Official NBA Thread

[RatBastich]

Report: Sonics willing to leave name, history behind

Fans of professional basketball in Seattle might not be able to convince the SuperSonics to stay. But if the franchise leaves for Oklahoma City as widely expected, the team name might stay behind.

During a breakfast meeting for team sponsors Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., team owner Clay Bennett said he wants to negotiate a settlement in which he will take the team's players and coaches, but leave the team's name, colors and 41-year history behind for another franchise to adopt, The Seattle Times reported.

Sonics spokesman Dan Mahoney confirmed Bennett's statement on Monday.

In its $26.5 million settlement offer to Seattle leaders, the team's ownership group said, "We understand the city's desire to reserve the Sonics name for a future franchise and will support the city's effort with the NBA on this issue," according to the report.

[RatBastich]

Webber, battling chronic knee problems, to call it a career

What Chris Webber and the Golden State Warriors hoped would be a storybook comeback will instead be remembered as a very short comeback story.

After playing just nine games back in the Bay Area, Webber is retiring.

New problems with the surgically repaired left knee that has plagued him for the past half-decade have prompted Webber to leave the game, not even two months after he returned to the team and city where the most famous face from Michigan's famed Fab Five began his NBA career.

The Warriors have called a press conference for Wednesday so that the 35-year-old, undeniably one of the game's most versatile big men at his peak, can formally announce his plans. He will exit as one of the sport's most polarizing personalities but also as one of just six players in history -- along with Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird and Billy Cunningham and the still active Kevin Garnett -- to average at least 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
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Rockets, NBA pay tribute to Mutombo tonight

They were going to hold a retirement party for Dikembe Mutombo tonight at Toyota Center.

Except he won't stop.

Last year when Yao Ming broke his leg, Mutombo picked his venerable body up off the bench and helped the Rockets hold their season together with a 20-12 record.

Last month, when Yao went down again with a stress fracture in his left foot, Mutombo, 41, stepped up once more, and the Rockets have remained in the hot playoff race with 12 wins in 15 games.

"He's done more for us than I would ever have expected," said coach Rick Adelman. "I can't think about next year. I'm sure he'll decide when it's time."

That time keeps getting pushed back over the horizon every time Mutumbo steps onto the court, blocks a shot, wags his finger, grabs a rebound and lopes down the floor with unbridled glee.

[RatBastich]

Webber's career path full of promise and pain

Why does Chris Webber's retirement matter so much to me when, in the end, the record will show he did so little?

His career can almost be defined by what he didn't accomplish: never won an NCAA championship, never played in the NBA Finals, never won a Most Valuable Player award, despite all of that talent. What will end up as the high point of his playing days -- two trips to the NCAA's championship game in two years of college -- isn't even recognized by Michigan because of a booster payout scandal. Gone. Not there. Stricken from the record.

But Webber wasn't just Seinfeld, creating plotlines around minimal moments in life. He was Sisyphus, a tragic Greek figure condemned to eternal failure.
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Gasol (ankle) to miss at least next two games

The Los Angeles Lakers' injury woes continue.

Pau Gasol was not at the Lakers' training facility on Wednesday, and coach Phil Jackson said the center will not play Wednesday night against Charlotte and is doubtful for Friday's game against Memphis. Jackson said Gasol, who has missed six games with a moderate left ankle sprain, hasn't had a setback but also "didn't improve between Saturday and today."

"It's swelling," Jackson told the Los Angeles Times. "Swelling creates soreness. I'm sure he'd like to be back and play [against] Memphis, but I don't know if that's a possibility or not. That's a pretty short order."

Center Andrew Bynum was also not seen at the training facility, but he continues to run on an anti-gravity treadmill and the team hopes he will return before the regular season ends April 15. Center Chris Mihm took part in individual drills with assistant coach Jim Cleamons but still isn't practicing, and forward Trevor Ariza did some light shooting but isn't expected to return before the postseason begins.

Jackson gave Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher the day off, partly to heal and partly because they saw extensive time in the Lakers' 123-119 overtime win Monday at Golden State: Odom played all 53 minutes, Bryant played almost 52 minutes and Fisher played almost 37 minutes, about 10 more than his season average. Fisher suffered a bruised knee after taking a charge with four seconds remaining in OT, while Bryant sprained his right ankle in the Lakers' 115-111 overtime loss Sunday to the Warriors.

