Official NBA Thread

[RatBastich]

Wade strains calf and leaves Heat's win early

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Michael Beasley had 23 points and 11 rebounds and the Miami Heat overcame the early loss of All-Star MVP Dwyane Wade in beating the New Jersey Nets 87-84 on Wednesday night for their season-high fourth straight victory.

Jermaine O'Neal, who strained his lower back in a first-quarter fall, hit three free throws and had two blocks down the stretch as the Heat used a game-closing 13-4 spurt to prevent the Nets from winning consecutive games for the first time this season.

Wade strained his left calf sometime in the opening 7:26 and did not play again. He finished with eight points, snapping his streak of 148 straight games in double figures, the second-longest active streak in the NBA behind LeBron James (255).

[daigong]

Shit. They really trying to make the Cavs the next "All-Star" team a la Celtics. Whateva man!!

And word is the Houston Rockets have reached agreement to trade Tracy McGrady for Kevin Martin.

[RatBastich]

Sources: Martin moving; Knicks in play?

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

The Houston Rockets have unexpectedly emerged from their long-running efforts to trade Tracy McGrady with an agreement in place to acquire coveted guard Kevin Martin from the Sacramento Kings, ESPN.com has learned.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets and Kings will spend Thursday trying to make this a three-way deal that lands McGrady with the New York Knicks, who have been McGrady's preferred destination ever since he and the Rockets mutually agreed in late December to find the 30-year-old a new team via trade.

[RatBastich]

Sources: T-Mac traded in 3-team deal

By Marc Stein and Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com

Tracy McGrady is heading to the New York Knicks, who now have more than $9 million of additional salary cap space to use in free agency this summer.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks have agreed to terms that will expand the Houston-Sacramento deal into a three-way trade.

The Knicks will acquire McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez from Sacramento; the Rockets get Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from Sacramento, and Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries from New York.

Houston also will have the right to swap first-round picks with New York in 2011, and the Rockets also get New York's 2012 first-round pick.

Sacramento obtains Houston's Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey and New York's Larry Hughes.

A source close to the negotiations told ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford that the Knicks' 2011 pick is top-1 protected, and the 2012 pick is top-5 protected.

The deal will put the Knicks more than $30 million below the salary cap on July 1, when they will pursue several members of a free-agent class headed by LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

Depending on where the 2010-11 salary cap is set, the Knicks could have enough room to make maximum offers to two free agents, which was the lofty goal team president Donnie Walsh set for himself upon taking over nearly two years ago. The Knicks have not been below the salary cap since 1996, when they signed free agents Allan Houston and Chris Childs.

The Rockets and Kings agreed on a McGrady trade late Wednesday night, and the Knicks -- who had been in detailed discussions with the Rockets for weeks -- came in as the third team with basically the same package they were originally offering to Houston.

McGrady's nearly $23 million salary comes off the books July 1, as does Al Harrington's $10 million contract and Chris Duhon's $6 million deal. Depending on whether the Heat and New Jersey Nets make any deals by Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline, New York could have the most cap space of any NBA team this summer.

The Knicks also reached agreement Thursday on a trade sending Nate Robinson and a second player to Boston for Eddie House, Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens.

[daigong]

what a fucking crazy trade deadline day. Here's a summary off Lakers Nation Blog's Chris manning:

February 13, 2010- Wizards/Mavs:
To Washington Wizards: Quinton Ross, Josh Howard, James Singleton, Drew Gooden
To Dallas Mavericks: DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, Cash

February 16, 2010 - Blazers/Clippers
To Portland Trail Blazers:, Marcus Camby
To Los Angeles Clippers: Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake, Cash

February 17, 2010 – Cavs/Wizards/Clippers (3-Team Trade)
To Cleveland Cavs: Antawn Jamison, Sebastian Telfair
To Washington Wizards: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Al Thornton, 2010 first-round draft pick from Cleveland, Rights to Emir Preldžič, 57th pick in 2009 NBA Draft
To Los Angeles Clippers: Drew Gooden

February 17 ,2010 - Knicks/Wolves
To New York Knicks: Brian Cardinal
To Minnesota Timberwolves: Darko Milicic, Cash considerations

