br />
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After clawing back from down 15 with 5:06 left in Game 4, the Mavericks were down by six with 4:37 left when they rallied again, outscoring the Thunder 14-4 the rest of the way. The biggest on-court celebration in franchise history followed, with the greatest player in franchise history hardly soaking it in.<br />
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"It feels good to finally go back," Nowitzki said. "This time, hopefully we can finish the job."<br />
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The Mavericks have long been among the NBA's elite, winning 50 games for 11 consecutive seasons. However, it's been a bit hollow because they don't have a title to show for it. They reached the Finals in 2006, went up 2-0 and had a big, late lead in Game 3, only to lose to the Miami Heat in six games. They'd won only a single playoff series since until this spring.<br />
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Dallas is 12-3 this postseason, and has won 10 of its last 11. Nowitzki has been at his best throughout, especially this series. He scored nine of his 26 points in the fourth quarter; for the series, he averaged 32.2 points, 11.8 in the fourth quarters and overtimes.<br />
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But it wasn't just him. A roster filled with guys seeking their first title made big plays down the stretch, from Jason Kidd to Shawn Marion to Jason Terry.<br />
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"We just kept our poise at all times," said Marion, who scored 15 of his 26 points in the final quarter. "It seemed like we never got rattled and just chipped away and chipped away."<br />
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When the Mavs last made the Finals, they advanced with a win in Phoenix. This time, they got to share the moment with their fans. Franchise founder Don Carter was right in the middle of it all, trading his signature white cowboy hat -- the one that used to be featured in the team's logo -- for a black baseball cap that read "The Finals 2011" with a Mavs logo and the championship trophy.<br />
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"All I can tell everybody is, we ain't done yet," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said during the on-court trophy presentation ceremony.<br />
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Funny thing is, they could face Miami again. Fans seem to hope so, chanting "Beat the Heat!" so loudly after Cuban spoke that they drowned out coach Rick Carlisle's on-court interview.<br />
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LeBron James and Miami lead the Chicago Bulls 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals. If the Heat win Thursday night, the Finals will begin Tuesday in Miami. If the Bulls win Thursday night, the Finals will begin next Thursday in the East winner's city.<br />
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The Mavericks' big edge this series was experience, and it showed in the final two games. Age never slowed them, in part because their legs were refreshed by eight days off before the opener. Winning this game is huge because it earns them at least six days off before the Finals.<br />
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"Any time you can get rest this time of year is a bonus," said Kidd, who at 38 could become the oldest point guard to ever win a title -- by several years. "For us to close it out here is huge."<br />
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Oklahoma City led for most of this game, even staying ahead during a stretch of 11 straight missed shots. But the Thunder were just too young and too inexperienced to understand how to close out a game.<br />
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When Dallas started to surge at the start and middle of the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook came up with some answers. Yet when the pressure really ratcheted up, and 21,092 fans were at their loudest, the veteran Mavericks made all the right moves.<br />
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Marion got Dallas within 94-92 off a pass from Kidd, then Nowitzki stole a pass from Westbrook. Nowitzki actually missed his first 3-point try on that possession and Westbrook got the rebound, but Terry stole it, got the ball to Marion and he fed Nowitzki for the go-ahead 3.<br />
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Eric Maynor wound up taking Oklahoma City's next shot and teammate Nick Collison got the rebound on the baseline. He flung the ball back toward the paint, Marion caught it and took off for a breakaway dunk. He was fouled on the play and hit the free throw for a 98-94 lead.<br />
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Westbrook made a pair of foul shots with 39 seconds left to get the Thunder within a basket. Nowitzki missed a shot against tight defense with 18 seconds left, but Kidd got the rebound and passed back to Nowitzki. He was fouled and made a pair of free throws with 13.3 left. Durant and Harden missed 3-pointers, and that was it.<br />
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"It's tough now," Durant said. "But we can learn from it. The only way to get better is to keep pushing."<br />
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Westbrook scored 31 points, and Durant and James Harden each scored 23. The Thunder bowed out with only their second three-game losing streak of the season.<br />
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"I just think we played hard and just couldn't come up with the win," Durant said.<br />
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Considering its youth and the experience gained in this series, Oklahoma City can expect to close in on many more titles. That was little consolation Wednesday night.<br />
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"Their time will come, but it's not now," Carlisle said. "We feel like now is our time to move on."<br />
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Game notes<br />
Teams with at least eight days off before a series, as Dallas did, are now 12-7 in the next round during the shot-clock era. If the Bulls win Thursday night, the Mavericks would have seven days off before the next series. ... Dallas is 7-1 at home this postseason. ... The Mavs, Spurs and Lakers have combined to win the last 13 West titles. ... Dallas-area sports fans are getting spoiled. The World Series was here in October/November, the Super Bowl in February and now the NBA Finals are coming. ... Since blowing a 23-point lead in the final 14 minutes of Game 4 of a first-round series against Portland, Dallas has won 10 of 11 games. The Mavs joined the 1994 Rockets and 2002 Nets as the only teams to squander at least an 18-point lead going into the fourth quarter of a playoff game, and now all three of those clubs have recovered to reach the Finals. The '94 Rockets won the title, the '02 Nets (with Kidd) didn't.<br />
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By: www.espn.go.com<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-4077925801029224370?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789501206397055210.post-58658521417600677532011-05-24T13:53:00.000-07:002011-05-24T13:53:29.200-07:002011-05-24T13:53:29.200-07:00Joakim Noah fined $50KChicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was fined $50,000 on Monday for directing an anti-gay slur at a fan during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, and vowed to learn from the incident.<br />
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The NBA released its decision hours after speaking with Noah, saying the fine was "for using a derogatory and offensive term from the bench."<br />
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"I think it's fair," Noah said Tuesday. "I made a mistake, learn from it and move on. That's about it."<br />
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The fine is only half of what Los Angeles Lakers' star Kobe Bryant was assessed for shouting the same slur toward a referee last month, and the league said the discrepancy was because the sanction against Bryant was based on both what he said -- and who he said it to.<br />
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"Kobe's fine included discipline for verbal abuse of a game official," NBA spokesman Mark Broussard said.<br />
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Noah and NBA officials met Monday morning. Noah said he emerged from that talk prepared to "pay the price" for what happened when he returned to the bench with two fouls midway through the first quarter of Sunday night's game against the Miami Heat.<br />
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That price turned out to be 1.6 percent of his roughly $3.1 million salary this season. Noah agreed to an extension last year, worth about $60 million through the 2015-16 season.<br />
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Meanwhile, two major advocacy groups quickly called upon the league to both sanction Noah and help further educate players on the topic.<br />
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"The fan said something that was disrespectful towards me," Noah said, about five hours before the fine was announced. "And I went back at him. Got it on camera. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. Anybody who knows me knows that I'm not like that. I'm an open-minded guy. I said the wrong thing and I'm going to pay the consequences -- deal with the consequences -- like a man. I don't want to be a distraction to the team right now."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zMuTJW310fU/TdwaxTiL33I/AAAAAAAAAS8/NxVd67pzxA4/s1600/Joakim-Noah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zMuTJW310fU/TdwaxTiL33I/AAAAAAAAAS8/NxVd67pzxA4/s320/Joakim-Noah.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8789501206397055210-5865852141760067753?l=gonbamblog.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>JGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00394389858547734653noreply@blogger.com0