| D'Antoni Takes His Time Pondering His Future |
| Mike D'Antoni's teams are all about
speed and spontaneity. His career
planning strategy appears to be much
more methodical.
|
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 9 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Friday's playoff
action. |
| Boozer's Double Stack Helps Jazz Hand Lakers First Playoff Loss |
| The Jazz won their first game of the
Western Conference semifinals Friday,
handing the undefeated lakers their
first loss of the playoffs. |
| Done Deal: Mavericks Lasso Carlisle for Head Coaching Duties |
| The Dallas Mavericks and Rick Carlisle
have reached a verbal agreement on a
four-year coaching contract. |
| Inner Ear Infection Keeps 'Big Ben' Doubtful for Celts-Cavs' Game 3 |
| Cavaliers starting forward Ben Wallace
is doubtful for Game 3 of Cleveland's
playoff series against the Celtics
because of allergies and a left inner
ear infection. |
| Billups Feeling a Little Better, But Still Unsure for Game 4 |
| Not much new on the Chauncey Billups
front. Billups reported that he felt a
little better Friday than he did
Thursday, when he felt no worse than he
did Wednesday after his left leg went
along for the ride on Jameer Nelson's
foot and caused his firmly planted right
leg's hamstring to stretch unnaturally. |
| D'Antoni's Future as Suns Coach May Be Decided Today |
| In the ARIZONA REPUBLIC, Paul Coro
writes "today was offered as a day of
hope for all parties involved to get a
resolution on Suns coach Mike D'Antoni's
future. There is no deadline, just an
expectation that an outline would be
provided today for just how interested
the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks
are in D'Antoni. The possibilities
remain as open as when the week began,
when he interviewed in the Valley with
both teams."
|
| Lakers' Derek Fisher Continues His Journey |
| In the LOS ANGELES TIMES, Mark Heisler
writes "a year ago, Derek Fisher's life
changed, or would have if it ever did,
which it never really has. A year ago to
the day, Fisher made his dramatic return
from New York City, where his
10-month-old daughter had undergone eye
surgery that morning to face his former
teammates, the Golden State Warriors, in
a playoff game. Tonight on the same
court, Fisher will make yet another
return against another set of former
teammates, the Jazz, in another playoff
game.”
|
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 8 |
| Parker, Ginobili Score 31 Each as Spurs Beat Hornets |
| Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili both
scored 31 points and the San Antonio
Spurs beat the New Orleans Hornets
110-99 on Thursday night in Game 3 of
the Western Conference semifinals. |
| Celtics Clamp Down on Cavaliers Again to Take 2-0 Series Lead |
| Ray Allen broke out of a seven-quarter
scoring drought with 16 points to help
the Celtics beat the Cavaliers 89-73 on
Thursday to take a 2-0 eries lead. |
| Jazz Owner Larry Miller to Skip Sunday's Game 4 |
| Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller will not
attend Game 4 of the Western Conferece
semifinals vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on
Sunday for religious reasons. |
| Pistons' Billups Still Sore, Unsure He Can Go in Game 4 |
| Chauncey Billups said Thursday he was
still sore, a night after he was forced
to leave the Pistons' loss to Orlando in
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference
semifinals because of a strained right
hamstring. |
| MVP Kobe Bryant Highlights All-NBA First Team |
| NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant of
the Los Angeles Lakers headlines the
First Team, as the NBA announced the
2007-08 All-NBA Teams today. |
| Sonics Hire Troy Weaver as Assistant GM |
| Troy Weaver was named assistant general
manager of the Seattle SuperSonics, GM
Sam Presti announced Thursday. Weaver
was director of player personnel for the
Utah Jazz this past season. |
| Nets Promote Kiki Vandeweghe to General Manager |
| The New Jersey Nets have promoted Kiki
Vandeweghe to the position of General
Manager, Nets President Rod Thorn
announced today. Vandeweghe originally
joined the Nets as Special Assistant to
the President on December 31, 2007. As
per team policy, terms of the contract
were not released.
|
| Milwaukee's Williams Undergoes Right Thumb Surgery |
| On Wednesday, May 7, Milwaukee Bucks
guard Mo Williams had successful surgery
to repair ligament damage in his right
thumb, General Manager John Hammond
announced today. The surgery was
performed by hand specialist Dr.
