Sacramento, Seattle groups present to NBA owners (Yahoo! Sports)
NEW YORK (AP) — The future home of the Kings may not be settled this month after all.
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NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2013 Participants Present a Rematch for the Ages
According to a press release via NBA.com, the field has been set for the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Six players were selected, with three representing each conference.
More important than the inter-conference battle is the fact that the 2013 Slam Dunk Contest has presented us with a rematch for the ages.
The participants for the Western Conference are Eric Bledsoe of the Los Angeles Clippers, Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz and Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets. Evans is the defending champion, while Bledsoe and Faried are making their first appearances.
As for the Eastern Conference, it will be Gerald Green of the Indiana Pacers, Terrence Ross of the Toronto Raptors and James White of the New York Knicks. This is where the rematch can be found.
Green versus White. The battle of two dunk masters.
Green and White went toe-to-toe in one of the most legendary slam dunk contests in basketball history. The events transpired in Europe during the 2010 Russian Cup.
For those interested in witnessing the legendary throwdown session, a link has been provided below.
As I said, legendary.
When Green and White face off for Round 2, the NBA will bear witness to what Europe is well aware of: When these two men are in a building together, special things are bound to happen.
With that being said, we’re certain to be entertained regardless of their simultaneous presence. Ending up in Houston together just makes the event all the more enjoyable.
Just check the history for a glimpse at a bright dunking future.
During the legendary Russian Cup dunk dontest, the two men pulled out all of the stops. From White going between-the-legs from the free-throw line to Green’s reverse alley-oop off of the bounce, we saw it all.
Chances are, these two dunk artists will do whatever it takes to top their performances on the grandest stage of them all. You know, if that’s possible.
So who are they and what should we expect?
Gerald Green: An Athletic Wonder
Gerald Green may not be a household name, but he’s been one of the world’s top dunk artists for quite some time. The NBA first learned such a truth when he won the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
One of Green’s dunks came as he leaped over Nate Robinson—one of the other competitors in the contest.
Not only was it gutsy, but Green committed the dunk while blinding himself with his arm. Surprisingly, that wasn’t even his best dunk.
Green proceeded to throwdown a powerful finish without shoes—an unreal feat that doesn’t quite garner the respect it deserves.
Since then, Green has captivated fans in New Jersey and Indiana with his uncanny ability to do the unthinkable with the ball in his hands. Perhaps no dunk embodied that truth more than his windmill alley-oop from 2011-12.
That’s right, a windmill alley-oop. Midgame.
Wow.
There is no denying the athletic gifts that Green possesses. In fact, one might be inclined to label Green as the most explosive athlete in the NBA.
Green proved such this offseason by jumping so high that his head was above the rim. I repeat, his head was above the rim.
Unreal athleticism.
This is what we will witness come the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, as Green utilizes his out-of-this-world leaping ability to make the impossible, possible. With the task of exacting revenge on James White, we can expect pure and utter brilliance.
I wonder how many people he’s going to jump over this year.
James White: Building the Legend
If you don’t know who James White is, get familiar. When he’s not fighting for minutes with the New York Knicks, he’s throwing down some of the most breathtaking dunks you’ll ever see.
If you believe that to be an exaggeration, check the film.
White has been innovating dunks from the free-throw line since his days as a Cincinnati Bearcat. Whether he’s throwing down a windmill or going with two hands, White has never failed to take our breaths away.
His between-the-legs dunk from the charity stripe may just be his greatest feat.
As I said, unreal.
In terms of in-game NBA material, White has a limited supply. He’s played just 44 games during his three-year career and averaged just 8.6 minutes per game.
Still, White can get down when it’s all about the dunk contests.
White has taken over such competitions in Russia, Canada and the NBA D-League. He also threw down some monsters during the NCAA dunk contest in 2006.
So why wouldn’t we believe he can do more of the same in the NBA?
Prediction
When one of the world’s greatest dunk rivalries continues in Houston, Texas, there will be an attempt at revenge from Gerald Green. At the same time, James White will be fighting to become more than just a name in the Knicks’ rotation.
Even as lesser-known players, Green and White are going to hold down the court as if it were their own.
For those familiar with White’s abilities, it will be interesting to see whether or not he returns to his “from the free-throw line” ways. Those forms of dunks will certainly excite the judges, but die-hard fans will be looking for more.
Something new.
