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The Indiana Pacers continue at the top of the TSN.ca NBA Power Rankings, a spot they haven't relinquished since the start of the regular season.
Just behind Indiana, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
Moving up this week, the San Antonio Spurs won three straight and, getting a few bodies back from injury, moved from 10 to seven.
Further down the list, the Orlando Magic are healthy and went 2-2 last week, which was enough to vault from 29 to 24. Sometimes it doesn't take a lot to move among the bottom-tier teams.
Heading the other way, the Los Angeles Clippers lost three of four and shooting guard J.J. Redick is hurt again, so they fall from seven to 10, effectively flipping spots with the Spurs.
The Memphis Grizzlies sunk from 12 to 17 after back-to-back losses and, more importantly, an injury to point guard Mike Conley.
The Toronto Raptors split their four games last week, but it was enough to hold their ninth-place ranking.
Pacers continue at top of NBA Power Rankings
Just behind Indiana, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
Moving up this week, the San Antonio Spurs won three straight and, getting a few bodies back from injury, moved from 10 to seven.
Further down the list, the Orlando Magic are healthy and went 2-2 last week, which was enough to vault from 29 to 24. Sometimes it doesn't take a lot to move among the bottom-tier teams.
Heading the other way, the Los Angeles Clippers lost three of four and shooting guard J.J. Redick is hurt again, so they fall from seven to 10, effectively flipping spots with the Spurs.
The Memphis Grizzlies sunk from 12 to 17 after back-to-back losses and, more importantly, an injury to point guard Mike Conley.
The Toronto Raptors split their four games last week, but it was enough to hold their ninth-place ranking.
Pacers continue at top of NBA Power Rankings
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January has come and gone. The concurrent hot streak of Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder are officially things of the past.
But that doesn't mean the NBA's dog days are over just yet. There are bound to be some folks around the Association who are counting down the hours until the All-Star break.
And who could blame them? The 82-game season is, has long been and likely always will be a slog. As such, any opportunity for a player or coach to get away from the game and refresh his mind and body ought to be welcomed with open arms.
Until then, they'll have to grin and bear it for just one week more—unless, of course, they're partaking in the midseason festivities.
Don't expect us to slack off in the lead-up to the All-Star Game, though. The power rankings will soldier on, just as they did last week.
Pictures: NBA Power Rankings: How the Association Stacks Up in Early February | Bleacher Report
But that doesn't mean the NBA's dog days are over just yet. There are bound to be some folks around the Association who are counting down the hours until the All-Star break.
And who could blame them? The 82-game season is, has long been and likely always will be a slog. As such, any opportunity for a player or coach to get away from the game and refresh his mind and body ought to be welcomed with open arms.
Until then, they'll have to grin and bear it for just one week more—unless, of course, they're partaking in the midseason festivities.
Don't expect us to slack off in the lead-up to the All-Star Game, though. The power rankings will soldier on, just as they did last week.
Pictures: NBA Power Rankings: How the Association Stacks Up in Early February | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
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January has come and gone. The concurrent hot streak of Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder are officially things of the past.
But that doesn't mean the NBA's dog days are over just yet. There are bound to be some folks around the Association who are counting down the hours until the All-Star break.
And who could blame them? The 82-game season is, has long been and likely always will be a slog. As such, any opportunity for a player or coach to get away from the game and refresh his mind and body ought to be welcomed with open arms.
Until then, they'll have to grin and bear it for just one week more—unless, of course, they're partaking in the midseason festivities.
Don't expect us to slack off in the lead-up to the All-Star Game, though. The power rankings will soldier on, just as they did last week.
That is, so long as you swipe/click ahead.
Pictures: NBA Power Rankings: How the Association Stacks Up in Early February | Bleacher Report
But that doesn't mean the NBA's dog days are over just yet. There are bound to be some folks around the Association who are counting down the hours until the All-Star break.
And who could blame them? The 82-game season is, has long been and likely always will be a slog. As such, any opportunity for a player or coach to get away from the game and refresh his mind and body ought to be welcomed with open arms.
Until then, they'll have to grin and bear it for just one week more—unless, of course, they're partaking in the midseason festivities.
Don't expect us to slack off in the lead-up to the All-Star Game, though. The power rankings will soldier on, just as they did last week.
That is, so long as you swipe/click ahead.
Pictures: NBA Power Rankings: How the Association Stacks Up in Early February | Bleacher Report
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On a visit to Sacramento this week, new NBA commissioner Adam Silver said his intention is for the NBA to "rival" the NFL.
"As much as we talk about international [...] I still think there's an enormous opportunity in the United States. [...] I think this game should be a rival to football. In the United States, it's the No. 1 participatory sport. We've all played it. I want to focus on the game. The business is going well, but this is a beautiful game."
Big note here: There's no indication that Silver thinks it can or will, but that it should. Big difference there. And the gap is not narrow. SBNation broke down exactly how wide the gap is.
The NFL sees annual revenues of about $10 billion, compared to the NBA's $4 billion. NFL playoff TV ratings often double or triple those of the NBA. The annual Harris Interactive poll about sports this year found that 36 percent of respondents consider pro football their favorite sport. Pro basketball claims five percent.
via Adam Silver's gauntlet: The NBA should rival the NFL - SBNation-com.
The hidden implication here is what's important. During the lockout, Silver was the so-called "bad cop" to Stern's "good cop." During that process, one of the things the league kept pushing as it continued to squeeze every single penny it could out of the players was that they wanted to level the playing field for small market teams.
You know who has a level playing field for all 30 of its markets? The NFL. The best thing the NFL has done beyond fantasy football and a perfect format for gambling is to actualize all of their fanbases. Each season, 25 of 30 teams can put together a reasonable argument for why they can make a run to the Super Bowl. In the NBA, about five teams can make a reasonable case for winning the title.
When Silver talks about the future of the game, he doesn't talk about attracting casual fans or developing it as a brand concept, he talks about making it ubiquitous. That's what you can read into this. It's not about trying to compete with the rabid love of the NFL, it's about developing basketball as an integral part of the world's sports culture.
But even then, good luck. It may happen, but I feel like the odds are good we'll all be dead and gone by then.
Adam Silver wants the NBA to 'rival' the NFL - CBSSports-com
"As much as we talk about international [...] I still think there's an enormous opportunity in the United States. [...] I think this game should be a rival to football. In the United States, it's the No. 1 participatory sport. We've all played it. I want to focus on the game. The business is going well, but this is a beautiful game."
Big note here: There's no indication that Silver thinks it can or will, but that it should. Big difference there. And the gap is not narrow. SBNation broke down exactly how wide the gap is.
The NFL sees annual revenues of about $10 billion, compared to the NBA's $4 billion. NFL playoff TV ratings often double or triple those of the NBA. The annual Harris Interactive poll about sports this year found that 36 percent of respondents consider pro football their favorite sport. Pro basketball claims five percent.
via Adam Silver's gauntlet: The NBA should rival the NFL - SBNation-com.
The hidden implication here is what's important. During the lockout, Silver was the so-called "bad cop" to Stern's "good cop." During that process, one of the things the league kept pushing as it continued to squeeze every single penny it could out of the players was that they wanted to level the playing field for small market teams.
You know who has a level playing field for all 30 of its markets? The NFL. The best thing the NFL has done beyond fantasy football and a perfect format for gambling is to actualize all of their fanbases. Each season, 25 of 30 teams can put together a reasonable argument for why they can make a run to the Super Bowl. In the NBA, about five teams can make a reasonable case for winning the title.
When Silver talks about the future of the game, he doesn't talk about attracting casual fans or developing it as a brand concept, he talks about making it ubiquitous. That's what you can read into this. It's not about trying to compete with the rabid love of the NFL, it's about developing basketball as an integral part of the world's sports culture.
But even then, good luck. It may happen, but I feel like the odds are good we'll all be dead and gone by then.
Adam Silver wants the NBA to 'rival' the NFL - CBSSports-com
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NBA journeyman Jason Collins hasn't found a team since announcing last April that he is gay. Commissioner Adam Silver says the reason for his NBA unemployment has nothing to do with his sexual orientation.
"In terms of Jason not getting signed, based on everything I've been told, it's a basketball decision," Silver said. "Our teams want to win and Jason waited until the very tail end of his career to make that announcement."
Collins' name was brought back into the news Sunday night when Missouri defensive end Michael Sam publicly came out as gay.
When Collins made his announcement last April, he had just finished up his 12th NBA season and was a free agent. But Collins' age -- he turned 35 in December -- and his relative lack of production might have been the toughest obstacles to overcome.
In the 38 games he played for the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards last season, Collins averaged 1 point and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Silver said that while it isn't a competition among leagues, he was proud that Collins "felt comfortable enough that he could come out in the NBA."
The commissioner said he still thinks there's a chance Collins might be called in to help a team down the stretch, and the perception of his game would be the only factor.
"We want teams to make the best possible decisions from [a] basketball standpoint," said Silver, who is in his 10th day on the job after replacing David Stern. "Ultimately, that's what it's all about. I'm sure Jason was never looking for a special favor or a special slot because he had publicly come out."
Collins' agent, Arn Tellem, was travelling and was not immediately available for comment.
In 2007, former NBA player John Amaechi became the first person who had played in the league to come out, but that was three years after his career ended.
The NBA also had a high-profile league executive come out publicly. In 2011, current Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts, once a league executive, told the New York Times that he is gay.
Adam Silver says NBA teams have made 'basketball decision' on Jason Collins - ESPN
"In terms of Jason not getting signed, based on everything I've been told, it's a basketball decision," Silver said. "Our teams want to win and Jason waited until the very tail end of his career to make that announcement."
Collins' name was brought back into the news Sunday night when Missouri defensive end Michael Sam publicly came out as gay.
When Collins made his announcement last April, he had just finished up his 12th NBA season and was a free agent. But Collins' age -- he turned 35 in December -- and his relative lack of production might have been the toughest obstacles to overcome.
In the 38 games he played for the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards last season, Collins averaged 1 point and 1.5 rebounds per game.
Silver said that while it isn't a competition among leagues, he was proud that Collins "felt comfortable enough that he could come out in the NBA."
The commissioner said he still thinks there's a chance Collins might be called in to help a team down the stretch, and the perception of his game would be the only factor.
"We want teams to make the best possible decisions from [a] basketball standpoint," said Silver, who is in his 10th day on the job after replacing David Stern. "Ultimately, that's what it's all about. I'm sure Jason was never looking for a special favor or a special slot because he had publicly come out."
Collins' agent, Arn Tellem, was travelling and was not immediately available for comment.
In 2007, former NBA player John Amaechi became the first person who had played in the league to come out, but that was three years after his career ended.
The NBA also had a high-profile league executive come out publicly. In 2011, current Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts, once a league executive, told the New York Times that he is gay.
Adam Silver says NBA teams have made 'basketball decision' on Jason Collins - ESPN
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Apparently, LeBron James has done some thinking since last asked to list the NBA players he sees as the best of all time.
In an interview with NBA TV's Steve Smith, James constructed his "Mount Rushmore" of historical hoops greats. The quartet included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. It's pretty much impossible to fault LBJ for any of his picks, unless pointless hair-splitting is among your favorite pastimes.