February 17 ,2010 - Knicks/Rockets/Kings
To New York Knicks: Tracy McGrady, Sergio Rodriguez
To Houston Rockets: Kevin Martin, Hilton Armstrong, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries
To Sacramento Kings: Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey, Larry Hughes

February 17 ,2010 - Bulls/Bucks
To Chicago Bulls: Hakeem Warrik, Joe Alaxander
To Milwaukee Bucks: John Salmons

February 17 ,2010 - Bulls/Bobcats
To Chicago Bulls: Flip Murray, Acie Law
To Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas

February 17 ,2010 - Bucks/76ers
To Milwaukee Bucks: Primoz Brezec, Royal Ivey
To Philadelphia 76ers: Joedie Meeks, Francisco Elson

February 17 ,2010 - Grizzlies/Jazz
To Utah Jazz: Protected 1st Round Pick
To Memphis Grizzlies: Ronnie Brewer

February 17 ,2010 - Knicks/Celtics
To Boston Celtics: Nate Robinson, 2nd player (unnamed at moment)
To New York Knicks: Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker


Knicks really gearing up to make a run this free agent sweepstakes!?

[RatBastich]

Nets to play two years in Newark

Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets are going to play in Newark, at least for the next two seasons.

The NBA team reached a deal with the state to move their regular-season games to Newark's Prudential Center until their new arena is built in Brooklyn.

Under the deal, the Nets will pay a $4 million penalty over two years to get out of their lease at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, their home since 1981.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted to approve the deal Thursday morning. Details of the arrangement were announced Thursday afternoon by Gov. Chris Christie's office.

[daigong]

FUCK!!

CELTICS!!!

 

[daigong]

SHIT...I'll take the positive out of this. During this four game stretch, the bench has been producing and relly pullled one out vs Golden State but WOW tonite. They brainfarted. THE Time Out. Letting Rondo loose.No one locking down Ray Allen. This game was def. winnable. FISH AWWW MAN.





Loved Odom's energy and Bynum early on but DAMN CELTICS!!


At least it wasn't as bad as Lebron missing the three pointer with Melo IN HIS FACE HA!

[Slack]

This whole time Kobe's been out, the Lakers haven't looked like they missed him much...

...until the end of tonight's game, that is.

[daigong]

he should been on the bench coaching em up, damn Phil sitting on his throne calling a timeout.

GET IN MA POSTER!!


and what's this shit about McGrady on waivers to the Lakers?

[Reanimation]

the lakers could have won it. fisher was off all night, i dont understand why they gave it to him. 

[Aioros]

LOL Kobe with another game winner

[daigong]

WERD WORDS. KOBE TOO CLUTCH.

CONCHATUMADRE, that was close.


You know he was into it with the Four Point Play! The Tomahawk! The Double Clutch! haha shit he must've been hearing all that bullshit.

how they fell behind DAMN. Lucky Shannon's weird pass was caught by LO.


This upcoming road swing will be another test, with the back to backs - esp. tonite against a revamped Mavs.

[Slack]

I was surprised seeing Marc Gasol looking like an actual human instead of a tank.

Wtf is up with Memphis's floor in that pic?  They that poor they can't afford a court that fits together right and isn't chipping paint?

[daigong]

^ it's that "retro" feel.

Bynum's hip got better or decided to play hard and not whine about the refs!?



Another close one, why keep the Sixers hanging around?!?!

And gotta agree with Phil Jackson on that Jaimison/Big Z "trade" - what a fucking joke if he gets bought out and goes back. Shaq being hurt, they could use him but Cleveland is just trying to put a bunch of big names together like Boston's run. Not gonna happen!!

[RatBastich]

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Celts lost to the Nets today, in Boston.

[RatBastich]

Stern expects approval in March

Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Michael Jordan's drive and immense physical talent made him an NBA superstar. His stardom and shrewdness helped him make millions in business.

His latest venture will test his talents and skills like no other.

NBA commissioner David Stern said Saturday he expects Jordan to be approved as majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats by the end of next month. Minutes before his exclusive negotiating window expired late Friday night, Jordan struck a deal with owner Bob Johnson to take over the money-losing team in his home state.

It puts the biggest basketball star of his generation in charge of a 6-year-old team that's never made the playoffs, has struggled to win over fans and has more than $150 million in debt.

Can Jordan's streak of business success continue?