Michelle Carlson, M.D., at the Hospital
for Special Surgery in New York.
|
| Cavaliers Look to Rebound From Game 1 Loss to Celtics |
| In the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, Brian
Windhorst writes "it has been seven
months and 89 games, but as the
Cavaliers prepared for Game 2 against
the Boston Celtics, they were going back
to the basics from training camp. After
reviewing the game video, Cavs coach
Mike Brown said some of the team's
standard offensive principles of ball
movement and of general rotation broke
down in the 76-72 loss in Game 1. It was
surprising considering that the Cavs
have been running the same plays for
months and, in Game 6 against the
Washington Wizards, displayed some of
the best movement and execution all
season. That is what the pressure of the
playoffs and rough defense from the
Celtics' can do to ruin comfort zones.”
|
| Wizards Try Putting It Back Together |
| In the WASHINGTON TIMES, Mike Jones
writes "the Washington Wizards'
tumultuous, injury-riddled season came
to an end Friday with another
first-round exit from the playoffs.
That, of course, doesn't mean the
turmoil is over for the summer. Power
forward and team captain Antawn Jamison
is an unrestricted free agent. And
franchise player Gilbert Arenas has
maintained he will opt out of his
current deal in search for a long-term
max contract, a move that will make him
an unrestricted free agent as well.
Re-signing both players tops the
Wizards' to-do list this summer.”
|
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 7 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Wednesday's two playoff games, in which
the Magic closed the gap in their
series, and the Lakers widened the
margin in theirs. |
| Bryant Again Leads Lakers Past Jazz for 2-0 Lead |
| Kobe Bryant had 34 points, eight
rebounds and six assists Wednesday
night, and the Lakers beat the Utah Jazz
120-110 to take a 2-0 lead in the
Western Conference semifinals and remain
the NBA's only unbeaten team in the
postseason. |
| Bryant Receives MVP Trophy from Commissioner Stern |
| Lakers star Kobe Bryant received his MVP
trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern
in a brief ceremony before Los Angeles
faced Utah in Game 2 of the Western
Conference semifinals Wednesday. |
| Lewis Scores 33 to Lead Magic Past Pistons |
| Rashard Lewis made sure the Orlando
Magic won't be swept by the Detroit
Pistons again, scoring a career
playoff-high 33 points Wednesday night
in a 111-86 victory in Game 3 of the
Eastern Conference semifinals. |
| Surgery Possible for Andrew Bynum |
| Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum
might undergo exploratory arthroscopic
surgery on his injured left knee if
there is no significant improvement in
the next three to four weeks. |
| Billups Leaves Pistons-Magic Game Early with Injury |
| Detroit guard Chauncey Billups left the
court with a strained right hamstring
early in the first quarter of Game 3 of
the second-round series against Orlando
on Wednesday night. |
| Hornets Look to Steal Game in San Antonio |
| The Hornets are hoping to beat the
defending champion San Antonio Spurs yet
again on Game 3 and take a 3-0 lead in
the Western Conference semifinals. |
| James: No Repeat of Woeful Game 1 Performance |
| LeBron James says he won't miss baskets
like he did in the series opener between
the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston
Celtics. Neither, James believes, will
Paul Pierce or Ray Allen. |
| Magic Need to Execute Flawlessly to Tie Series with Pistons |
| The Orlando Magic know what it takes to
beat the Detroit Pistons.Take care of
the ball. Don't force shots. Find the
open man. And don't get frustrated. |
| Rockets' McGrady Has Minor Surgery |
| Rockets guard Tracy McGrady could need
three months to recover following
operations on his knee and shoulder. |
| Steve Francis Returning to Houston for Another Season |
| Steve Francis isn't shortening his
return home. The Rockets' veteran point
guard agreed to return to the team on
Wednesday, picking up the player option
on the final year of his contract.
|
| Pacers Promote Morway to General Manager |
| The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday
that David Morway has been promoted to
General Manager of the team.
Morway, who has been with the Pacers 10
years, has been serving as Senior Vice
President/Basketball Operations for the
team, overseeing the day-to-day
operation and administration of the
Basketball Division. As General Manager,
he will retain his current duties and
will assume additional responsibilities
of overseeing salary cap issues as well
as assisting Pacers President of
Basketball Larry Bird with all personnel
decisions.
|
| Atlanta's Marvin Williams Suspended One Game |
| Marvin Williams of the Atlanta Hawks has
been suspended one game without pay for
committing a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two
for knocking Boston's Rajon Rondo to the
floor, it was announced today by Stu
Jackson. |
| Indiana's Diener Undergoes Surgery for Bone Spurs |
| Travis Diener underwent surgery to
remove bone spurs from his left big toe
Wednesday, the Pacers announced.