Notably, though, James omitted someone from his list who he included the last time around. Here's what he told Fox Sports' Bill Reiter back in August:
"Michael Jordan...wow, this is tough...Dr. J and Larry Bird."
After pleading for a fourth nomination, James included Johnson in his personal pantheon.
Sorry, Dr. J, the Big O just kicked you off Mount Rushmore. It's tough to quibble with James' change of heart, as Robertson is widely regarded as a much better player than Julius Erving.
History aside, James also made it clear to Smith that he expected to elbow his way onto the figurative mountainside by the time his career comes to an end:
I'm going to be one of the top four that's ever played this game, for sure. And if they don't want me to have one of those top four spots, they'd better find another spot on that mountain. Somebody's gotta get bumped, but that's not for me to decide. That's for the architects.
Yet again, it's hard to argue with LBJ's logic.
Per Sean Highkin of USA Today: "James isn’t wrong. He still has several years of his prime left, so it remains to be seen where he’ll end up. But the four-time MVP has built a case as one of the all-time greats during his 11-year career, and he knows it."
A few more rings and another MVP or two will be all it takes for James' prediction to come true.
Nothing is guaranteed, but whoever's in charge of building the NBA's equivalent of Mount Rushmore might want to keep a chisel and a picture of James handy.
LeBron James Names His NBA 'Mount Rushmore,' Says He'll Belong by End of Career | Bleacher Report
In an interview with NBA TV's Steve Smith, James constructed his "Mount Rushmore" of historical hoops greats. The quartet included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. It's pretty much impossible to fault LBJ for any of his picks, unless pointless hair-splitting is among your favorite pastimes.
Notably, though, James omitted someone from his list who he included the last time around. Here's what he told Fox Sports' Bill Reiter back in August:
"Michael Jordan...wow, this is tough...Dr. J and Larry Bird."
After pleading for a fourth nomination, James included Johnson in his personal pantheon.
Sorry, Dr. J, the Big O just kicked you off Mount Rushmore. It's tough to quibble with James' change of heart, as Robertson is widely regarded as a much better player than Julius Erving.
History aside, James also made it clear to Smith that he expected to elbow his way onto the figurative mountainside by the time his career comes to an end:
I'm going to be one of the top four that's ever played this game, for sure. And if they don't want me to have one of those top four spots, they'd better find another spot on that mountain. Somebody's gotta get bumped, but that's not for me to decide. That's for the architects.
Yet again, it's hard to argue with LBJ's logic.
Per Sean Highkin of USA Today: "James isn’t wrong. He still has several years of his prime left, so it remains to be seen where he’ll end up. But the four-time MVP has built a case as one of the all-time greats during his 11-year career, and he knows it."
A few more rings and another MVP or two will be all it takes for James' prediction to come true.
Nothing is guaranteed, but whoever's in charge of building the NBA's equivalent of Mount Rushmore might want to keep a chisel and a picture of James handy.
LeBron James Names His NBA 'Mount Rushmore,' Says He'll Belong by End of Career | Bleacher Report
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As expected, the NBA’s trade deadline has come and gone without much action. Pau Gasol, Rajon Rondo and Kevin Love all stayed put. What we got instead were a handful of minor deals that involved role players that don’t tip the scales for any team.
Still, some playoff teams and would-be playoff teams made moves that could have short-term implications as the stretch run of the season begins.
Here are the five you need to know about:
Indiana Pacers get Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen; Philadelphia 76ers get Danny Granger and a future second-round draft pick
The Sixers were the most active team at the deadline by far, which should ‘t come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to them since the draft. Their objective all season has been to flip veterans Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young into more picks, bottoming out and gearing up for the upcoming draft lottery. They got a future second-rounder and Danny Granger’s giant expiring contract in this deal, which is about all they could have hoped for considering they had absolutely no intention of re-signing Turner this summer.
Common sense says they’ll buy out Granger in the near future, since there’s zero chance the 30-year-old forward fits into their long-term picture. Granger has struggled this season with the Pacers as he’s dealt with various injuries, but if he hits the free-agent market in the next month, he could get picked up by another that needs help on the wing, like the San Antonio Spurs or the Phoenix Suns.
The more intriguing question here is how Turner fits with the Pacers, the best team in the Eastern Conference and a favorite to make at least the Eastern Conference Finals, if not win the title. Turner has played the best basketball of his career this season, averaging a career-high 17.4 points a game and shooting 42.8% from the field, an improvement over last season.
Granger’s health problems make the trade for Turner a clear short-term upgrade for Indiana, but they’ll have some decisions to make this summer. Both Turner and Lance Stephenson are set to become free agents, and they won’t be able to re-sign both of them without going into the luxury tax. Stephenson will likely command eight figures from another team, so Turner provides a decent insurance policy in case Indiana decides the price for keeping “Born Ready” is too high.
This move doesn’t cement the Pacers as a clear frontrunner in the East, but it has the potential to make them better. The inclusion of Lavoy Allen gives them another big man who can bang with Miami.
Cleveland Cavaliers get Spencer Hawes; Philadelphia 76ers get Earl Clark, Henry Sims and two second-round draft picks
The Sixers got two second-rounders for the veteran center Hawes, who is set to hit free agency this summer. Earl Clark and Henry Sims are non-factors here — they were salary filler and both come off the books. Philadelphia pulled two more picks and lost one of their more capable players, which will help them lose games and (theoretically) get a better draft pick. Mission accomplished.
The Cavs have won six straight games since firing general manager Chris Grant, but they clearly aren’t comfortable with their roster. They tried to get out of Jarrett Jack’s contract and (not surprisingly) were unable to. Hawes is an awful defender, but he’s a good fit with the Cavs offensively as a big man who can shoot. He’s shooting 39.9% from three-point range this season and should fit well next to Cleveland’s other bigs, Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has promised fans that they will not return to the lottery. They’re three games back from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. It’s unlikely that Hawes will dramatically reverse their fortunes this season, but they didn’t give up much, and adding another competent big man can’t hurt things.
Washington Wizards get Andre Miller; Denver Nuggets get Jan Vesely; Philadelphia 76ers get Eric Maynor and two second-round picks
A falling-out with Nuggets coach Brian Shaw in December ended Andre Miller’s stint there, and it was a virtual lock that he would be moved before the deadline. Miller ended up with the Washington Wizards, where he will back up John Wall. Miller is well past his prime, but he’s still a capable floor general who should represent a massive upgrade from Eric Maynor, who has been utterly awful this season.
Maynor is going to the Sixers along with two more second-round picks (see a pattern here?), and the Nuggets are taking back Wizards big man Jan Vesely. Considering Miller had almost no trade value, Denver can’t have expected to get much back, and they didn’t. The most notable part of acquiring Vesely is acquiring @JanVeselyStats. The former No. 6 overall pick won’t help the Nuggets, but Miller hadn’t played in almost two months, so it’s more or less a wash.
Brooklyn Nets get Marcus Thornton; Sacramento Kings get Jason Terry and Reggie Evans
The Kings and Nets essentially swapped one bad contract for another. Terry has been washed-up since leaving Dallas in 2012, shooting 36.2% from the field and averaging 4.5 points a game this season. However, he’s close with Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas and new owner Vivek Ranadive is hoping he’ll provide a veteran presence in a locker room still in need of a culture change. Reggie Evans is a solid big man who can rebound and give out hard fouls.
From Brooklyn’s end, taking on Thornton’s contract (he’s making $8 million this year and $8.5 million next year) means nothing to them. Thornton is just 26, but he’s in the worst shooting slump of his career, a problem when shooting is his primary NBA skill. But with how awful Terry had been, this is a lateral move at worst, and a change of scenery could rejuvenate Thornton.
Golden State Warriors get Steve Blake; Los Angeles Lakers get Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks
This was a pure salary-dumping move for the Lakers, although i
Still, some playoff teams and would-be playoff teams made moves that could have short-term implications as the stretch run of the season begins.
Here are the five you need to know about:
Indiana Pacers get Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen; Philadelphia 76ers get Danny Granger and a future second-round draft pick
The Sixers were the most active team at the deadline by far, which should ‘t come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to them since the draft. Their objective all season has been to flip veterans Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young into more picks, bottoming out and gearing up for the upcoming draft lottery. They got a future second-rounder and Danny Granger’s giant expiring contract in this deal, which is about all they could have hoped for considering they had absolutely no intention of re-signing Turner this summer.
Common sense says they’ll buy out Granger in the near future, since there’s zero chance the 30-year-old forward fits into their long-term picture. Granger has struggled this season with the Pacers as he’s dealt with various injuries, but if he hits the free-agent market in the next month, he could get picked up by another that needs help on the wing, like the San Antonio Spurs or the Phoenix Suns.
The more intriguing question here is how Turner fits with the Pacers, the best team in the Eastern Conference and a favorite to make at least the Eastern Conference Finals, if not win the title. Turner has played the best basketball of his career this season, averaging a career-high 17.4 points a game and shooting 42.8% from the field, an improvement over last season.
Granger’s health problems make the trade for Turner a clear short-term upgrade for Indiana, but they’ll have some decisions to make this summer. Both Turner and Lance Stephenson are set to become free agents, and they won’t be able to re-sign both of them without going into the luxury tax. Stephenson will likely command eight figures from another team, so Turner provides a decent insurance policy in case Indiana decides the price for keeping “Born Ready” is too high.
This move doesn’t cement the Pacers as a clear frontrunner in the East, but it has the potential to make them better. The inclusion of Lavoy Allen gives them another big man who can bang with Miami.
Cleveland Cavaliers get Spencer Hawes; Philadelphia 76ers get Earl Clark, Henry Sims and two second-round draft picks
The Sixers got two second-rounders for the veteran center Hawes, who is set to hit free agency this summer. Earl Clark and Henry Sims are non-factors here — they were salary filler and both come off the books. Philadelphia pulled two more picks and lost one of their more capable players, which will help them lose games and (theoretically) get a better draft pick. Mission accomplished.
The Cavs have won six straight games since firing general manager Chris Grant, but they clearly aren’t comfortable with their roster. They tried to get out of Jarrett Jack’s contract and (not surprisingly) were unable to. Hawes is an awful defender, but he’s a good fit with the Cavs offensively as a big man who can shoot. He’s shooting 39.9% from three-point range this season and should fit well next to Cleveland’s other bigs, Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has promised fans that they will not return to the lottery. They’re three games back from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. It’s unlikely that Hawes will dramatically reverse their fortunes this season, but they didn’t give up much, and adding another competent big man can’t hurt things.
Washington Wizards get Andre Miller; Denver Nuggets get Jan Vesely; Philadelphia 76ers get Eric Maynor and two second-round picks
A falling-out with Nuggets coach Brian Shaw in December ended Andre Miller’s stint there, and it was a virtual lock that he would be moved before the deadline. Miller ended up with the Washington Wizards, where he will back up John Wall. Miller is well past his prime, but he’s still a capable floor general who should represent a massive upgrade from Eric Maynor, who has been utterly awful this season.