"We're back to just kind of being ourselves, having a loose day, healing up," Bryant, who complimented Jackson, told the Times. "He's always been really great about that, understanding his players and what they need and making sure that they're physically ready to go. Today was a day for us to kind of relax and get off our feet."

[RatBastich]

Riley bothered by Shaq's criticism of Heat players, staff

NEW YORK -- Pat Riley can't understand why Shaquille O'Neal keeps talking about the Miami Heat.

Riley responded to O'Neal's criticisms Wednesday with some of his own, saying his former center was wrong to disparage some of his old teammates and trainers in a Boston Globe story.

"It's sad that he says those things. We shared so much here, together, for three years, good and bad, 3½ years," Riley said, referring specifically to the Heat's 2006 NBA title. "I just think it's sad that he's got to do that."

Riley dealt O'Neal to Phoenix before the trade deadline, allowing the 36-year-old center the chance to compete for another title instead of sticking around Miami for a last-place finish. O'Neal made it clear how much he prefers his new teammates.

[RatBastich]

Stern lays out vision for NBA expansion in Europe

LONDON -- More fans, more NBA-style arenas and, of course, more money.

Those are the keys to putting an expansion team in Europe, possibly within the next 10 years, according to NBA commissioner David Stern.

"That's something that can happen," Stern said in a conference call Thursday to discuss the NBA's preseason tour in October. "We need the buildings. We need the increase in affinity in terms of television. And we need an economic model that works."

The NBA is returning to Europe for the third straight year, with the Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards playing two games each to prepare for the 2008-09 season.

[RatBastich]

Robin, Brook to enter NBA draft after two seasons at Stanford

The Lopez twins are going pro together.

Stanford sophomore Robin Lopez is joining his 7-foot brother Brook in entering the NBA draft.

The brothers made their announcement to The Associated Press on Monday through mother, Deborah Ledford.

It was expected that Brook would declare himself eligible for the NBA, but Robin was not so certain. They were prep stars in Fresno, Calif., and came to Stanford together. Now they will depart as a tandem, too.

"This has been a very difficult decision for me because I really enjoyed my two years at Stanford," Robin Lopez said in a statement released to the AP. "I have always hoped I would have an opportunity to play in the NBA and I feel now is the right time to make that dream a reality."
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Complete list: Who's in, who's out of 2008 draft?

College players are beginning to declare their intentions for the NBA draft. For the most part, information received this time of year is fairly unreliable. Last year at this time, for example, Ohio State's Mike Conley said he'd definitely be returning to Ohio State. He's now finishing his rookie season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The general rule is that if a player is projected as a lottery pick, his chances of declaring for the draft are very high. However, after Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer all decided to stay in school two seasons ago, nothing is a given.

Last year, 32 underclassmen and six international players declared for the draft. Who's in and who's out this year? Insider spoke with a number of NBA executives, scouts, NBA player agents and individuals close to the players making the decision to come up with this list, which we'll be constantly updating.

College underclassmen and international players who don't turn 22 this year have until April 27 to declare themselves eligible for the NBA draft.

[RatBastich]

Who do NBA players fear most when they step on the court? That's right, Kobe gets voted the scariest.

[Jsmurf]

regular season needs to end already

playoffs should be pretty good this year... in the western conf. anyways

--*Bynum, comeback already 

[RatBastich]

The playoffs are just around the corner, with only a few games left in the regular season.
The playoff race in the West is still incredibly tight, and the top spot changed hands just last night, with the Hornets losing and the Lakers now taking the #1 spot, even though the Lakers and Hornets are actually tied in terms of records.

At the bottom half of the standings, there's another tight battle going on for the final 8th spot between the Warriors and Nuggets, and even then there isn't any solid footing in the West standings just yet, cause with any wins/losses from any of the teams 1 thru 9 in these last remaining games of the regular season, the standings will shuffle, and teams can rise or fall depending on how the outcomes of these last remaining regular season games pan out.

In the East, I see it as only a 2 team battle for the East crown between the Pistons and Celtics.
The West will be highly and hotly contested, from the 1st round up to the conference finals round, so its going to be a toss up for who comes out of the West, since realistically, any team can take it in the West, cause remembering the playoffs from last season, anything can happen, like an 8th seed upsetting a 1st seed in the 1st round, so even though there are the teams that are more heavily favored, truthfully, anything can happen.