Rehabilitation from the surgery, which
was performed at Indiana Orthopedic
Hospital is expected to take three
months. That timeline would make him
unavailable for summer-league play in
July but allow for a full recovery well
before training camp opens in October. |
| Gilbert Blog: The Offseason Begins |
| I know the rumor is that this is my last
blog. I can say … No. It isn't. I'll
give you all a hesitant no, this is not
my last blog. |
| DeSagana Diop Q&A With NJNets.com |
| DeSagana Diop sat down for an interview
with NJNets.com. |
| Jazz Hope to Contain Kobe Bryant |
| In the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, Steve Luhm
writes "Jeff Hornacek spent much of two
NBA Finals trying to harass Chicago
Bulls superstar Michael Jordan and
prevent him from single-handedly beating
the Jazz. That's why Hornacek can
empathize with Ronnie Brewer, Kyle
Korver, Andrei Kirilenko and whoever
else draws the defensive assignment on
Kobe Bryant in the Utah-L.A. Lakers
playoff series. Been there, done that.
Even if it's an almost impossible task.
The Jazz's next chance to slow Bryant
comes tonight in Game 2 of their Western
Conference semifinal at Staples
Center.”
|
| Basketball without Borders Features First-Ever NBA Event in India |
| Basketball without Borders 2008 will
take place for the first time in New
Delhi, India and will return to
Istanbul, Turkey and Johannesburg, South
Africa, the National Basketball
Association (NBA) and the International
Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced
today. The NBA and FIBA's global
basketball development and community
outreach program unites elite young
basketball players to promote the sport
and encourages positive social change in
the areas of education, health and
wellness in local communities. |
| McGrady Has Arthroscopic Surgery on Knee, Shoulder |
| In the HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Jonathan
Feigen writes "the nagging injuries that
sidetracked and sidelined Tracy McGrady
at times during the season will factor
into his offseason. McGrady on Tuesday
underwent arthroscopic surgeries to
remove loose bodies from his knee and
shoulder and to repair a slightly torn
labrum in the shoulder. He is expected
to need three months to be fully
recovered, though he can begin
rehabilitation in the next week or two.
Rockets team doctor Tom Clanton said no
structural damage was found in the
ligament or cartilage of McGrady's left
knee."
|
| Report: Mavs, Carlisle Getting Closer to Coaching Deal |
| In the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, Eddie Sefko
writes "the Mavericks and Rick Carlisle
are inching closer to an agreement that
would make him the team's new coach.
While no deal is done, Carlisle said
Tuesday that both sides continue to
discuss the options about him becoming
the ninth coach in franchise history.
'My agent has returned from Europe, and
we're still talking,' Carlisle said.
'We're moving in a good direction.
Things are moving along. 'A week has
passed since Avery Johnson was fired,
and Carlisle is the only candidate known
to have interviewed with Dallas. The
Mavericks have been weighing their
options about bringing in other
candidates, but if negotiations can
yield a contract palatable to both
sides, it seems clear Carlisle is the
top choice on a very short list.”
|
| Knight Resigns as Hawks Executive VP and General Manager |
| The Atlanta Hawks announced today that
Executive Vice-President and General
Manager Billy Knight has submitted his
resignation, effective July 1st, after
six seasons with the club. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 6 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Tuesday's
playoff action. |
| Celtics Shut Down James, Beat Cavs in Game 1 |
| Kevin Garnett scored 28 points and
LeBron James couldn't make a basket down
the stretch as the Boston Celtics eked
out a 76-72 victory over the Cleveland
Cavaliers on Tuesday night in the opener
of the Eastern Conference semifinals. |
| Kobe Bryant Wins Most Valuable Player Award |
| Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is
the winner of the Maurice Podoloff
Trophy as the 2007-08 NBA Most Valuable
Player presented by Kia Motors, the NBA
announced today. |
| NBA Statement on Clock Malfunction in Pistons-Magic Game 2 |
| Joel Litvin, NBA President, League and
Basketball Operations, issued the
following statement today regarding the
inadvertent clock stoppage that occurred
at the end of the third quarter of the
Detroit Pistons' 100-93 win over the
Orlando Magic last night. |
| Tyson Chandler: Confidence, Focus and Birthdays |
| In his latest NBA.com blog post, the
Hornets' Tyson Chandler writes about his
team's focus and their ability to stay
loose, reflects on the day his daughter
was born and shares a Chris Paul story. |
| Report: D'Antoni Talks to Bulls, Moves Closer to Leaving Suns |
| Mark Stein of ESPN.COM reports "Mike
D'Antoni's strong interest in coaching
the Chicago Bulls emerged last week. Now
it's being officially reciprocated. NBA
front-office sources told ESPN.com on
Monday night that Bulls general manager
John Paxson came away from two
interviews with D'Antoni in Phoenix
impressed and seriously interested in
the coach who wants to leave the Suns in
part because of a tense working
relationship with Paxson's good friend
Steve Kerr. Sources in both
organizations openly expect D'Antoni to
wind up in Chicago -- with one Phoenix
source going so far as to describe a
deal as 'imminent' -- but it's believed
that financial complications account for
the one obstacle that could derail his
move from the desert to the Windy City." |
| WNBA: Parker to Receive College Diploma |
| In the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, Shannon Ryan
writes "Candace Parker would rather grab
a diploma this week than a rebound. The
Naperville native will not be with the
Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday when they
play against the Sky in a WNBA
exhibition game. Instead, the league's
No. 1 draft pick will be picking up a
diploma from Tennessee in sports
management and psychology. Parker isn't
too upset about missing the homecoming.