For that reason, it is fair to infer that Green will have the door opened to rise up and secure his second NBA Slam Dunk Contest crown. The question is, what will Green have in his repertoire that we haven’t already seen?
Both of these men have rabid fanbases to placate. So who will step up and secure the W in the latest chapter of this dunking feud?
Until anyone proves capable of bringing him down, we’re going with you, Mr. White. We welcome Green’s attempts at proving us wrong.
Let the entertainment begin and the rivalry continue.
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Sacramento mayor to present counteroffer for Kings (Yahoo! Sports)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says he has received approval from NBA Commissioner David Stern to present a counteroffer to the league from investors who would keep the Kings in California’s capital city.
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Kobe: Shaq will present at my jersey retirement
The Los Angeles Lakers retired Jamaal Wilkes’ No. 52 jersey during Friday’s 104-87 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Following the game Kobe Bryant was asked who he would want presenting at his own jersey retirement.
“I’d probably force Shaq to do it,” said Bryant.
H/T: lakernation.com
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Dirk Nowitzki Is Dallas Mavericks’ Early Christmas Present vs. San Antonio Spurs
Dirk Nowitzki‘s return to the Dallas Mavericks was a surprisingly early Christmas present, but the Mavs still got blown out by the San Antonio Spurs Sunday night, 129-91.
In his season debut, Dirk showed few ill effects from arthroscopic knee surgery. He came off the bench midway through the first quarter and scored his first points in emphatic fashion.
Dirk scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes of action.
He scored five of those points in a span of less than a minute on vintage Dirk jumpers.
Check out the video from :55 – 1:10.
Dirk’s seven first-half points in 14 minutes kept the Mavs within striking distance. However, he only played six minutes in the second half as the Spurs put on a shooting clinic.
In front of their home fans, the Spurs nailed an outrageous 20-of-30 three-point shots. Danny Green was the main culprit, canning an astounding 9-of-10 trifectas.
The Mavericks defense was non-existent. They weren’t much better offensively, but O.J. Mayo worked a couple of pick-and-rolls with Dirk. When they get up to speed together, Dallas could have a dynamic duo reminiscent of Jason Terry’s days with Dirk.
Mayo had his third straight subpar game with only seven points. However, he has carried a heavy burden without Dirk and should be back to form after the Christmas break.
Darren Collison came off the bench and led Dallas with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. With Derek Fisher’s departure, this was another good sign. Collison figures to play most of the point guard minutes, even if Dominique Jones starts again in the near term.
The road gets no easier for Dallas. They travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder December 27 and return home the next night against the Denver Nuggets.
Dirk and the Mavericks should be much sharper by the time they host the Spurs December 30. Dallas has now lost four straight games at San Antonio, but the Mavs will be gunning for their third straight win at the American Airlines Center against their bitter rivals.
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Chicago Bulls: The Present Is Dark, Will the Future Have Clear Skies?
It is always a disappointment when great teams do not reach their potential. For numerous reasons, skillful teams do not always reach their goals and fall short of hoisting up a Larry O’Brien Trophy.
This is true of the Chicago Bulls.
During the Derrick Rose era in 2009, their beloved point guard accomplished something the legendary Michael Jordan had not done with the Bulls.
During his third season in the league, at only 22 years old, Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history. A breath of fresh air for a proud franchise, Derrick Rose led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA when they won 62 games.
The future could not have looked brighter. Going into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the East, the Bulls battled their way to to the Eastern Conference finals.
After meeting with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, the Chicago Bulls lost gracefully in five games to a more seasoned veteran team. Chicago Bulls fans were ecstatic over making such a deep playoff run. Knowing that their team was still relatively young, Bulls fans admired the work their team put in and knew that the next great Bulls dynasty was soon to come.
Then the storm came, and darkness spread throughout the city. The sunshine was over and dreams became shattered.
The star that shines the brightest for the Bulls, Derrick Rose, missed most of the 2012 NBA season due to numerous injuries. When he finally had the ability to play in the latter part of the season, Rose attempted to play his way back into shape as the team entered the playoffs.
In an opening round game against the 76ers, Rose tore his ACL in front of a sold-out crowd at the United Center.
The hopes and dreams of Bulls Nation winning another title went through the window.
Since Rose will likely miss 8-12 months because of this injury, presumably he will be gone next season. With his absence in mind, the Chicago Bulls management has been making roster moves in order to give the Bulls a new direction.