Maynor is going to the Sixers along with two more second-round picks (see a pattern here?), and the Nuggets are taking back Wizards big man Jan Vesely. Considering Miller had almost no trade value, Denver can’t have expected to get much back, and they didn’t. The most notable part of acquiring Vesely is acquiring @JanVeselyStats. The former No. 6 overall pick won’t help the Nuggets, but Miller hadn’t played in almost two months, so it’s more or less a wash.
Brooklyn Nets get Marcus Thornton; Sacramento Kings get Jason Terry and Reggie Evans
The Kings and Nets essentially swapped one bad contract for another. Terry has been washed-up since leaving Dallas in 2012, shooting 36.2% from the field and averaging 4.5 points a game this season. However, he’s close with Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas and new owner Vivek Ranadive is hoping he’ll provide a veteran presence in a locker room still in need of a culture change. Reggie Evans is a solid big man who can rebound and give out hard fouls.
From Brooklyn’s end, taking on Thornton’s contract (he’s making $8 million this year and $8.5 million next year) means nothing to them. Thornton is just 26, but he’s in the worst shooting slump of his career, a problem when shooting is his primary NBA skill. But with how awful Terry had been, this is a lateral move at worst, and a change of scenery could rejuvenate Thornton.
Golden State Warriors get Steve Blake; Los Angeles Lakers get Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks
This was a pure salary-dumping move for the Lakers, although i
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Tests performed Friday (Saturday, PHL time) revealed Miami Heat forward LeBron James suffered a broken nose during Thursday's (Friday, PHL time) victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team announced.
His status for Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) game against the Chicago Bulls will be determined just before the game.
The injury occurred at Oklahoma City when James was hit in the face by Thunder center Serge Ibaka while James was driving to the basket with 5:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.
No foul was called on the play. James bled on the floor before heading to the locker room. He did not return to the game or comment afterward.
Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) game starts a four-game homestand for the Heat.
NBA: LeBron James has broken nose | Sports | GMA News Online
His status for Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) game against the Chicago Bulls will be determined just before the game.
The injury occurred at Oklahoma City when James was hit in the face by Thunder center Serge Ibaka while James was driving to the basket with 5:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.
No foul was called on the play. James bled on the floor before heading to the locker room. He did not return to the game or comment afterward.
Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) game starts a four-game homestand for the Heat.
NBA: LeBron James has broken nose | Sports | GMA News Online
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If the NBA trade deadline bored you (Roger Mason Jr.! Nando de Colo! Second-round picks!), if you’re furious that your hapless team failed to make a deal (hello, Knicks!), if Thursday left you sad and unfulfilled, you can direct your frustration and despair at one target.
Blame the 2011 lockout. Or, more specifically, the collective bargaining agreement it produced.
We are living in a new NBA universe, where flexibility trumps talent, draft picks are treated like gold and fiscal prudence is the new virtue.
Owners are recoiling from the luxury tax. General managers are ruled by spreadsheets. Trades are tougher than ever to consummate. And none of the old rules apply.
Large, expiring contracts—once an essential NBA currency, the lifeblood for blockbuster deals—are no longer effective trading chips. Second-round picks, which used to be sprinkled like powdered sugar, are now zealously protected. A general manager might part with a first-born child before he surrenders a first-round pick.
"The 2011 CBA kicked in a little bit," an Eastern Conference executive said Thursday afternoon, with a trace of disappointment in his voice.
The somber tones could be heard in front offices in every time zone.
The Los Angeles Lakers had hoped to parlay Pau Gasol and his $19.3 million expiring contract into something useful. They tried to offload the expiring deals of Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman, capable big men who surely could have helped a contender.
But there were no first-round picks available for Gasol, a four-time All-Star. Nor could the Lakers goad the Brooklyn Nets or any other team into swapping a single second-round pick for Hill.
"Picks have become more valuable than ever," Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told reporters Thursday. "It used to be you could get a second-round pick pretty easy. Now they’re almost as hard to get as a first-round pick."
In a prior era, the Lakers could have converted their unwanted players into future assets. Kupchak did just that at the 2008 deadline, sending Kwame Brown’s big contract, two bit-part players, the rights to Marc Gasol and two first-round picks to Memphis for Pau Gasol.
Under the old rules, the Boston Celtics might have acquired a rich package of players and picks for Rajon Rondo on Thursday. Under the old rules, the Houston Rockets might have found a new home for the unhappy Omer Asik.
Under the old rules, the Phoenix Suns almost certainly would have found a way to swap the injured Emeka Okafor—whose expiring, $14.5 million contract is mostly covered by insurance—for a package of players and picks.
“I thought for sure Okafor would have been moved,” one team executive said Thursday afternoon.
Yet none of the biggest names, or the biggest contracts, changed teams by the deadline. There was considerable activity, but nearly all of it took place at the fringes. Twenty-three players changed teams in the final 24 hours. Only three were starters: Steve Blake, who was sent from the Lakers to Golden State (where he will be a backup); Evan Turner, who moved from Philadelphia to Indiana (where he will be a backup); and Spencer Hawes, who was shipped from Philadelphia to Cleveland. Of the other 20 players traded, few (if any) will have an impact on the postseason. Eight second-round picks also changed hands just before the deadline, although some are heavily protected and will never be conveyed. Several deals were motivated by money alone.
The Miami Heat offloaded Roger Mason Jr. to Sacramento (for a protected second-round pick) simply to open a roster spot for a later move.
The Clippers essentially gave Antawn Jamison to Atlanta and Byron Mullens to Philadelphia, simply to avoid the luxury tax.
Not a single first-round pick changed hands this week.
There is often more hype than reality in the NBA rumor mill, but there is also no question that the business has simply changed.
The best executives manage their salary cap wisely, avoid the luxury tax and hoard draft picks, which represent cheap talent. That philosophy is being embraced by more teams every year, making picks harder to come by and leaving few places to deposit a bad contract.
“I didn’t think there would be any major players (traded Thursday),” said the Eastern Conference executive. “I think everyone wants their flexibility.”
The rebuilding 76ers were the most active team at the deadline, as expected, but they didn’t get what they wanted, either. Philadelphia had been dangling Turner, Hawes and Thaddeus Young for weeks, in hopes of acquiring some combination of young talent and draft picks. They failed to obtain a single first-round pick and ended up keeping Young, for now at least.
The one significant player the 76ers acquired was Danny Granger, who will probably leave as a free agent this summer (if he isn’t bought out sooner). Mostly, Philadelphia acquired second-round picks, potentially six in all.
Of all the factors inhibiting the trade market, the new luxury-tax system is the most powerful. Prior to 2011, teams paid a dollar-for-dollar tax once they exceeded the threshold. Now the tax starts at $1.50 per dollar over the threshold, and it escalates rapidly. Habitual big spenders are penalized even more, with a “repeater tax.” Those mechanisms have created a virtual hard cap for most of the league and have forced even the free spenders to think twice before making a deal. The Nets decided against acquiring Hill in part because he would have cost them $17 million in taxes, on top of his $3.5 million salary.
Meanwhile, the Hawks failed to find a team willing to take Jeff Teague’s contract, and the Detroit Pistons failed to find any takers for the overpaid Josh Smith.
"The tax teams didn’t look to add significant money," said the Eastern Conference executive. "The new tax rules took effect."
With so many teams trying to contain costs, it’s no wonder that draft picks have become so highly valued—even overvalued, in the view of so
Blame the 2011 lockout. Or, more specifically, the collective bargaining agreement it produced.
We are living in a new NBA universe, where flexibility trumps talent, draft picks are treated like gold and fiscal prudence is the new virtue.
Owners are recoiling from the luxury tax. General managers are ruled by spreadsheets. Trades are tougher than ever to consummate. And none of the old rules apply.
Large, expiring contracts—once an essential NBA currency, the lifeblood for blockbuster deals—are no longer effective trading chips. Second-round picks, which used to be sprinkled like powdered sugar, are now zealously protected. A general manager might part with a first-born child before he surrenders a first-round pick.
"The 2011 CBA kicked in a little bit," an Eastern Conference executive said Thursday afternoon, with a trace of disappointment in his voice.
The somber tones could be heard in front offices in every time zone.
The Los Angeles Lakers had hoped to parlay Pau Gasol and his $19.3 million expiring contract into something useful. They tried to offload the expiring deals of Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman, capable big men who surely could have helped a contender.
But there were no first-round picks available for Gasol, a four-time All-Star. Nor could the Lakers goad the Brooklyn Nets or any other team into swapping a single second-round pick for Hill.
"Picks have become more valuable than ever," Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told reporters Thursday. "It used to be you could get a second-round pick pretty easy. Now they’re almost as hard to get as a first-round pick."
In a prior era, the Lakers could have converted their unwanted players into future assets. Kupchak did just that at the 2008 deadline, sending Kwame Brown’s big contract, two bit-part players, the rights to Marc Gasol and two first-round picks to Memphis for Pau Gasol.
Under the old rules, the Boston Celtics might have acquired a rich package of players and picks for Rajon Rondo on Thursday. Under the old rules, the Houston Rockets might have found a new home for the unhappy Omer Asik.
Under the old rules, the Phoenix Suns almost certainly would have found a way to swap the injured Emeka Okafor—whose expiring, $14.5 million contract is mostly covered by insurance—for a package of players and picks.
“I thought for sure Okafor would have been moved,” one team executive said Thursday afternoon.
Yet none of the biggest names, or the biggest contracts, changed teams by the deadline. There was considerable activity, but nearly all of it took place at the fringes. Twenty-three players changed teams in the final 24 hours. Only three were starters: Steve Blake, who was sent from the Lakers to Golden State (where he will be a backup); Evan Turner, who moved from Philadelphia to Indiana (where he will be a backup); and Spencer Hawes, who was shipped from Philadelphia to Cleveland. Of the other 20 players traded, few (if any) will have an impact on the postseason. Eight second-round picks also changed hands just before the deadline, although some are heavily protected and will never be conveyed. Several deals were motivated by money alone.
The Miami Heat offloaded Roger Mason Jr. to Sacramento (for a protected second-round pick) simply to open a roster spot for a later move.
The Clippers essentially gave Antawn Jamison to Atlanta and Byron Mullens to Philadelphia, simply to avoid the luxury tax.
Not a single first-round pick changed hands this week.
There is often more hype than reality in the NBA rumor mill, but there is also no question that the business has simply changed.
The best executives manage their salary cap wisely, avoid the luxury tax and hoard draft picks, which represent cheap talent. That philosophy is being embraced by more teams every year, making picks harder to come by and leaving few places to deposit a bad contract.
“I didn’t think there would be any major players (traded Thursday),” said the Eastern Conference executive. “I think everyone wants their flexibility.”
The rebuilding 76ers were the most active team at the deadline, as expected, but they didn’t get what they wanted, either. Philadelphia had been dangling Turner, Hawes and Thaddeus Young for weeks, in hopes of acquiring some combination of young talent and draft picks. They failed to obtain a single first-round pick and ended up keeping Young, for now at least.
The one significant player the 76ers acquired was Danny Granger, who will probably leave as a free agent this summer (if he isn’t bought out sooner). Mostly, Philadelphia acquired second-round picks, potentially six in all.