She will return to Chicago for a
regular-season game on June 3.” |
| Fisher's Year of Growth and Pain |
| In the DESERET NEWS, Tim Buckley writes
"he smiled. Laughed. Darn near cried.
With the first anniversary of a young
child's cancer surgery and his own
playoff heroics for the Jazz
fast-approaching, Derek Fisher stood at
the Los Angeles Lakers' practice
facility and relived a gamut of
gut-wrenching emotion. For more than a
half-hour Monday, moving no more than a
step or two the entire time, Fisher
talked about twists and turns, pains and
gains, spirit-crushing lows and
faith-boosting highs. He spoke as a
Laker, but slipped in an occasional "us"
and "we" when referencing last season's
Jazz. It's the day after Game 1 of the
NBA Western Conference semifinal series
between Utah and L.A., two days before
Wednesday's Game 2, and there's a lot on
Fisher's mind."
|
| Kobe Bryant's Fantastic Voyage |
| In the L.A. TIMES, Mark Heisler writes
"now his career lays out perfectly, on a
rising power that should only be better
when Andrew Bynum returns, with
everything -- multiple MVPs, multiple
titles -- possible. For all Bryant's
mistakes and all his luck, this isn't
anything anyone gave him. Only a few
players were ever as gifted and not even
Michael Jordan matched Bryant's 24/7/365
commitment. The hardest off-season
workout Jordan ever put in would be
Bryant's average.”
|
| LeBron: The One and Only |
| In the BOSTON GLOBE, Bob Ryan writes
"the Next Great Thing never turns out to
be quite that, unless, of course, it
does, and then it has a distinct,
unforgettable name: LeBron."Le" means
"the" in French. We don't know whether
she had any grand designs for this baby
boy, but after watching him play
basketball for several years, I hereby
declare that "Bron" means "Chosen."
Check out that birth date. LeBron has
embedded himself into our consciousness
so deeply that we feel as if we've known
him for at least a decade. But LeBron
James is only 23, and if you'd like to
put his accomplishments in perspective,
consider that Larry Bird turned 23 a
little under two months into his rookie
year. And at the end of that season, as
great as he was, we knew he had a lot to
learn.”
|
| Mechanical Problems Divert Magic Plane on Flight to Orlando |
| The Orlando Magic's flight from Detroit
to Orlando was diverted because of a
mechanical problem. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 5 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Monday's playoff
action. |
| Paul Powers Hornets to Another Easy Win over Spurs |
| With razzle-dazzle dribbles and a
driving floater that couldn't miss,
Chris Paul had 30 points and 12 assists,
leading the New Orleans Hornets to a
102-84 victory over the San Antonio
Spurs on Monday night and a 2-0 lead in
their second-round series. |
| Billups' 28 Gives Pistons 2-0 Lead Over Magic |
| Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, three
on a disputed shot at the end of the
third quarter, and the Detroit Pistons
got past Orlando Magic for a 100-93 win
Monday night and a 2-0 lead in the
second-round series. |
| Hornets-Spurs -- Game 2 Live Blog |
| Can the Hornets maintain their perfect
home record in the postseason and take a
2-0 series lead, or will the Spurs even
it up and take away home court
advantage? NBA.com's John Schuhmann is
live blogging Game 2. |
| Abdul-Jabbar Compares Calls for Olympic Boycotts in 1968 and 2008 |
| In the LOS ANGELES TIMES, Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar writes "here we are 40
years later and we are once again about
to send our young athletes overseas to
compete in games while we send our young
soldiers overseas to fight in war. And,
as before, there is a social agenda
attached to the Olympic Games. Should we
boycott the Olympic Games to protest
China's arrogant human rights
performance, its political imperialism,
its shoddy exports that recently have
left some Americans ill or dead? The
answer is no. While it may seem
disingenuous to be playing games with
countries that aim weapons at us, the
same claim can be made about us by many
other countries." |
| Suns' Kerr Issues Statement on D'Antoni |
| The Phoenix Suns President of Basketball
Operations and General Manager Steve
Kerr issued the following statement.
"As we have continued to convey, we
value Mike D'Antoni as the head coach of
the Phoenix Suns and would like him to
continue leading this basketball team.
Because he has requested to speak to
other teams about their head coaching
vacancies, we have granted him
permission. We will have no further
comment until this process further
evolves."
|
| Chauncey Billups Wins J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award |
| Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons
is the 2007-08 recipient of the J.
Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
presented annually by the Professional
Basketball Writers Association. The
award is named for the second
commissioner of the league and honors an
N |
| Euroleague Celebrates Club Basketball: 50 Greatest Contributors |
| On EUROLEAGUE.NET, "one of the
highlights not only of the 2008
Euroleague Basketball Final Four, but
perhaps in the history of European
basketball took place on Friday evening
at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace
between the two semifinal games as 50
legends of the past 50 years of European
club basketball were honored on center
court. The historic season-long
celebration of 50 Years of European Club
Basketball peaked as a sell-out crowd
wildly cheered 38 of the most important
personalities in the history of the game
as they took the floor for a
once-in-a-lifetime event.” |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 4 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Sunday's action, including the first
Game 7 of the 2008 postseason. |
| Hornets Hope to Sting Duncan, Spurs Again in Game 2 |
| The Hornets aren't sure they can lock
down Tim Duncan again in Game 2 on
Monday night, but they certainly intend
to try. |
| Bryant Scores 38 as Lakers Bounce Jazz from Game 1 |
| Kobe Bryant had 38 points, six rebounds
and seven assists Sunday, and the Lakers
made it five straight playoff wins by
beating the Utah Jazz 109-98 to begin
the second round. |
| Celtics Put Away Hawks to Advance to Second Round |
| The Boston Celtics turned back the pesky
Atlanta Hawks with a 99-65 victory
Sunday in Game 7 of their playoff
series, earning a second-round matchup
with the Cleveland Cavaliers. |
| The Sunday Click -- Look Who's Still Playing |
| If you were told two weeks ago that one
First Round series would go to seven
games, it would probably take you eight
guesses before you got the right one.
But the Hawks are still alive, and the
Celtics need more from Kevin Garnett in
order to move on. A look at that series,
as well as one at the Lakers and Jazz
and epitaphs for some of the teams that
have been eliminated, is in this week's
Sunday Click. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 3 |
| West, Hornets Sting Spurs in Game 1 |
| David West scored a career playoff-high
30 points to lead the New Orleans
Hornets to a 101-82 victory over the San
Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their
second-round playoff series Saturday. |
| Bryant, Lakers Anxious to End Layoff |
| When the Staples Center crowd chants
"MVP! MVP'' in Kobe Bryant's direction
Sunday, it won't simply be based on
sentiment. |
| Strong Second Half Helps Detroit Motor Past Orlando |
| Chauncey Billups had 19 points, seven
assists and played a key role in the
decisive run of the game, leading
Detroit to a 91-72 win over Orlando on
Saturday night in Game 1. |
| Williams Isn't Sure if He Can Play in Game 7 |
| Hawks forward Marvin Williams isn't sure
he'll be able to play Sunday in Game 7
of Atlanta's first-round playoff series
against the Boston Celtics after
spraining his left knee. |
| Celtics Glad to Play Game 7 vs. Hawks at Home |
| The Boston Celtics played hard all
season for home-court advantage in the
playoffs. They just didn't expect to
need it this soon. The Celtics are back
in Boston and hoping to finish off the
pesky Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in Game 7. |
| Williams Not Sure if He Can Play in Game 7 |
| Hawks forward Marvin Williams isn't sure
he'll be able to play Sunday in Game 7
of Atlanta's first-round playoff series
against the Boston Celtics after
spraining his left knee. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: May 2 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Friday's action, which included the
Hawks staying alive with a thrilling win
over the Celtics in Game 6. |
| Jazz Oust Rockets with 113-91 Victory in Game 6 |
| Deron Williams scored 13 of his 25
points in the decisive third quarter,
and the Utah Jazz beat Houston 113-91 on
Friday night to win the series 4-2 and
knock the Rockets out of the playoffs in
the opening round for the second
straight year. |
| Hawks Beat Celts Again in Atlanta, Force Game 7 |
| The Hawks forced an improbable Game 7
with the Boston Celtics as Joe Johnson
hit a crucial 3-pointer with 1:07
remaining and Atlanta held on for a
103-100 victory Friday night. |
| James' Triple-Double Helps Cavs Eliminate Wizards |
| LeBron James' third career playoff
triple-double helped the Cavaliers beat
the Wizards 105-88 on Friday night to
end their contentious first round series
in six games. |
| Lakers to Watch Rockets-Jazz Game Together |
| After practice Friday, members of the
Los Angeles Lakers planned to gather in
a restaurant and watch Game 6 of the
Utah-Houston series. The winner of the
series will be Los Angeles' opponent in
the Western Conference semifinals. |
| Washington's Darius Songaila Suspended |
| Washington Wizards forward Darius
Songaila has received a one game
suspension without pay for striking
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James
in the face with his hand, it was
announced today by Stu Jackson. |
| Pistons Crush 76ers to Reach Eastern Semifinals |
| Richard Hamilton hit his first five
shots during Detroit's overpowering
start, and the Pistons rolled into the
second round of the playoffs by crushing
the Philadelphia 76ers 100-77 on
Thursday night to win the series 4-2. |
| Sonics Say Carlesimo Will Return as Coach |
| Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo will return
next season, the team said Thursday,
ending speculation he would be fired
after the team won just 20 games in his
first year with the Sonics. |
| Nuggets' Karl Looking Forward to Next Season |
| Another first-round flameout by the
talented but disjointed Denver Nuggets
has convinced coach George Karl he has
to be tougher on his players next
season. |
| Early Entry Candidates for 2008 NBA Draft |
| The National Basketball Association
announced today that 91 players,
including 69 players from U.S. colleges
and institutions and 22 international
players, have filed as early entry
candidates for the 2008 NBA Draft. |
| Kevin Durant Named T-Mobile Rookie of the Year |
| Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics
is the recipient of the Eddie Gottlieb
Trophy as the 2007-08 T-Mobile NBA
Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced
today. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 30 |
| Celtics Clip Hawks to Regain Series Lead |
| Paul Pierce scored a playoff-high 22
points in leading Boston to a
hard-fought 110-85 victory over Atlanta
and giving the Celtics a 3-2 lead in the
best-of-seven series. |
| Butler's Basket Lifts Wizards to Game 5 Win Over Cavs |
| Caron Butler saved Washington's season.
Butler made a layup with 3.9 seconds
left and the Wizards held their breath
as LeBron James missed a potential
series-ending layup at the horn, giving
Washington an 88-87 victory Wednesday
night. |
| Arenas Ends Season, Bowing to Bone Bruise and Poor Performance |
| Gilbert Arenas ended his season moments
before the Wizards faced an elimination
game in their first-round playoff series
against the Cavaliers. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 29 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Tuesday's action, which included the
Hornets and Spurs advancing and the
Rockets staying alive. |
| McGrady, Rockets Stay Alive with Win |
| Tracy McGrady scored 29 points, Luis
Scola added 18 points and 12 rebounds,
and the Houston Rockets staved off
elimination Tuesday night by routing the
Utah Jazz 95-69 in Game 5 of their
first-round series. |
| Spurs Close Book on Suns with Game 5 Victory |
| Tony Parker scored 31 points, Tim Duncan
added 29 points and 17 rebounds, and the
San Antonio Spurs advanced to the
Western Conference semifinals with a
92-87 Game 5 victory over the Phoenix
Suns on Tuesday. |
| Detroit's Big Three Do a Number on Sixers to Take 3-2 Lead |
| The Pistons won a 98-81 decision over
the 76ers on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead
in the first-round series. |
| Paul's Triple-Double Helps Hornets Oust Mavericks |
| Chris Paul had 24 points, 15 assists and
11 rebounds, and the New Orleans Hornets
held on for a 99-94 victory over the
Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night to win
their first-round series in five games. |
| Byron Scott Named NBA Coach of the Year |
| New Orleans' Byron Scott is the
recipient of the Red Auerbach Trophy as
the 2007-08 NBA Coach of the Year, the
NBA announced today.
|
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 28 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Monday's playoff
action. |
| Lakers Sweep Nuggets, Advance to Second Round |
| Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 31 points
over the final 5 1/2 minutes Monday
night, leading the Lakers to a 107-101
victory over the Nuggets and a sweep of
their first-round series. |
| Hawks Surprise Celtics Again to Even Series |
| Joe Johnson scored 35 points - 20 in the
fourth quarter - and Josh Smith added 28
points and seven blocks for Atlanta,
which surprised the Celtics again 97-92
on Monday night to even the
best-of-seven series at two games
apiece. |
| Magic Beat Raptors, Move to Second Round |
| Dwight Howard had 21 points and 21
rebounds and the Orlando Magic advanced
to second round of the playoffs for the
first time in 12 years, beating the
Toronto Raptors 102-92 on Monday night
to close out their series in five
games.
|
| Boston's Paul Pierce and Washington's DeShawn Stevenson Fined |
| Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce and
Washington Wizards guard DeShawn
Stevenson have each been fined $25,000
for making menacing gestures during
games played this weekend, it was
announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA
Executive Vice President Basketball Op |
| Hedo Turkoglu Wins Most Improved Player Award |
| Hedo Turkoglu of the Orlando Magic is
the winner of the 2007-08 NBA Most
Improved Player Award presented by Kia
Motors, the NBA announced today. The
annual award is presented to a player
who has made a dramatic improvement from
the previous season or seas |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 27 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Sunday's playoff
action. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 27 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Sunday's playoff
action. |
| West Powers Hornets Past Mavs for 3-1 Lead |
| David West let out his frustration over
a poor Game 3 with a determined effort
in Game 4, scoring 10 of his 24 points
in a stretch in the second half to help
the New Orleans Hornets pull away from
the Dallas Mavericks for a 97-84 victory
Sunday. |
| Suns See Victory in "3D" |
| The famous military commander Hannibal
said, "Character is destiny."So when the
Suns had their backs pinned against the
wall Sunday, Suns Head Coach Mike
D'Antoni turned towards a player he knew
he could count on. Enter Boris Diaw.