[RatBastich]

Bynum fined for criticizing refs

By Arash Markazi
ESPNLosAngeles.com

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum said he knew exactly what he was doing when he publicly criticized game officials after the Lakers' 101-96 loss Wednesday to the Dallas Mavericks.

The comments elicited a $25,000 fine Friday from the NBA. After the Dallas game Bynum said, "It's hard to win when it's five against eight."

"I decided to say that before the interview because it was ridiculous," Bynum said. "I knew it was going to happen; whether it was fair is debatable. They tell us we can't say anything so I knew I was going to get fined."

Bynum, who never before had been fined, said his frustrations with the officials have been ongoing all season and decided that it would be worth the fine to bring it out into the open.

"I hope not," Bynum said when asked if he thought officials might be harder on him now because of his public criticism of them. "If they did, it would just prove a point."

Bynum was called twice for traveling against Dallas and the Mavericks shot 26 free throws to the Lakers' 16.

"I have sympathy for his statement, I believe he was trying to speak the truth, but you can't go over that line," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We know that referees are sacred cows in this league and the NBA is going to punish us, so he learned a lesson that will be valuable to him."

It is usually Jackson who intentionally criticizes officials publicly to get them to think more about their calls although he says he believes Bynum was premature in his comments.

"I wait for an appropriate time when it matters," Jackson said. "When it makes a difference in the playoffs and you might be able to twist somebody's arm into reacting or recognizing something."

[daigong]

SO GOOD. Fucking Nuggets thinking they thugs. That's why Ron Artest was hired BITCH!!



LMFAO at Melo getting tossed out. Great 4th quarter, watching the recaps....Odom and Pau went to work on that weak front court, Kobe dishing!

Big Shot Rob


Loved all the breaking down he did. Shaq vs Hakeem, Kobe taking the last shot. Locker Rooms lol.

[RatBastich]

Shaq has surgery on injured thumb

Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal sent his teammates a text message almost apologizing for missing the final two months of the regular season.

If he makes it back for the playoffs, he'll still have time to make it up to them.

O'Neal had surgery on his injured right thumb Monday and will miss about 8 weeks, the team said. He was examined Sunday by specialist Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore. Graham performed the surgery Monday morning.

"He feels like he let us down, but we understand injuries happen in the game," teammate Jamario Moon said. "I think he's really down about being out. ... He let us know it's time to continue playing basketball and he's going to be all right."

The recovery timeline means O'Neal, who turns 38 on Saturday, may not be ready for the start of the playoffs April 17. The Cavaliers acquired him last summer with an eye toward the postseason, after Dwight Howard and Orlando eliminated them in the Eastern Conference finals.

Cleveland enters its game Monday against the Knicks leading Orlando by six games for the best record in the East. Should the Cavaliers and Magic retain the top two seeds, they wouldn't meet until the Eastern Conference finals, which begin in mid-May.

"Will be out for a min but when I return it is on," O'Neal posted on his Twitter account Monday morning. "Win da ring for da king! Luv my team, Cavs baby!"

O'Neal has played well for the Cavaliers, averaging 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games. He injured the thumb Thursday at Boston when his shot was blocked by Glen "Big "Baby" Davis with just over 7 minutes left in the first half.

Cavs general manager Danny Ferry said O'Neal will wear a splint for the next two weeks, then begin his rehab.

"Our guys have done a very good job of stepping up this season. We are confident they will do the same in this situation," Ferry said. "We are fortunate to have some depth in our front court that can keep us moving forward while Shaq recovers and returns to play for the postseason."

Anderson Varejao will continue to start at center for Cleveland, which has the NBA's best record at 44-16. J.J. Hickson and Leon Powe, who recently returned from knee surgery, are also options.

Former backup Zydrunas Ilgauskas, traded to Washington for Antawn Jamison, is now a free agent following a buyout by the Wizards. Ilgauskas is free to sign with any team, but will have to wait another couple of weeks under NBA rules should he elect to re-sign with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland has battled injuries and personnel losses all season.

Point guard Mo Williams recently returned after missing 11 games with an injured shoulder and guard Delonte West bounced in and out of the rotation early because of personal reasons. Powe debuted last week after recovering from knee surgery last summer.

"There's nothing we can do about it," coach Mike Brown said. "It's happened all year. Hopefully someone will step up and fill the void and we'll just keep moving forward."