Of all the factors inhibiting the trade market, the new luxury-tax system is the most powerful. Prior to 2011, teams paid a dollar-for-dollar tax once they exceeded the threshold. Now the tax starts at $1.50 per dollar over the threshold, and it escalates rapidly. Habitual big spenders are penalized even more, with a “repeater tax.” Those mechanisms have created a virtual hard cap for most of the league and have forced even the free spenders to think twice before making a deal. The Nets decided against acquiring Hill in part because he would have cost them $17 million in taxes, on top of his $3.5 million salary.
Meanwhile, the Hawks failed to find a team willing to take Jeff Teague’s contract, and the Detroit Pistons failed to find any takers for the overpaid Josh Smith.
"The tax teams didn’t look to add significant money," said the Eastern Conference executive. "The new tax rules took effect."
With so many teams trying to contain costs, it’s no wonder that draft picks have become so highly valued—even overvalued, in the view of so
Join:
2006/12/07
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29893
Ray: While channel-surfing (last) Sunday night, I happened upon the NBA All-Star Game and watched as a player dribbled at midcourt while a would-be defender faced him. Then, as if stricken with a fit of paralysis, the defensive player stepped aside in ole-like fashion and opened the lane for a thunderous dunk, to the roar of the crowd.
I watched a few more minutes and then shook my head as I pondered this annual bastardization of the great game of basketball. Perhaps I am in the minority with my belief that defensive plays, while on balance are more mundane than 360-degree dunks, can be just as spectacular as offense and are certainly every bit as much a part of the game.
This spectacle in which combined team scores are now in excess of 310 points to me is akin to watching a football game in which the offense runs its plays without any defensive players on the field and then calls it sport. Perhaps the NBA could consider having players include the art of defense in the game every other year just to see how it might affect ratings.
— Chris Dalheim, Galena
Chris: NBA purists would be quick to tell you that defense is very much a part of their game — though never in All-Star exhibitions. Defense lives large in the NBA in April and May. It also lives in college basketball, though you’d be hard-pressed to find much artistry in, say, Ohio State’s win last week at Illinois.
Editor: Does anybody care about anything other than hockey in the Winter Olympics? I mean, come on, ice dancing? Really? Can you name anyone who ever won a medal in luge? Have you or any family member, friend or neighbor ever done short-track (speed)skating? Have you ever paid to watch curling? Do you know anyone who went (or even considered going) to the Olympics?
— Jim Burke, Dublin
Jim: Olympic hockey is all that, true, but I personally enjoy most of the other sports as a once-every-four-years diversion. I do agree with you, however, on ice dancing. That stuff is brutal.
Editor: I had to laugh (on Feb. 14) as I watched Channel 10’s newscast and listened to them talk about the next day’s Olympic matchup between the United States and Russia in hockey.
As I looked at the television, I saw the text “Another miracle on ice?” at the bottom of the screen. Seriously, trying to compare this to what those kids did in Lake Placid in 1980? Anyone who was a part of or witnessed that feat knows that there will never be another miracle on ice — at least not until our beloved Blue Jackets hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
— Michael Woitovich, Hilliard
Michael: TV sometimes uses such teasing tag lines to bolster its coverage — or is the word embellish? To your point, though, there will never be another game quite like that Lake Placid classic.
Ray: Whatever happened to Samantha Prahalis? I know she was cut by the Phoenix Mercury after just a little over a year. Then I think she had a one-week contract (who ever heard of that?) with New York.
But I haven’t heard anything about her since. Google couldn’t tell me, so I thought you could.
The Mailbox: NBA All-Star Game is hard to defend if you like defense | The Columbus Dispatch
I watched a few more minutes and then shook my head as I pondered this annual bastardization of the great game of basketball. Perhaps I am in the minority with my belief that defensive plays, while on balance are more mundane than 360-degree dunks, can be just as spectacular as offense and are certainly every bit as much a part of the game.
This spectacle in which combined team scores are now in excess of 310 points to me is akin to watching a football game in which the offense runs its plays without any defensive players on the field and then calls it sport. Perhaps the NBA could consider having players include the art of defense in the game every other year just to see how it might affect ratings.
— Chris Dalheim, Galena
Chris: NBA purists would be quick to tell you that defense is very much a part of their game — though never in All-Star exhibitions. Defense lives large in the NBA in April and May. It also lives in college basketball, though you’d be hard-pressed to find much artistry in, say, Ohio State’s win last week at Illinois.
Editor: Does anybody care about anything other than hockey in the Winter Olympics? I mean, come on, ice dancing? Really? Can you name anyone who ever won a medal in luge? Have you or any family member, friend or neighbor ever done short-track (speed)skating? Have you ever paid to watch curling? Do you know anyone who went (or even considered going) to the Olympics?
— Jim Burke, Dublin
Jim: Olympic hockey is all that, true, but I personally enjoy most of the other sports as a once-every-four-years diversion. I do agree with you, however, on ice dancing. That stuff is brutal.
Editor: I had to laugh (on Feb. 14) as I watched Channel 10’s newscast and listened to them talk about the next day’s Olympic matchup between the United States and Russia in hockey.
As I looked at the television, I saw the text “Another miracle on ice?” at the bottom of the screen. Seriously, trying to compare this to what those kids did in Lake Placid in 1980? Anyone who was a part of or witnessed that feat knows that there will never be another miracle on ice — at least not until our beloved Blue Jackets hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
— Michael Woitovich, Hilliard
Michael: TV sometimes uses such teasing tag lines to bolster its coverage — or is the word embellish? To your point, though, there will never be another game quite like that Lake Placid classic.
Ray: Whatever happened to Samantha Prahalis? I know she was cut by the Phoenix Mercury after just a little over a year. Then I think she had a one-week contract (who ever heard of that?) with New York.
But I haven’t heard anything about her since. Google couldn’t tell me, so I thought you could.
The Mailbox: NBA All-Star Game is hard to defend if you like defense | The Columbus Dispatch
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Jason Collins signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, clearing the way for the first openly gay athlete in major professional sports history. The story was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Collins will be available to play on Sunday when the Nets meet the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
"Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team. [Sunday], I want to commend him on achieving his goal," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in an issued statement. "I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment."
After Glen "Big Baby" Davis decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, the Nets moved onto Plan B – bringing Collins back into the NBA, sources told Yahoo Sports.
After agreeing to a buyout with the Orlando Magic, Davis is expected to clear waivers at 5 p.m. on Sunday and will sign a deal for the rest of the season with his former Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Collins revealed his sexuality in the spring, and had gone throughout the NBA preseason and regular season without a job offer. Once the Nets missed out on free agent Davis on Sunday, they moved to complete the process of signing Collins as a backup big man.
“With Jason Collins signing with the Nets [Sunday], I [believe] our world as professional athletes will open up and become less ignorant of gay male [athletes] playing and more accepting and embracing of the whole situation," Athlete Ally Ambassador and standout Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried said through an issue statement Sunday.
Collins, 35, has been out of the NBA since completing the 2012-'13 season with the Washington Wizards.
Collins played parts of seven years with the Nets between 2001-08, and his ex-teammate, Jason Kidd, now the Nets coach, has been advocate of signing him. Collins played with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics.
Y! SPORTS
Collins will be available to play on Sunday when the Nets meet the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center.
"Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team. [Sunday], I want to commend him on achieving his goal," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in an issued statement. "I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment."
After Glen "Big Baby" Davis decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, the Nets moved onto Plan B – bringing Collins back into the NBA, sources told Yahoo Sports.
After agreeing to a buyout with the Orlando Magic, Davis is expected to clear waivers at 5 p.m. on Sunday and will sign a deal for the rest of the season with his former Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Collins revealed his sexuality in the spring, and had gone throughout the NBA preseason and regular season without a job offer. Once the Nets missed out on free agent Davis on Sunday, they moved to complete the process of signing Collins as a backup big man.
“With Jason Collins signing with the Nets [Sunday], I [believe] our world as professional athletes will open up and become less ignorant of gay male [athletes] playing and more accepting and embracing of the whole situation," Athlete Ally Ambassador and standout Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried said through an issue statement Sunday.
Collins, 35, has been out of the NBA since completing the 2012-'13 season with the Washington Wizards.
Collins played parts of seven years with the Nets between 2001-08, and his ex-teammate, Jason Kidd, now the Nets coach, has been advocate of signing him. Collins played with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics.
Y! SPORTS
Join:
2006/12/07
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29893
The NBA is not putting the hammer down on Knicks guard Raymond Felton after his arrest on felony gun charges, even if there’s a new sheriff in charge.
Under David Stern the league typically allowed the legal process to play out before suspending a player, with the one notable exception in how the long-time commissioner handled former Wizard star Gilbert Arenas when he got into trouble with firearms.
But almost always, the league waits for a case’s outcome, and that protocol likely will continue with new commissioner Adam Silver, according to league sources.
With his next court date scheduled for June 2, Felton will most likely play out the rest of the season. “We’re monitoring the situation," said a league official.
It’s really not a surprise that Felton has been “packing," as the players call it. There is a gun culture in the NBA. It’s alive and well, with one long-time agent who had a client involved in a gun case estimating that upwards of 300 of the league’s roughly 450 players own guns.
How many are registered? Good question. Felton’s pistol wasn’t and that was just the start of his problems.
“You might not understand it, but these guys feel the need to protect themselves," the agent said, asking not to be quoted by name. “It’s part of the culture. They want to be able to defend themselves if they have to."
If players aren’t carrying guns when they’re out clubbing, then the ones who employ security guards, normally ex-cops, are comforted by the fact that the big guys at their sides are always armed. Meanwhile, the teams’ security detail, made up of former law enforcement officials, is often entrusted with telling players to make sure their guns are registered.
As you can see, the NBA is well past the point of wishing that its players didn’t dabble in firearms. Before they ever go to training camp, rookies are walked through the do’s and don’ts of owning guns as part of their league-mandated orientation program. From there, teams like nothing more than when somebody else’s player is arrested on a gun rap. That gives them an excuse to remind their players to have their licenses in order, as more than a few certainly did Tuesday after learning of Felton’s arrest.
As for allowing Felton to continue to play, that’s the norm. The most dramatic example of that came in 2004 when Kobe Bryant was charged with rape in Colorado and kept playing as he went through his court case. During a year of pre-trial hearings, the Laker superstar on five different occasions appeared in Colorado court during the day and then played in a game the very same night. The case ended when the woman who accused Bryant of sexual assault was unwilling to testify, leaving the state no option but to drop all charges.
However, Felton might have trouble playing in one game — when the Knicks have to go to Canada on April 10 for a contest the next night against Toronto. According to legal experts, he might not be granted entry into Canada with a felony charge pending.
Although this is another gun episode, Felton’s case has little in common with Arenas’, one of the few times the league suspended a player before he was charged with a crime.
After reports surfaced that Washington’s star brought firearms into the Wizards’ locker room, Arenas was suspended indefinitely on Jan. 6, 2010, without pay. But that came after he went through the layup line before a game in Philadelphia, making hand gestures that imitated firing off a gun. Stern ruled Arenas’ conduct showed he was not “fit to take the court." It wasn’t until Jan. 14 that Arenas was charged with felony gun possession.