IMHO, its a been one helluva season in the West, with fun and surprises all around.
Once the playoffs start, it should get even more wild in the West.
We all have all favorite teams, and we'll all definitely be rooting for them, but it'll come down to the wire with these games, with the moves and countermoves by each coach and team, and players trying to stay healthy and in one piece.

LET'S GET THESE PLAYOFFS STARTED, AND LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY!!

[daigong]

AND YOUR TOP SEED IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE .........



THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS!!!

[daigong]

THE MATCHUPS ARE SET!! NBA PLAYOFFS 2008!

Love these split screen commercials, with Shaq and Kobe:
[youtube=425,350]xAhhw9a0kzE[/youtube]

JOIN!!! SET UR BRACKETS BITCHES!!



Go to:
http://www.nba.com/playoffs2008/picknroll/login.jsp

Then enter League name: ..::JPHiP <3 NBA::..
password: rika

My picks duh:


Games start April 19th.

[Saburo]

Go to:
http://www.nba.com/playoffs2008/picknroll/login.jsp

OK I'm a dunderhead.  I can't log in...

[jChu*]

^
^
I'm in 

[Jsmurf]

i'll join in

[RatBastich]

NBA owners approve Sonics' move, pending litigation

NEW YORK -- NBA owners approved the Seattle SuperSonics' move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season Friday, provided the team can settle its lawsuit with the city.

The Sonics could begin playing in owner Clay Bennett's hometown as early as next season if they can get out of the remaining two years of their lease at KeyArena.

Owners voted 28-2 in favor of the move, with Dallas and Portland voting against. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has previously expressed concerns about the market size, and commissioner David Stern said the Trail Blazers, owned by Paul Allen, didn't say why they voted the way they did.

"The vote further confirms that Oklahoma is in the big leagues and can compete with anyone," Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said in a statement.

The Sonics, who have been in Seattle since the start of the 1967-68 season, will be the first NBA team to change cities since the New Orleans Hornets moved from Charlotte for the 2002-03 season. Stern said although owners understand the move from a larger market to a much smaller one, they "focused on the likelihood of success in Oklahoma City."
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Walsh fires Thomas, keeps him with the franchise for 'input'

NEW YORK -- At long last, Isiah Thomas is out as head coach of the New York Knicks.

But he's not totally gone.

In one of the most anticlimactic firings in NBA history, incoming Knicks president Donnie Walsh announced late Friday afternoon he was relieving Thomas of his coaching duties. But Thomas, still owed $18 million after receiving a long-term contract extension 13 months ago, will remain in the organization with no official title.

"I think Isiah remaining part of the franchise is good for the organization," Walsh said on a conference call with reporters. "I value Isiah's knowledge of the game and his opinions, so I will use him as a resource. Isiah will be reporting to me. There will be nobody reporting to Isiah."

[daigong]

^ That really sucks about the Sonics moving. They were a pretty formidable franchise back in the daze.

HOW BOUT DEM DAY 1 of the PLAYOFFS!!!

SHIT was shaq even defending Timmy on dat 3 to take it to 2OT. 


OMGASS Hornets pulled thru in 4th. Chris Paul is fucking amazing indeed...sorry no MVP this year tho.

ROX SUCK!! What the hell happened?

OK I'm a dunderhead.  I can't log in...

Ops...hmm. lol

Great quote by Allen Iverson: "This is what it’s all about. If you’re scared, get a dog."

Can't wait for Lakers - Nuggets to tip off!

[Kamesan]

Great game 1 between the Spurs and Suns. A lot of "experts" are picking Dallas to beat the Hornet but go Hornets!!

[daigong]

WHOOOOOOOOOOOA  .... Lakers pulled that one off. BARELY

That Nuggets bench is lethal. Kleza! JR Smith was pretty slick after making a few dumb mistakes. Kobe finally lit it up as AI got tossed AHAHAHAHA 128-114 the FINAL!


GASOL!!! DAMN!!! What a sequence with him and Odom during GARBAAAGE time. Mind blowing how the Triangle is just clicking.

[Jsmurf]

 
D.U.I. D.U.I.  lol poor Melo 

if Nugs keep playing shitty D like this,  series should be over quick

[jChu*]

The Lakers lit it up in the 3rdQ and never looked back.  Gasol was CRAZY!! 

Philly beat Detroit!!??! Shocku!