|
| Prince, Wallace Help Pistons Even Series Against 76ers |
| Tayshaun Prince scored 23 points and
made all but one shot from the field,
and the Detroit Pistons played with a
purpose and dominated the second half to
beat the Philadelphia 76ers 93-84 on
Sunday night, tying their best-of-seven
Eastern Conference playo |
| Suns Scorch Spurs to Stave Off Sweep |
| Boris Diaw had 20 points, 10 rebounds
and eight assists in one of the best
playoff performances of his career, and
the Phoenix Suns stayed alive with a
105-86 rout of the Spurs on Sunday. |
| West's 3 Lifts Cavs Over Wizards in Game 4 |
| LeBron James had 34 points and 12
rebounds, and dished the ball to Delonte
West for a tiebreaking 3-pointer with
5.4 seconds left Sunday, helping the
Cavaliers get past the Wizards 100-97 to
take a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven
series. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 26 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Saturday's games, including Atlanta's
victory over Boston for its first
postseason win in nine years. |
| Jazz Edge Rockets to Take 3-1 Series Lead |
| Deron Williams scored eight of his 17
points in the fourth quarter and the
Utah Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 86-82
on Saturday night for a 3-1 series lead. |
| High-Flying Smith Leads Hawks Over Celtics |
| The Atlanta Hawks finally showed they
can beat the Boston Celtics. |
| Lakers Take 3-0 Series Lead Over Nuggets |
| Kobe Bryant scored 22 points and the Los
Angeles Lakers took a 3-0 lead in their
first-round series, routing the
flustered Nuggets 102-84 on Saturday. |
| Lewis Helps Magic Take 3-1 Lead Over Raptors |
| Rashard Lewis had 27 points and 13
rebounds, Dwight Howard added 19 points
and 16 boards, and the Orlando Magic
beat the Toronto Raptors 106-94 on
Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in their
first-round playoff series. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 26 |
| Parker's 41 Put Spurs Near Sweep of Suns |
| The San Antonio-Phoenix series was
supposed to be a spectacular first-round
matchup. Instead, it's become a Spurs
smackdown. |
| Nowitzki, Terry Pull Mavs Back into Series |
| Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry came up
big on both ends of the court, pulling
Dallas right back into this first-round
series with a 97-87 victory in Game 3 on
Friday night. |
| 76ers Crush Pistons to Take 2-1 Series Lead |
| The 76ers added one more surprise
victory in a season stuffed with them.
The Sixers ran all over the court in a
dominating 95-75 victory Friday night
over the Pistons to take a 2-1 lead in
their first-round series. |
| Suns' Hill Wins 2007-08 NBA Sportsmanship Award |
| Grant Hill of the Phoenix Suns is the
recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy
presented to the 2007-08 NBA
Sportsmanship Award winner, the NBA
announced today. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 24 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Thursday's games, including Houston's
season-saving Game 3 win at Utah. |
| McGrady Leads Rockets in Game 3 Win |
| Tracy McGrady snapped out of his
fourth-quarter slump and scored seven of
his 27 points in the final period,
leading Houston to a 94-92 victory over
Utah on Thursday night that gave the
Rockets life in a series that could have
been headed for a sweep. |
| Wizards Dominate Cavaliers in Game 3 |
| DeShawn Stevenson and Caron Butler found
their games and LeBron James could not
locate his as the Washington Wizards
pounded the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-72,
in Game 3 of teir Eastern Conference
first-round series Thursday night. |
| Raptors Cut Magic's Lead to 2-1 |
| T.J. Ford scored 21 points, Jose
Calderon had 18 points and 13 assists,
and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando
Magic 108-94 on Thursday night in Game 3
of their first-round playoff series. |
| Kings F Ron Artest Has Thumb Surgery |
| Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest had
surgery Thursday to repair a torn
ligament in his left thumb but should be
ready in plenty of time for training
camp. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 23 |
| Go Around the Association for a recap of
Wednesday's action, which included the
Celtics' Game 2 win over the Hawks and a
49-point performance from Kobe Byrant in
his Lakers' victory. |
| Bryant's 49 Points Lead Lakers Over Nuggets |
| Kobe Bryant had 49 points and 10 assists
Wednesday night, and the Los Angeles
Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107
to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round
playoff series. |
| Celtics Grab 2-0 Series Lead on Hawks |
| Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10
rebounds, and Rondo added 12 points,