But Arenas’ misconduct occurred on NBA property, while Felton was arrested after his estranged wife’s lawyer brought his unregistered pistol to police, 11 days after he allegedly waved it at her in their West Side apartment during a Valentine’s Day argument. That’s a major difference.
The Knicks can look to void Felton’s deal under the standard contract morals clause, which would wipe out the final two seasons of his pact worth $7.7 million.
Most likely, they’ll keep him, which will give his many detractors another reason to invoke the name of Jeremy Lin. It was Garden chairman Jim Dolan’s unpopular decision to let Lin leave for Houston and also his call to acquire Felton.
Bad moves, only worsened by Felton’s new legal troubles.
Read more: NBA history suggests Raymond Felton will continue to suit up for Knicks despite arrest - NY Daily News
Under David Stern the league typically allowed the legal process to play out before suspending a player, with the one notable exception in how the long-time commissioner handled former Wizard star Gilbert Arenas when he got into trouble with firearms.
But almost always, the league waits for a case’s outcome, and that protocol likely will continue with new commissioner Adam Silver, according to league sources.
With his next court date scheduled for June 2, Felton will most likely play out the rest of the season. “We’re monitoring the situation," said a league official.
It’s really not a surprise that Felton has been “packing," as the players call it. There is a gun culture in the NBA. It’s alive and well, with one long-time agent who had a client involved in a gun case estimating that upwards of 300 of the league’s roughly 450 players own guns.
How many are registered? Good question. Felton’s pistol wasn’t and that was just the start of his problems.
“You might not understand it, but these guys feel the need to protect themselves," the agent said, asking not to be quoted by name. “It’s part of the culture. They want to be able to defend themselves if they have to."
If players aren’t carrying guns when they’re out clubbing, then the ones who employ security guards, normally ex-cops, are comforted by the fact that the big guys at their sides are always armed. Meanwhile, the teams’ security detail, made up of former law enforcement officials, is often entrusted with telling players to make sure their guns are registered.
As you can see, the NBA is well past the point of wishing that its players didn’t dabble in firearms. Before they ever go to training camp, rookies are walked through the do’s and don’ts of owning guns as part of their league-mandated orientation program. From there, teams like nothing more than when somebody else’s player is arrested on a gun rap. That gives them an excuse to remind their players to have their licenses in order, as more than a few certainly did Tuesday after learning of Felton’s arrest.
As for allowing Felton to continue to play, that’s the norm. The most dramatic example of that came in 2004 when Kobe Bryant was charged with rape in Colorado and kept playing as he went through his court case. During a year of pre-trial hearings, the Laker superstar on five different occasions appeared in Colorado court during the day and then played in a game the very same night. The case ended when the woman who accused Bryant of sexual assault was unwilling to testify, leaving the state no option but to drop all charges.
However, Felton might have trouble playing in one game — when the Knicks have to go to Canada on April 10 for a contest the next night against Toronto. According to legal experts, he might not be granted entry into Canada with a felony charge pending.
Although this is another gun episode, Felton’s case has little in common with Arenas’, one of the few times the league suspended a player before he was charged with a crime.
After reports surfaced that Washington’s star brought firearms into the Wizards’ locker room, Arenas was suspended indefinitely on Jan. 6, 2010, without pay. But that came after he went through the layup line before a game in Philadelphia, making hand gestures that imitated firing off a gun. Stern ruled Arenas’ conduct showed he was not “fit to take the court." It wasn’t until Jan. 14 that Arenas was charged with felony gun possession.
But Arenas’ misconduct occurred on NBA property, while Felton was arrested after his estranged wife’s lawyer brought his unregistered pistol to police, 11 days after he allegedly waved it at her in their West Side apartment during a Valentine’s Day argument. That’s a major difference.
The Knicks can look to void Felton’s deal under the standard contract morals clause, which would wipe out the final two seasons of his pact worth $7.7 million.
Most likely, they’ll keep him, which will give his many detractors another reason to invoke the name of Jeremy Lin. It was Garden chairman Jim Dolan’s unpopular decision to let Lin leave for Houston and also his call to acquire Felton.
Bad moves, only worsened by Felton’s new legal troubles.
Read more: NBA history suggests Raymond Felton will continue to suit up for Knicks despite arrest - NY Daily News
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2006/12/07
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On Sunday Jason Collins finally made his long-awaited return to the court, becoming the first openly gay individual to play in a NBA game. The newest member of the Brooklyn Nets made his season debut in the second quarter of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The crowd at Staples Center, recognizing the history being made, gave Collins the kind of warm ovation not often given to opposing players. Collins ended the night after playing 10 minutes, picking up five fouls and grabbing two rebounds in the Nets’ 108-102 victory over the Lakers. It wasn’t exactly the most memorable of box scores but Collins made his biggest impact of the night just by checking into the game.
Collins has been without a team since publicly coming out as gay last April, but the Brooklyn Nets signed the veteran big man to a 10-day contract on Sunday after plans to trade for the Lakers’ Jordan Hill before Thursday’s deadline and attempts to sign Glen Davis both fell through. Although it’s taken Collins longer than expected to latch on with a team, in some ways this feels like he’s returning at exactly the right time. The last few weeks have featured plenty of discussion on whether NFL teams would consider openly gay college football standout Michael Sam a possible distraction and how Russia has been hosting the Winter Olympics at the same time it has increased persecution of LGBT individuals. So far, conversations about the intersection of LGBT rights and high profile athletics have brought up so many questions, hopefully Jason Collins’s NBA return will start providing us with answers.
There have been openly gay active athletes in other US sports leagues. The WNBA has had star players such as Sheryl Swoopes and Brittney Griner come out in the past. Shortly after Jason Collins made his announcement, Robbie Rogers, who retired before publicly coming out of the closet, was inspired to return to MLS. Still, none of these leagues have anything close to the widespread cultural impact of the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, and none of these four leagues have had an openly gay active player.
This changed when Jason Collins made his way to the scorer’s table, readying himself to get back to the decidedly unglamorous work that has kept him employed for much of his career: collect some fouls, soak up minutes when another starter (in this case Kevin Garnett) wasn’t available and maybe force a turnover or two. In the wake of his announcement in 2013, Collins has become something close to a celebrity, but there was nothing very star-like about his performance Sunday. He was the same journeyman player he has always been, a “background player” as he proudly puts it. It was as if Collins was taking up his own advice, given in a pre-game press conference: “My message to other athletes is to be yourself. Be your true authentic self, and never be afraid to be your authentic self.”
If nothing else, the Nets’ decision saves the world from further opinion pieces about Collins’s continued unemployment. Cyd Zeigler of OutSports summed up these last ten months about as well as anyone:
For months many have asked the question over and over: Is Jason Collins not signed because he’s openly gay? The answer has never been simple... That hasn’t stopped many people – both LGBT activists and mainstream sports commentators – from making the leap: The NBA isn’t ready for Jason Collins because he’s gay. People still don’t believe – and some of them don’t want to believe – that the sports world has already moved past this issue, that yes, even gay athletes can be measured for their ability and content of character.
When Collins has been asked about why he wasn’t yet signed, he’s played it smart. He is a Stanford grad, after all. In a recent interview, LZ Granderson pressed Collins on the issue (as any good journalist with a rare interview with Collins would) – but Collins didn’t take the bait. While he’s been out front championing LGBT causes for much of the last year, when it has come to his own future he’s refused to blame a homophobic NBA establishment for not being signed.
One wonders if new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who took over from David Stern a few weeks ago, was particularly pleased with the timing. You can almost hear a sigh of relief in Silver’s response to the Collins signing: “Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team. Today, I want to commend him on achieving his goal. I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment.” Not a bad thing for Silver to have under his belt during his first month on the job.
Has there been some negative attention to the signing? Well, there’s been the usual ignorant hate on Twitter, which has become so expected after every bit of LGBT news that compiling it all to publicly shame those responsible has become something of a sport of its own. This is becoming less and less common, thankfully, and most of the negative reaction has been couched with phrases like “why is this news” and “who cares” lines, mostly from people who don’t care to hear about the topic for any reason. In the upcoming days, it’s almost inevitable that there will be a player, coach or executive who will slip and say something ugly or ignorant, and they will mostly likely have to respond to the well-deserved backlash that will follow. At this point, most of us have been through this media cycle enough times to have a sense of what’s ahead.
This brings up a point: as people have become more and more used to the news of notable people coming out of the closet, what exactly are these “distractions” that would make professional sports teams hesitant to sign an openly gay athlete? Before now, a common answer was that teams simply don’t know what distractions there could possibly be, because not a single team in the big four leagues had ever signed one before. Well, as of yesterday, that is no longer tr
Collins has been without a team since publicly coming out as gay last April, but the Brooklyn Nets signed the veteran big man to a 10-day contract on Sunday after plans to trade for the Lakers’ Jordan Hill before Thursday’s deadline and attempts to sign Glen Davis both fell through. Although it’s taken Collins longer than expected to latch on with a team, in some ways this feels like he’s returning at exactly the right time. The last few weeks have featured plenty of discussion on whether NFL teams would consider openly gay college football standout Michael Sam a possible distraction and how Russia has been hosting the Winter Olympics at the same time it has increased persecution of LGBT individuals. So far, conversations about the intersection of LGBT rights and high profile athletics have brought up so many questions, hopefully Jason Collins’s NBA return will start providing us with answers.
There have been openly gay active athletes in other US sports leagues. The WNBA has had star players such as Sheryl Swoopes and Brittney Griner come out in the past. Shortly after Jason Collins made his announcement, Robbie Rogers, who retired before publicly coming out of the closet, was inspired to return to MLS. Still, none of these leagues have anything close to the widespread cultural impact of the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, and none of these four leagues have had an openly gay active player.
This changed when Jason Collins made his way to the scorer’s table, readying himself to get back to the decidedly unglamorous work that has kept him employed for much of his career: collect some fouls, soak up minutes when another starter (in this case Kevin Garnett) wasn’t available and maybe force a turnover or two. In the wake of his announcement in 2013, Collins has become something close to a celebrity, but there was nothing very star-like about his performance Sunday. He was the same journeyman player he has always been, a “background player” as he proudly puts it. It was as if Collins was taking up his own advice, given in a pre-game press conference: “My message to other athletes is to be yourself. Be your true authentic self, and never be afraid to be your authentic self.”
If nothing else, the Nets’ decision saves the world from further opinion pieces about Collins’s continued unemployment. Cyd Zeigler of OutSports summed up these last ten months about as well as anyone:
For months many have asked the question over and over: Is Jason Collins not signed because he’s openly gay? The answer has never been simple... That hasn’t stopped many people – both LGBT activists and mainstream sports commentators – from making the leap: The NBA isn’t ready for Jason Collins because he’s gay. People still don’t believe – and some of them don’t want to believe – that the sports world has already moved past this issue, that yes, even gay athletes can be measured for their ability and content of character.