One of the most heavily armored, reliable and deep benches that the NBA has seen, the revered “Bench Mob” is now gone.
Key big man Omer Asik was a scrapper—a high energy, very physical big man. He is now a part of the Houston Rockets.
Ronnie Brewer, one of the reasons the Chicago Bulls had such a defensive identity on the perimeter, is now a member of the New York Knicks.
As for the electrifying C.J. Watson, who was a capable backup point guard—he’ll now assist Deron Williams in running the show with the Brooklyn Nets.
The second backup point guard, John Lucas III, who scored points in bunches with his dead eye scoring ability, signed with the Toronto Raptors.
Even sharpshooter Kyle Korver was traded to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. During his two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Korver was one of the best three-point shooters of all time. Kyle Korver leaves Chicago with the third all-time three-point shooting percentage, tied with another great Bulls sharpshooter, Craig Hodges (at 42.5 percent).
The fact that most of the key players off the bench are suiting up in different uniforms should only be concerning to a team that is missing their star point guard.
The Bulls will go as far as their latest first-round selection, Marquis Teague, and former point guard Kirk Hinrich, who rejoined the team this offseason, will take them.
2011 NBA Head Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau will have a new cast of characters to put into the game, including NBA journeymen Vladimir Radmanovic and Nazr Mohammed, as well as sharpshooter Marco Belinelli.
With a revamped roster and so many new parts to a great team, all Bulls fans can hope for is a playoff appearance. With the level of talent the Bulls now posses, it will be all but impossible to win an NBA championship in the near future.
Chicago will have to rely on the ability of their other NBA All-Star, Luol Deng. Next season, Deng will have to show that he was not an All-Star because of Derrick Rose. Instead, Deng will have to play with a big chip on his shoulder and carry the team on his back.
Fighting offseason trade rumors, Deng will have to show management why he deserves to stay in Chicago. This might be a huge task for a player who has only averaged 16 points a game during his time in Chicago.
The task will be difficult, but not impossible.
The Bulls are all but finished for the immediate future. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. If Derrick Rose finds a way to return to the court and play at an MVP level again, the roster that surrounds him might not be enough to win an NBA championship for his hometown.
Though the window has not closed for Chicago yet, it has dropped a few inches.
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Coach Mike Krzyzewski Looks at Olympic Lessons Learned in Past and Present
As we inch closer to the London Olympics, more and more focus is being put on the big stories of the Games— the big stars, the big controversies, the big breakthroughs. Somewhere in that mix of “Big” are the tallest Olympians themselves, the members of the US Olympic men’s basketball team. Missing injured big guns like Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard, Team USA is looking to recapture the magic that has faded around the American NBA stars in the Olympics since the beginnings of the Dream teams of 1992 and 1996.
This year’s team, having just wrapped up its training camp and exhibitions in Las Vegas, now heads to Washington for a series of practices and games before moving abroad. The team is certainly not short on talent with mega-stars like Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, but the global game of basketball will again test the Americans, who are by no means the overall favorite to win gold in London.
Leading Team USA this year will be a committed “Dream Team” of coaches, led by Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “Coach K” took time out from their prep for the Olympics to speak to Bloomberg Businessweek this week on lessons learned during the Olympic experience and what he has been able to apply to his tenure with the Blue Devils. Some highlights from the piece:
I was an assistant to [“Dream Team” coach] Chuck Daly in 1992. At the first coaches’ meeting, Chuck looked at us and said, “You have to do one thing really well: Ignore. You’re not going to micromanage. These guys know their pace. Don’t mess it up.” He was right. This was the best of the NBA. I learned not to overcoach. In college, you have to talk more, but these guys got it right away.
He also elaborated on the difference between working with NBA players and those he has in college.
In college, you have youngsters who need to adapt to me and our program and our culture. I’m their guide. When you have players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, you can’t come in with a rigid plan. It’s not just Coach K. They’re men. They take instruction real easy, and they don’t want to waste time. I had to give them a chance to have ownership by using things that they’ve found to be good, whether it’s defending the pick and roll, how long we practice, or a certain shooting drill… One of the biggest challenges is creating urgency. When you get to the medal round, you get one game. It’s like the NCAA tournament—one and done. NBA players are used to a seven-game series. You have to make them feel it’s the seventh game of a seven-game series. You risk making them nervous, but it’s important.