eight assists and six rebounds to lead
Boston to a 96-77 victory over Atlanta
on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the
first-round series. |
| Pistons Even Series with Game 2 Rout of Sixers |
| Rasheed Wallace scored 11 of his 16
points in the first quarter and Detroit
went on to beat Philadelphia 105-88 in
Game 2 on Wednesday night to even the
first-round series. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 22 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of Tuesday's
playoff action. |
| Parker Sparks Spurs to Take 2-0 Lead on Suns |
| Tony Parker scored 32 points to lead the
San Antonio Spurs to a 102-96 victory
over Phoenix in Game 2 on Tuesday night
after the Suns gave away another
double-digit, first-half lead. |
| Howard's Second 20-20 Game Lifts Magic Past Raptors |
| Dwight Howard had 29 points and 20
rebounds, his second straight 20-20
game, and the Orlando Magic beat the
Toronto Raptors 104-103 on Tuesday night
for a 2-0 lead in their first-round
playoff series. |
| Paul Picks Apart Mavericks Again as Hornets Go Up 2-0 in Series |
| Chris Paul led New Orleans to a 127-103
victory over the Mavericks on Tuesday
that gave the Hornets a 2-0 lead in
their first-round series. |
| Kevin Garnett Wins Kia Defensive Player of the Year |
| The NBA announced today that Kevin
Garnett of the Boston Celtics is the
recipient of the 2007-08 NBA Defensive
Player of the Year Award presented by
Kia Motors. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 21 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a complete recap of
Monday's playoff action. |
| Jazz Burn Rockets to Take 2-0 Series Lead |
| Deron Williams scored 22 points and
Mehmet Okur added 16 points and 16
rebounds as the Utah Jazz beat the
Houston Rockets 90-84 on Monday night to
take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven
series. |
| James-Led Cavaliers Throttle Wizards |
| LeBron James scored 30 points, Zydrunas
Ilgauskas added 16, and the Cavaliers
played their best game in months,
blowing out Arenas and Co. 116-86 to
take a 2-0 lead in an opening-round
playoff series. |
| Lakers Not Counting on Bynum Any Time Soon |
| Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson
indicated Monday the team doesn't expect
injured center Andrew Bynum to make a
serious contribution any time soon. |
| X's & O's: Salmi on Philly's Game 1 Victory |
| Sixers broadcaster Bob Salmi give's an
X's and O's perspective on
Philadelphia's surprising Game 1 win
over the Pistons. |
| Ginobili Wins 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year Award |
| Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs
is the winner of the NBA Sixth Man Award
presented by Kia Motors as the league's
best player in a reserve role for the
2007-08 season, the NBA announced today. |
| Wizards' Arenas to Play in Game 2 Despite Sore Wrist |
| Washington guard Gilbert Arenas is
expected to play in Game 2 of the
Wizards' series against the Cleveland
Cavaliers on Monday night despite a
sprained right wrist. Arenas scored 24
points in the opener, but apparently
hurt his wrist in the fourth quarter. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 20 |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 20 |
| Allen Leads Boston as Celts' Defense Preys on Hawks |
| Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett sparked the
Celtics to a 104-81 win Sunday night in
their playoff opener against the Hawks. |
| Miller-led Sixers Stun Pistons in Game 1 |
| Andre Miller scored 20 points and Willie
Green had a career playoff-high 17,
helping the Philadelphia 76ers stun the
Detroit Pistons 90-86 Sunday in Game 1
of their first-round series. |
| LeBron Expects Same Physical Play from Wizards in Game 2 |
| LeBron James isn't complaining, but
those hard shoves, well-placed elbows
and rougher-than-normal fouls that the
Wizards inflicted on him in Game 1 had
an effect. |
| Gasol Powers Lakers Past Denver |
| Pau Gasol established playoff highs with
36 points and eight assists and had 16
rebounds Sunday as the Los Angeles
Lakers took command early in the third
quarter and beat the Denver Nuggets
128-114. |
| Dwight Howard's 20-20 Game Leads Magic Past Raptors |
| Dwight Howard had 25 points and 22
rebounds, and Jameer Nelson scored 24
points, and the Orlando Magic defeated
the Toronto Raptors 114-100 Sunday in
the opener of their first-round series. |
| Around the Association presented by T-Mobile: April 19 |
| Go Around the Association presented by
T-Mobile for a recap of all of
Saturday's playoff action. |
| Jazz Take Series Opener in Houston |
| Andrei Kirilenko scored 21 points,
Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 16
rebounds and the Utah Jazz beat the
Houston Rockets 93-82 in the opener of
their first-round series Saturday night. |