When Collins has been asked about why he wasn’t yet signed, he’s played it smart. He is a Stanford grad, after all. In a recent interview, LZ Granderson pressed Collins on the issue (as any good journalist with a rare interview with Collins would) – but Collins didn’t take the bait. While he’s been out front championing LGBT causes for much of the last year, when it has come to his own future he’s refused to blame a homophobic NBA establishment for not being signed.
One wonders if new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who took over from David Stern a few weeks ago, was particularly pleased with the timing. You can almost hear a sigh of relief in Silver’s response to the Collins signing: “Jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an NBA team. Today, I want to commend him on achieving his goal. I know everyone in the NBA family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment.” Not a bad thing for Silver to have under his belt during his first month on the job.
Has there been some negative attention to the signing? Well, there’s been the usual ignorant hate on Twitter, which has become so expected after every bit of LGBT news that compiling it all to publicly shame those responsible has become something of a sport of its own. This is becoming less and less common, thankfully, and most of the negative reaction has been couched with phrases like “why is this news” and “who cares” lines, mostly from people who don’t care to hear about the topic for any reason. In the upcoming days, it’s almost inevitable that there will be a player, coach or executive who will slip and say something ugly or ignorant, and they will mostly likely have to respond to the well-deserved backlash that will follow. At this point, most of us have been through this media cycle enough times to have a sense of what’s ahead.
This brings up a point: as people have become more and more used to the news of notable people coming out of the closet, what exactly are these “distractions” that would make professional sports teams hesitant to sign an openly gay athlete? Before now, a common answer was that teams simply don’t know what distractions there could possibly be, because not a single team in the big four leagues had ever signed one before. Well, as of yesterday, that is no longer tr
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The Kings were more than ready to put Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Houston Rockets behind them, especially considering DeMarcus Cousins picked up his 14th and 15th technical fouls of the season and had to be physically removed from the court following his ejection.
The NBA, however, had the final say and Thursday fined and suspended Cousins for two separate incidents from the game.
Cousins was suspended without pay for tonight’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers for punching Houston guard Patrick Beverley in the stomach during the first quarter. Cousins also was fined $20,000 for verbal abuse of game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected during the third quarter for being assessed two technical fouls.
The one-game suspension will cost Cousins 1/82 of his $4,916,973 salary for the 2013-14 season – approximately $59,964.
Cousins was not made available for comment by the team following the announcement of the suspension, which came just after the Kings’ practice .
The fine was expected, but the suspension caught the Kings by surprise. The team wasn’t aware of a punch – especially considering no foul was called – until the league notified the Kings they were investigating the incident. The Kings were expecting Cousins to play tonight.
Compared to his first three seasons, it had been a relatively uneventful season for Cousins in terms of discipline from the Kings and NBA. The team spoke to Cousins about his interaction with fans that became profane at times, but the center did not miss any games for disciplinary reasons.
Kings general manager Pete D’Alessandro said ownership, front office and coach Michael Malone remain committed to Cousins and believe the suspension is not a sign of more problems to come.
“DeMarcus, me, (owner) Vivek (Ranadive), the coach, we all have great communication and continue to have great communication,” D’Alessandro said. “He’s a young man that’s made great strides, and we won’t let this setback get in the way of his progress.”
This is the third time the NBA has suspended Cousins in the last two seasons – the second time was for punching O.J. Mayo of the Dallas Mavericks below the belt.
Tuesday was not the first incident between Cousins and Beverley. In a Jan. 22 game at Houston, Beverley was called for a personal foul after striking Cousins in the face. When Cousins went down, he suffered a badly sprained ankle that resulted in six missed games.
Beverley, who stood over Cousins while he lay injured, was called for a technical foul for taunting.
Video from Tuesday night’s game at Sleep Train Arena shows Cousins punching Beverley in the stomach as he ran through the lane with 9:44 left in the first quarter.
Cousins also came close to being ejected last Saturday after continued chippy play against Boston’s Kris Humphries. Cousins managed to escape with one technical foul, even though he shoved Humphries in front of an official after the Celtic fouled Cousins.
Boston coach Brad Stevens became so frustrated that Cousins wasn’t ejected that it led to his own double technical and ejection.
Cousins leads the NBA with 15 technical fouls. His 16th would lead to a one-game suspension. Every two technical fouls after the 16th would result in another one-game suspension.
Read more here: NBA hits DeMarcus Cousins with one-game suspension, $20,000 fine - Kings/NBA - The Sacramento Bee
The NBA, however, had the final say and Thursday fined and suspended Cousins for two separate incidents from the game.
Cousins was suspended without pay for tonight’s game at the Los Angeles Lakers for punching Houston guard Patrick Beverley in the stomach during the first quarter. Cousins also was fined $20,000 for verbal abuse of game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected during the third quarter for being assessed two technical fouls.
The one-game suspension will cost Cousins 1/82 of his $4,916,973 salary for the 2013-14 season – approximately $59,964.
Cousins was not made available for comment by the team following the announcement of the suspension, which came just after the Kings’ practice .
The fine was expected, but the suspension caught the Kings by surprise. The team wasn’t aware of a punch – especially considering no foul was called – until the league notified the Kings they were investigating the incident. The Kings were expecting Cousins to play tonight.
Compared to his first three seasons, it had been a relatively uneventful season for Cousins in terms of discipline from the Kings and NBA. The team spoke to Cousins about his interaction with fans that became profane at times, but the center did not miss any games for disciplinary reasons.
Kings general manager Pete D’Alessandro said ownership, front office and coach Michael Malone remain committed to Cousins and believe the suspension is not a sign of more problems to come.
“DeMarcus, me, (owner) Vivek (Ranadive), the coach, we all have great communication and continue to have great communication,” D’Alessandro said. “He’s a young man that’s made great strides, and we won’t let this setback get in the way of his progress.”
This is the third time the NBA has suspended Cousins in the last two seasons – the second time was for punching O.J. Mayo of the Dallas Mavericks below the belt.
Tuesday was not the first incident between Cousins and Beverley. In a Jan. 22 game at Houston, Beverley was called for a personal foul after striking Cousins in the face. When Cousins went down, he suffered a badly sprained ankle that resulted in six missed games.
Beverley, who stood over Cousins while he lay injured, was called for a technical foul for taunting.
Video from Tuesday night’s game at Sleep Train Arena shows Cousins punching Beverley in the stomach as he ran through the lane with 9:44 left in the first quarter.
Cousins also came close to being ejected last Saturday after continued chippy play against Boston’s Kris Humphries. Cousins managed to escape with one technical foul, even though he shoved Humphries in front of an official after the Celtic fouled Cousins.
Boston coach Brad Stevens became so frustrated that Cousins wasn’t ejected that it led to his own double technical and ejection.
Cousins leads the NBA with 15 technical fouls. His 16th would lead to a one-game suspension. Every two technical fouls after the 16th would result in another one-game suspension.
Read more here: NBA hits DeMarcus Cousins with one-game suspension, $20,000 fine - Kings/NBA - The Sacramento Bee
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LeBron James' new look is about to become an old one, at least if the NBA gets its way.
James created a buzz by wearing a black carbon-fiber mask to protect his broken nose Thursday in a victory against the New York Knicks. But the league has requested James change to a more traditional clear mask when the Miami Heat host the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. "It is our understanding LeBron used the black mask because a clear one he was comfortable with wasn't ready," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.
James appealed the decision and is still trying to get clearance to wear the black mask because he likes the lightness and fit of it, a source said. He also said he liked the style and how it matched the Heat's black throwback uniforms. It gave him no issues when he put up 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting in the Heat's 108-82 win against the Knicks.
But James is preparing to use a clear mask Saturday, though he still may find a way to personalize it.
The black mask was a huge hit among fans, and James and several teammates posted pictures with it on social media. On Friday, the Heat started selling T-shirts with a masked James on them.
"Only LeBron can make breaking your nose look cool," Heat forward Shane Battier said.
The league's request falls in line with previous policy. Players who have worn black masks in the past have been asked to switch to clear ones.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving wore a black mask to protect a broken bone in his face but was asked to change to a clear mask as soon as one was available. In 2012, Kobe Bryant wore a black mask for a half with a broken nose but switched.
James has a clear mask ready and practiced with it for two days before switching to the black mask just before Thursday's tipoff.
NBA asks LeBron James of Miami Heat to wear clear mask to protect broken nose - ESPN
James created a buzz by wearing a black carbon-fiber mask to protect his broken nose Thursday in a victory against the New York Knicks. But the league has requested James change to a more traditional clear mask when the Miami Heat host the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. "It is our understanding LeBron used the black mask because a clear one he was comfortable with wasn't ready," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.
James appealed the decision and is still trying to get clearance to wear the black mask because he likes the lightness and fit of it, a source said. He also said he liked the style and how it matched the Heat's black throwback uniforms. It gave him no issues when he put up 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting in the Heat's 108-82 win against the Knicks.
But James is preparing to use a clear mask Saturday, though he still may find a way to personalize it.
The black mask was a huge hit among fans, and James and several teammates posted pictures with it on social media. On Friday, the Heat started selling T-shirts with a masked James on them.
"Only LeBron can make breaking your nose look cool," Heat forward Shane Battier said.
The league's request falls in line with previous policy. Players who have worn black masks in the past have been asked to switch to clear ones.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving wore a black mask to protect a broken bone in his face but was asked to change to a clear mask as soon as one was available. In 2012, Kobe Bryant wore a black mask for a half with a broken nose but switched.
James has a clear mask ready and practiced with it for two days before switching to the black mask just before Thursday's tipoff.
NBA asks LeBron James of Miami Heat to wear clear mask to protect broken nose - ESPN
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Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes it's in the best interests of elite prospects to play in the NBA Development League instead of spending one season in college.
"I think what will end up happening -- and this is my opinion, not that of the league -- is if the colleges don't change from the one-and-done, we'll go after the one," Cuban said. "The NCAA rules are so hypocritical, there's absolutely no reason for a kid to go [to college], because he's not going to class [and] he's actually not even able to take advantage of all the fun because the first semester he starts playing basketball. So if the goal is just to graduate to the NBA or be an NBA player, go to the D-League." Under the NBA's current collective bargaining agreement, players must be one year out of high school and 19 years old to play in the league. However, the minimum age for the D-League is 18.
Cuban would like to see the NBA take steps to make the D-League a more attractive alternative to players who intend to spend only one season playing college basketball. While Cuban said he hasn't analyzed the situation enough to make a formal proposal, he envisions the NBA working with nearby universities to provide straight-out-of-high school players an opportunity to pursue a college education while playing in the D-League.
Cuban suggests guaranteeing college tuition for such players, whether or not they pan out as NBA prospects, as an incentive.
"We can get rid of all the hypocrisy and improve the education," Cuban said. "If the whole plan is just to go to college for one year maybe or just the first semester, that's not a student-athlete. That's ridiculous.
"You don't have to pretend. We don't have to pretend. A major college has to pretend that they're treating them like a student-athlete, and it's a big lie and we all know it's a big lie. At least at most schools, not all. ... But we can put more of an emphasis on their education. We can plan it out, have tutors. We can do all kinds of things that the NCAA doesn't allow schools to do that would really put the individual first."