And what will the legendary coach take away from the trip to London?
“This has made me better as a college coach. How we call our defenses is different because of what I’ve learned from the pro players,” he added. “Chris Paul said something in a team meeting that I’d been explaining for 30 years, and he said it better. If you don’t learn anything from the outstanding players in your game, then something’s wrong.”
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Kansas will present final obstacle for Kentucky’s title run
The favored Wildcats will have to subdue the pesky Jayhawks in order to take home college basketball’s national championship.
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Cavaliers sacrificing present for future
Oftentimes, teams improve themselves at the trade deadline. That was anything but the case for the Cavaliers.
They have an eye on the future, which is why they wanted a second first-round pick so desperately. They were forced to give up backup point guard Ramon Sessions in the five-player trade with the Los Angeles Lakers last Thursday.
The problem with that trade was they didn’t have another player on the roster who was a pure point guard. They had Daniel Gibson waiting in the wings, but he’s a combo guard. Yes, he can give you minutes at point guard, but he’s a more natural shooting guard.
They signed D-League point guard Donald Sloan last Friday, and he was pressed into action on Monday at the Prudential Center. He scored 11 points, had three rebounds and one assist in the Cavs’ 105-100 win over New Jersey.
Gibson suffered an ankle injury in the second half and had X-rays. He didn’t return.
When starter Kyrie Irving got in foul trouble — he ended with five personal fouls — Sloan was needed. Adding more suspense is the fact that guard Manny Harris was mysteriously inactive on Monday, even though the Cavs had two players already not playing — center Anderson Varejao (fractured wrist) and forward Luke Harangody (on assignment in D-League).
Sloan stepped in and played 20 minutes in his Cavs’ debut. He made 4-of-6 shots, including a three-pointer. If he plays like that, he’ll earn more playing time.
NOTES, QUOTESThompson shines in second game as starter
–C Tristan Thompson certainly made up for a so-so debut in the starting lineup. In his first game as the starting center on Sunday against Atlanta, he finished with seven points and six rebounds. He was fantastic against New Jersey on Monday with a career-high 27 points, 12 rebounds (eight offensive) and a block. He was 12-of-16 from the field, several on dunks.
–All of a sudden, F Antawn Jamison can’t make a shot. In his last three games, he’s shooting 26.3 percent from the field (15 of 57). His scoring has dipped to 14.3 points in the last three games. On the season, Jamison is averaging 18.3 points and is shooting 41.2 percent from the floor.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I got the call from (Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak) saying, ‘Sorry, but it’s been done.’ I had 48 hours to get on a plane and get to Cleveland. I’m definitely excited about it. I had a great run in L.A. I was there 8-12 years. It’s a chance to do something new. We have a great young team here.” — Cavs F Luke Walton, on coming to Cleveland.
ROSTER REPORTPLAYER NOTES:
–Cavs coach Byron Scott said he has no intention of shutting down C Anderson Varejao for the rest of the season. Scott said the 6-11, 260-pound center will have his fractured right wrist examined sometime this week. “I don’t think (sitting him out for the year) is a possibility, to be honest with you,” Scott said. “I think he’ll definitely play at some point in this season.” Varejao fractured his right wrist on Feb. 10. He’s missed the last 18 games, including Monday’s contest against New Jersey.
–The Cavs signed G Manny Harris for the rest of this season, and all of next year. Next year’s deal is not guaranteed. He’s also agreed to go to summer league with the Cavs. When he was let go by the Cavs after his second 10-day contract last week, the Cavs said there was a good chance he could return. “I had a little idea I’d be back,” Harris said. “Obviously, they have faith in me and believe in me or they wouldn’t have brought me back in the first place. I liked this organization. I’m comfortable here.” The 6-5, 185-pound Harris has played just 20 minutes for the Cavs this season. He’s hoping to get a legitimate shot this time. “I’m hoping I could get some (playing time),” he said. “If not, I’m going to do the same thing: Be supportive and help this team out.”
–G Kyrie Irving said he first met G Donald Sloan when he visited College Station, Tex., on a recruiting trip coming out of high school. “What’s funny about Donald is when I went on my Texas A&M visit my senior year of high school, he was a senior at Texas A&M,” Irving said. “Having him here and both being in the NBA together will be a really good thing for us.” He said he gave A&M consideration before picking Duke.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–C Anderson Varejao (broken right wrist) was injured in the Milwaukee game on Feb. 10. He’ll miss at least six weeks.