Cuban's biggest concern about one-and-done prospects is that they're often not mentally, emotionally and psychologically prepared for the NBA after spending only one season in a college environment.
He believes the D-League could provide a better atmosphere for freshman-age players to develop on and off the court. "You have to develop some level of maturity, and that has to be part of the process," Cuban said. "You don't want to bring kids in and just abandon them. That'd be the worst thing we could do.
"We'd have to make it so where there'd be very strict policies and rules so that, even if you're not going to go to [college] class, there's going be life [skills] classes -- how do you deal with the world? -- and you have to attend those. You have to keep up with those. We'd have very strict [rules] on why you'd be suspended if you didn't live up to them. Things that should be done to student-athletes in college and are just not. Or not always."
Cuban's preference is that the NBA minimum age limit moves to 21 and three years out of high school. However, he can envision lowering the age limit for players who go to the D-League.
"We'd have to think it through," Cuban said. "I'm not trying to jump to conclusions and say I've analyzed this whole thing out. I haven't. But what I'm saying the interest is you're to maximize your ability for your chosen profession but you'd also have to make a commitment of some sort one way or the other, either to life skills training and/or academic training."
One conclusion that Cuban has reached: Playing in the NCAA is not the ideal way to prepare for an NBA career. He hopes the D-League emerges as a clearly superior option.
"Then you wouldn't be under the stupidity of the NCAA," Cuban said. "There's no reason for the NCAA to exist. None."
Mark Cuban says NBA D-League better option than NCAA - ESPN Dallas
"I think what will end up happening -- and this is my opinion, not that of the league -- is if the colleges don't change from the one-and-done, we'll go after the one," Cuban said. "The NCAA rules are so hypocritical, there's absolutely no reason for a kid to go [to college], because he's not going to class [and] he's actually not even able to take advantage of all the fun because the first semester he starts playing basketball. So if the goal is just to graduate to the NBA or be an NBA player, go to the D-League." Under the NBA's current collective bargaining agreement, players must be one year out of high school and 19 years old to play in the league. However, the minimum age for the D-League is 18.
Cuban would like to see the NBA take steps to make the D-League a more attractive alternative to players who intend to spend only one season playing college basketball. While Cuban said he hasn't analyzed the situation enough to make a formal proposal, he envisions the NBA working with nearby universities to provide straight-out-of-high school players an opportunity to pursue a college education while playing in the D-League.
Cuban suggests guaranteeing college tuition for such players, whether or not they pan out as NBA prospects, as an incentive.
"We can get rid of all the hypocrisy and improve the education," Cuban said. "If the whole plan is just to go to college for one year maybe or just the first semester, that's not a student-athlete. That's ridiculous.
"You don't have to pretend. We don't have to pretend. A major college has to pretend that they're treating them like a student-athlete, and it's a big lie and we all know it's a big lie. At least at most schools, not all. ... But we can put more of an emphasis on their education. We can plan it out, have tutors. We can do all kinds of things that the NCAA doesn't allow schools to do that would really put the individual first."
Cuban's biggest concern about one-and-done prospects is that they're often not mentally, emotionally and psychologically prepared for the NBA after spending only one season in a college environment.
He believes the D-League could provide a better atmosphere for freshman-age players to develop on and off the court. "You have to develop some level of maturity, and that has to be part of the process," Cuban said. "You don't want to bring kids in and just abandon them. That'd be the worst thing we could do.
"We'd have to make it so where there'd be very strict policies and rules so that, even if you're not going to go to [college] class, there's going be life [skills] classes -- how do you deal with the world? -- and you have to attend those. You have to keep up with those. We'd have very strict [rules] on why you'd be suspended if you didn't live up to them. Things that should be done to student-athletes in college and are just not. Or not always."
Cuban's preference is that the NBA minimum age limit moves to 21 and three years out of high school. However, he can envision lowering the age limit for players who go to the D-League.
"We'd have to think it through," Cuban said. "I'm not trying to jump to conclusions and say I've analyzed this whole thing out. I haven't. But what I'm saying the interest is you're to maximize your ability for your chosen profession but you'd also have to make a commitment of some sort one way or the other, either to life skills training and/or academic training."
One conclusion that Cuban has reached: Playing in the NCAA is not the ideal way to prepare for an NBA career. He hopes the D-League emerges as a clearly superior option.
"Then you wouldn't be under the stupidity of the NCAA," Cuban said. "There's no reason for the NCAA to exist. None."
Mark Cuban says NBA D-League better option than NCAA - ESPN Dallas
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There aren't too many NBA rookies making an impact. Most of the ones we expected to shine have actually struggled early on, while a few of the later picks have been surprisingly productive.
Expectations were really never too high with this group to begin with, but there have been some who've certainly exceeded the bar that was set for them coming out of the draft.
All statistics obtained from Basketball-Reference-com unless otherwise noted.
Pictures: 7 NBA Rookies Blowing Away Expectations | Bleacher Report
Expectations were really never too high with this group to begin with, but there have been some who've certainly exceeded the bar that was set for them coming out of the draft.
All statistics obtained from Basketball-Reference-com unless otherwise noted.
Pictures: 7 NBA Rookies Blowing Away Expectations | Bleacher Report
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Among NBA hot topics, the discussion about referees remains among the hottest for fans.
Ask anyone in San Antonio, and they'll tell you that Joey Crawford's alleged hatred of the San Antonio Spurs is as inevitable as death and taxes. Folks in Sacramento remain convinced that Dick Bavetta — who played such a pivotal part in their Sacramento Kings' painful 2002 Western Conference finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers — has it out for them. Then there's the ghost of former shamed official Tim Donaghy and his 2007 betting scandal.
But the mystery that always surrounded the officials, the lack of transparency from the league and the fact that the system for evaluating their referees was kept mostly behind the curtain, always fed this fire of conspiracy theories and conjecture. Until now.
New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has vowed to have an open dialogue about officiating that he hopes will bridge the gap between fact and fiction. And while his new methods have caused some early concerns that this will lead to even more criticism than before, the most ardent critic on the other side sees this as a significant step forward.
"I love it," Dallas Mavericks owner and resident pain-in-officials'-sides Mark Cuban told USA TODAY Sports via e-mail. "We are the only top league where some fans question the integrity of the league. That will change under Adam."
As Bantom described on the panel, the days of having an on-site observer in every arena are over. Now every game, every call and even the non-calls are watched twice by someone in a centralized location in the New Jersey/New York area. The NBA, Bantom said, has "close to a million events logged for every referee on our staff."
"We've built up a database of all of our officials across different categories and … what percentages of incorrect calls (exist)," Bantom said. "We learn to identify individual areas for improving staff, areas for improvement. And then we conduct our training regimen to address those needs."
Technology is playing a bigger part than ever. In-arena video information provided by STATS tracks the movements of players and officials alike by cameras that shoot at 25 frames per second. While this information is no longer shared with team officials now that the NBA contracts with STATS directly (the company previously had individual relationships with teams), the league has the ability to monitor everything from a referee's position on individual calls to the tough-to-quantify hustle factor.
There is more frequent acknowledgement of mistakes that are made as well. Internal memos are occasionally sent to teams about controversial calls and some re-evaluation of events even being released to the media. It isn't just the blown calls being emphasized, however, as there is also a new charge to highlight pivotal calls that were made correctly. This is to emphasize the positives.
Yet as Bantom told USA TODAY Sports, it's not just the fans who need to be convinced that the league is doing everything it can to improve this part of its product. Owners and executives have been complaining for years that they didn't know enough about the ins and outs of the officiating world, and they're eager to learn more.
"At the end of last year, we just said, 'What are some ways in which we can make our teams feel that we're really not trying to hide anything from them?' " Bantom said. "That's the attitude that a lot of people (with teams) had, that ... the officiating department, they're over there by themselves and they're doing stuff and we don't know it. No, we work for you, too. So what do you want us to do? We'll do what you want us to do. There has just never been that kind of open conversation before, and I think now we're having it."
The internal consensus, Bantom said, is that there is mostly good work being done by the league's 60 officials.
"Our best guys do it at a remarkable level," he said. "And the difference is small percentage points, so how bad can our worst guy be? There are too many common misconceptions out there, and I want to change that by revealing the facts."
John Ball is hoping to take this conversation took to the next level.
After spending more than 20 years in the technology industry, Ball decided to embark on a bold adventure three years ago. Through his company Beyond Box Scores, he tried to shed new light on officiating inefficiencies from outside the league's umbrella. With his home base in Phoenix, Ariz., a business partner in San Francisco and a host of game-watching contractors at his disposal, he built a database that boasts 99.5% coverage of calls from the past two seasons and which continues to grow this season.
Ball's research paper, which was titled "Refs Revealed: Many NBA Referees are "More Equal" (and Less Equal) Than Others," was published at the Sloan conference and could be the only known third-party contribution to the officiating debate. In much the same way that player statistics are being used to portray the meaning behind their every move, Ball is advocating referee analytics that could further improve transparency while offering a competitive advantage for teams and players on the floor.
In his paper, he explores the frequency (and vast discrepancy) with which referees call everything from defensive 3-second violations to technical fouls and block/charge calls. His business pitch is fluid, with Ball having considered everything from partnering with individual teams (he had one team as a client in the regular season in 2012-13, and a second team during that postseason), media companies or individual players to perhaps serving as a complementary service to the NBA. This is, potentially, the next wave of the movement that is going a new direction under Silver.
"Season ticket holders, ticket holders, they are paying good money to see a good product on the floor," Ball told USA TODAY Sports. "And there are a lot of people who care about the outcome of games
Ask anyone in San Antonio, and they'll tell you that Joey Crawford's alleged hatred of the San Antonio Spurs is as inevitable as death and taxes. Folks in Sacramento remain convinced that Dick Bavetta — who played such a pivotal part in their Sacramento Kings' painful 2002 Western Conference finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers — has it out for them. Then there's the ghost of former shamed official Tim Donaghy and his 2007 betting scandal.
But the mystery that always surrounded the officials, the lack of transparency from the league and the fact that the system for evaluating their referees was kept mostly behind the curtain, always fed this fire of conspiracy theories and conjecture. Until now.
New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has vowed to have an open dialogue about officiating that he hopes will bridge the gap between fact and fiction. And while his new methods have caused some early concerns that this will lead to even more criticism than before, the most ardent critic on the other side sees this as a significant step forward.
"I love it," Dallas Mavericks owner and resident pain-in-officials'-sides Mark Cuban told USA TODAY Sports via e-mail. "We are the only top league where some fans question the integrity of the league. That will change under Adam."
As Bantom described on the panel, the days of having an on-site observer in every arena are over. Now every game, every call and even the non-calls are watched twice by someone in a centralized location in the New Jersey/New York area. The NBA, Bantom said, has "close to a million events logged for every referee on our staff."
"We've built up a database of all of our officials across different categories and … what percentages of incorrect calls (exist)," Bantom said. "We learn to identify individual areas for improving staff, areas for improvement. And then we conduct our training regimen to address those needs."
Technology is playing a bigger part than ever. In-arena video information provided by STATS tracks the movements of players and officials alike by cameras that shoot at 25 frames per second. While this information is no longer shared with team officials now that the NBA contracts with STATS directly (the company previously had individual relationships with teams), the league has the ability to monitor everything from a referee's position on individual calls to the tough-to-quantify hustle factor.
There is more frequent acknowledgement of mistakes that are made as well. Internal memos are occasionally sent to teams about controversial calls and some re-evaluation of events even being released to the media. It isn't just the blown calls being emphasized, however, as there is also a new charge to highlight pivotal calls that were made correctly. This is to emphasize the positives.
Yet as Bantom told USA TODAY Sports, it's not just the fans who need to be convinced that the league is doing everything it can to improve this part of its product. Owners and executives have been complaining for years that they didn't know enough about the ins and outs of the officiating world, and they're eager to learn more.
"At the end of last year, we just said, 'What are some ways in which we can make our teams feel that we're really not trying to hide anything from them?' " Bantom said. "That's the attitude that a lot of people (with teams) had, that ... the officiating department, they're over there by themselves and they're doing stuff and we don't know it. No, we work for you, too. So what do you want us to do? We'll do what you want us to do. There has just never been that kind of open conversation before, and I think now we're having it."
The internal consensus, Bantom said, is that there is mostly good work being done by the league's 60 officials.
"Our best guys do it at a remarkable level," he said. "And the difference is small percentage points, so how bad can our worst guy be? There are too many common misconceptions out there, and I want to change that by revealing the facts."
John Ball is hoping to take this conversation took to the next level.
After spending more than 20 years in the technology industry, Ball decided to embark on a bold adventure three years ago. Through his company Beyond Box Scores, he tried to shed new light on officiating inefficiencies from outside the league's umbrella. With his home base in Phoenix, Ariz., a business partner in San Francisco and a host of game-watching contractors at his disposal, he built a database that boasts 99.5% coverage of calls from the past two seasons and which continues to grow this season.
Ball's research paper, which was titled "Refs Revealed: Many NBA Referees are "More Equal" (and Less Equal) Than Others," was published at the Sloan conference and could be the only known third-party contribution to the officiating debate. In much the same way that player statistics are being used to portray the meaning behind their every move, Ball is advocating referee analytics that could further improve transparency while offering a competitive advantage for teams and players on the floor.
In his paper, he explores the frequency (and vast discrepancy) with which referees call everything from defensive 3-second violations to technical fouls and block/charge calls. His business pitch is fluid, with Ball having considered everything from partnering with individual teams (he had one team as a client in the regular season in 2012-13, and a second team during that postseason), media companies or individual players to perhaps serving as a complementary service to the NBA. This is, potentially, the next wave of the movement that is going a new direction under Silver.
"Season ticket holders, ticket holders, they are paying good money to see a good product on the floor," Ball told USA TODAY Sports. "And there are a lot of people who care about the outcome of games
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Carmelo Anthony shook off a horrid shooting start and scored 26 points, leading the New York Knicks to their third straight victory, 107-97, over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night (Sunday Manila time).
Amare Stoudemire added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, whose winning streak began after a seven-game slide and amid reports Phil Jackson may accept a job in New York's front office.
Anthony missed his first six shots, but found his touch in time to help the Knicks in their late-season run at the playoffs. J.R. Smith scored 17 and Tyson Chandler added 15 points and 11 boards for New York.
Kyrie Irving had 30 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Cavs, who retired center Zydrunas Ilgauskas' No. 11 jersey at halftime.
Jazz 104, 76ers 92
In Philadelphia, Gordon Hayward scored 22 points, Alec Burks added 19 and Utah sent Philadelphia to its 16th consecutive loss.
Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Derrick Favors contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds, Enes Kanter had 13 points and 10 boards, and Diante Garrett scored 11 points for the Jazz (22-41), who ended a five-game losing streak and completed a six-game road trip at 1-5.
Tony Wroten scored a career-high 30 points for the Sixers (15-47), who hadn't dropped 16 in a row since a franchise-worst 20 straight losses during the 1972-73 season, when they finished 9-73. The Sixers also lost their franchise-worst 13th straight home game.
Grizzlies 111, Bobcats
In Memphis, Mike Conley scored 20 points, Zach Randolph added 16 and Memphis turned up the offense in the second half to beat Charlotte.
Marc Gasol added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Kosta Koufos had 11 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 10 boards.
Al Jefferson scored 17 for Charlotte, shooting just 7 of 17 from the field. Chris Douglas-Roberts finished with 15 points, his fourth straight game in double figures, but Kemba Walker had just 11 and 3-of-13 shooting.
Charlotte shot 40 percent for the game.
Memphis broke the game open after halftime, outscoring Charlotte 59-45 in the final two quarters.
Spurs 121, Magic 112
In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 30 points, Manu Ginobili added 24 and San Antonio overcame a lethargic performance to beat Orlando.
Kawhi Leonard added 17 points, Tiago Splitter scored 14, Danny Green 12 and Tim Duncan had 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs (46-16) extended their winning streak to six games.
Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Arron Afflalo had 17 points for Orlando (19-45). Maurice Harkless added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who were swept in the season series.
Coming off the emotional high of a 111-87 victory over Miami two nights earlier in an NBA Finals rematch, San Antonio appeared listless against the Southeast Division's last-place team.
Wizards 114, Bucks 107
In Milwaukee, Bradley Beal scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, helping Washington avoid blowing a 28-point lead and beat Milwaukee.
Washington opened a 71-43 lead in the second quarter, but the Bucks cut the deficit to 104-101 on a pair of free throws by Ersan Ilyasova with 2:13 to go.
Beal then scored on a driving layup and hit a baseline 3-pointer to give the Wizards a 109-101 lead with 2:01 left. Washington won for the eighth time in nine games.
John Wall, Washington's leading scorer at 19.9 points per game, was held to nine points and missed 10 of 14 shots. Trevor Ariza scored 17 of his 26 points in the first quarter.
Brandon Knight scored 25 points for Milwaukee (12-50), the first NBA team to lose 50 games this season.
Clippers 109, Hawks 108
In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin had 27 points and eight rebounds, Chris Paul added 19 points, including a go-ahead layup in the final minute, and Los Angeles beat Atlanta for its season-high seventh straight victory.
The Pacific Division-leading Clippers got 13 points and 12 rebounds from DeAndre Jordan, and 17 points from Matt Barnes on the eve of his 34th birthday. Los Angeles shot 53.2 percent from the field, improving to 22-1 when shooting 50 percent or better.
Griffin made 11 of 19 shots while extending his career-best streak of games with 20 or more points to 22. Jamal Crawford had three points in 10 minutes off the bench after missing three games with a left calf strain.
DeMarre Carroll scored 19 points in Atlanta's 14th loss in 15 games and sixth in a row.
NBA Wrap: Anthony bucks woeful start, leads Knicks past Cavs | Sports, News, The Philippine Star | philstar-com
Amare Stoudemire added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, whose winning streak began after a seven-game slide and amid reports Phil Jackson may accept a job in New York's front office.
Anthony missed his first six shots, but found his touch in time to help the Knicks in their late-season run at the playoffs. J.R. Smith scored 17 and Tyson Chandler added 15 points and 11 boards for New York.
Kyrie Irving had 30 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Cavs, who retired center Zydrunas Ilgauskas' No. 11 jersey at halftime.
Jazz 104, 76ers 92
In Philadelphia, Gordon Hayward scored 22 points, Alec Burks added 19 and Utah sent Philadelphia to its 16th consecutive loss.
Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Derrick Favors contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds, Enes Kanter had 13 points and 10 boards, and Diante Garrett scored 11 points for the Jazz (22-41), who ended a five-game losing streak and completed a six-game road trip at 1-5.
Tony Wroten scored a career-high 30 points for the Sixers (15-47), who hadn't dropped 16 in a row since a franchise-worst 20 straight losses during the 1972-73 season, when they finished 9-73. The Sixers also lost their franchise-worst 13th straight home game.
Grizzlies 111, Bobcats
In Memphis, Mike Conley scored 20 points, Zach Randolph added 16 and Memphis turned up the offense in the second half to beat Charlotte.
Marc Gasol added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Kosta Koufos had 11 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 10 boards.
Al Jefferson scored 17 for Charlotte, shooting just 7 of 17 from the field. Chris Douglas-Roberts finished with 15 points, his fourth straight game in double figures, but Kemba Walker had just 11 and 3-of-13 shooting.
Charlotte shot 40 percent for the game.
Memphis broke the game open after halftime, outscoring Charlotte 59-45 in the final two quarters.
Spurs 121, Magic 112
In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 30 points, Manu Ginobili added 24 and San Antonio overcame a lethargic performance to beat Orlando.
Kawhi Leonard added 17 points, Tiago Splitter scored 14, Danny Green 12 and Tim Duncan had 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs (46-16) extended their winning streak to six games.
Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Arron Afflalo had 17 points for Orlando (19-45). Maurice Harkless added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who were swept in the season series.
Coming off the emotional high of a 111-87 victory over Miami two nights earlier in an NBA Finals rematch, San Antonio appeared listless against the Southeast Division's last-place team.
Wizards 114, Bucks 107
In Milwaukee, Bradley Beal scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, helping Washington avoid blowing a 28-point lead and beat Milwaukee.
Washington opened a 71-43 lead in the second quarter, but the Bucks cut the deficit to 104-101 on a pair of free throws by Ersan Ilyasova with 2:13 to go.
Beal then scored on a driving layup and hit a baseline 3-pointer to give the Wizards a 109-101 lead with 2:01 left. Washington won for the eighth time in nine games.
John Wall, Washington's leading scorer at 19.9 points per game, was held to nine points and missed 10 of 14 shots. Trevor Ariza scored 17 of his 26 points in the first quarter.
Brandon Knight scored 25 points for Milwaukee (12-50), the first NBA team to lose 50 games this season.
Clippers 109, Hawks 108
In Los Angeles, Blake Griffin had 27 points and eight rebounds, Chris Paul added 19 points, including a go-ahead layup in the final minute, and Los Angeles beat Atlanta for its season-high seventh straight victory.
The Pacific Division-leading Clippers got 13 points and 12 rebounds from DeAndre Jordan, and 17 points from Matt Barnes on the eve of his 34th birthday. Los Angeles shot 53.2 percent from the field, improving to 22-1 when shooting 50 percent or better.
Griffin made 11 of 19 shots while extending his career-best streak of games with 20 or more points to 22. Jamal Crawford had three points in 10 minutes off the bench after missing three games with a left calf strain.
DeMarre Carroll scored 19 points in Atlanta's 14th loss in 15 games and sixth in a row.
NBA Wrap: Anthony bucks woeful start, leads Knicks past Cavs | Sports, News, The Philippine Star | philstar-com
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The league announced the $15,000 penalty on Tuesday.
Noah received two technical fouls in less than three minutes during the third quarter of Chicago’s 99-70 loss on Monday night. The All-Star gestured at the referees and yelled obscenities as he was escorted off the court at the 7:40 mark.
Noah apologized for his actions after the game.
Bulls C Noah fined by NBA - The Washington Post