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Cleveland Cavaliers Should Stay Focused in the Present
One week into the 2011-2012 NBA season, I wrote an article debating whether the then 3-2 Cleveland Cavaliers should be focused on winning this season or losing games to ensure a lottery pick in the 2012 NBA draft.
In the article poll, 69 percent of voters—myself included—opted for the draft. As fans, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
Despite two losses to the under-performing Toronto Raptors, the Cavs have been one of the early season’s biggest surprises. Just don’t tell anyone. The media wouldn’t have you believe it, but the Cavs are a competitive team.
Kyrie Irving, “the best player in a weak draft,” is exceeding expectations and surpassing the rookie season performances of Derrick Rose and John Wall. Maybe I’m drinking too much of the Kyrie Kool-Aid, but if “draft experts” Chad Ford and Jay Bilas have watched any of the Cavs’ games this season, they’ll likely have put their foot in their mouth by now.
I’m not rushing to call the young Cavaliers title contenders.
Indeed, there are many holes on an utterly underwhelming roster. Shooting guard and center are both areas of concern. Until very recently, it didn’t look like Cleveland had an NBA caliber player starting at small forward.
Anthony Parker continues to eke out a living on an NBA roster as a “seasoned vet” who occasionally hits the 18-footer off a screen or spots up for the corner three.
Phoenix Suns color commentator—and shameless Michael Jordan freeloader—Scott Williams was bold enough to say that “when he’s [Parker] got it going, no one can shoot it any better.” They don’t pay color commentators to say insightful things.
Daniel Gibson is shooting lights out coming off the bench, but never has, nor ever will have a true position. He’s too small and one-dimensional to play shooting guard, and either unwilling or unable to distribute the ball at the point.
Anderson Varejao is having a career year, but there’s very little behind him at center. While the rest of the players can get nights with limited minutes, Varejao needs to consistently play 30-35 minutes for the Cavs to have a chance.
Furthermore, Omri Casspi looked completely lost on both ends of the floor except for two respectable performances to close out the Cavs’ seven game road trip.
Twelve games into the season, the upstart Cavalier bunch is a respectable 6-6. Despite playing the fewest games of any NBA team at home (where the Cavs have always played considerably better), they’re hanging tough in the East.
Although their schedule hasn’t been nightmarish, no team will have it easy with the condensed season.
Cleveland has outscored their opponents by 76 points in their six wins and has been outscored by 63 points in its six losses. This shows the sluggish nature of the modified schedule, as teams will show up to play on some nights and be clearly fatigued on others.
At the conclusion of a seven-game road trip, the Cavaliers came away with a 3-4 showing. Despite an apparently lopsided defeat in Portland, the Cavs hung tough with the Blazers for most of the game and pushed Utah and the Lakers to the end.
Cleveland looked very impressive in road wins against Minnesota and Phoenix, and capped their trip with a comeback win against Charlotte. While last season’s Cavaliers would have rolled over in L.A. to get stomped by 50, this season’s squad has a hunger and competitiveness that compensates for its lack of talent.
A team with no expectations is playing competitive basketball on the shoulders of a 19-year-old rookie (Irving), a sometimes crafty-sometimes woefully aging power forward (Antawn Jamison) and a hustle player whose made a career of running his fingernails over opposing teams’ chalkboards (Varejao).
Throw in an underrated backup point guard (Ramon Sessions), an unknown but effective reserve wing (Alonzo Gee) and “Ben Wallace 2.0” (Tristan Thompson), and you have a rag-tag Cavaliers team that’s proven both its fans and the experts wrong.
Would it be great to add another young stud at a position of need? Of course. Does anything really beat watching competitive basketball right now? It’s what the fans pay to see.
The 2012 draft is considered very deep, and with the current face of the franchise a humble teenager with tremendous upside and a lot of cap space, it’s quite possible that for once in history the Cavaliers could lure an impact free agent or two.
The first of the Cavaliers’ two tough tests has come to pass, and the team gave a strong showing with their 3-4 record on the longest roadie of the season. Now, Cleveland will embark on an extremely difficult sixteen-game stretch over the next month.
If they can find a way to win six of those games, there’s no reason to discredit this team’s shot at the playoffs in 2012.
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