What was the Pacers coach thinking?
“I would say we’ll probably have him in next time.”
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Steve Nash ‘not even close’ to thinking retirement
Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash played Sunday for the first time in nine games, he is trying to recover from nerve damage in his right hamstring caused by a right hip injury, and says he will have to just fight through “some soreness and some pain.”
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Playoffs looming, and Wade thinking of a 3rd ring (Yahoo! Sports)
MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade was sitting with his mother after a pregame workout a few days ago, a rare quiet moment in a nearly empty arena that would soon be filled by 20,000 screaming Miami Heat fans.
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Blake Griffin’s Quick Thinking Saved Slam Dunk from Being Lame Finger-Roll Layup
Blake Griffin will see your fancy finger-roll layup and raise you one amazing slam dunk.
Slam Online (h/t SportsGrid) brings us this video from Sunday night’s Clippers game against the Lakers, one the Clips would win, 109-95.
With the Lakers on the brink of playoff elimination, the Clippers were content to just run around befuddling their Los Angeles rivals.
Take this play for example. Blake Griffin goes up for what would have been a perfectly sensible and completely pleasant finger-roll layup.
Instead, Griffin pulls off a stunning magic trick by transforming the ordinary into extraordinary in a split second. Now, Griffin dunks don’t really move the meter anymore. The guy is so proficient at it that the mere mention of “Griffin” and “slam” in the same sentence usually produces a yawn reaction.
However, this move would most definitely classify as a “Well, we haven’t seen this before” slam dunk.
Upon initial viewing, it doesn’t seem quite so amazing, but the reaction from the Clippers resident dunk artist should tip you that he just shocked himself.
In the slow-motion replay, you can see Griffin glide through the air, not unlike Michael Jordan from Space Jam.
Thanks to quick wits and the ability to fly, Griffin is afforded just one second to dispatch with all this layup guff and go with something far more memorable.
Shame on us for ever thinking Griffin would lay up the basketball.
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Brey tired of thinking about ND’s league next year (Yahoo! Sports)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame coach Mike Brey says he’s exhausted from considering all the scenarios regarding which conference the Fighting Irish will play in next season. He says he doesn’t want to think about it now until it’s decided.
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Ray Allen thinking about retirement
After 16 years in the league, is it time for Ray Allen to finally leave the court? With two years left on his contract, Allen may finally be walking away from the NBA after this season. Speaking to JournalTimes.com, Ray Allen says that retirement isn’t too far away and that he knows when its time to walk away. “I don’t know when I’ll retire,” said Allen “I’d like to get through the year first. I feel great; my body feels good. I just got to get through.” “I’m at a point where I’ve been pretty successful and I’ve gotten to the point where I really understand the game and how to play it, but I’m not going to be that guy who just hangs on. At some point, I can let it go.” When asked will this be his finally season, he responded: “It’s possible, yeah,” Allen said. “Who knows what’s going to happen over the course of the summer? I have two years left on my contract. We’ll see how it goes.” As long as Allen can do a final three shot on his last game, all will be well in th
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Richard Hamilton Trade Rumors Signal Bulls Thinking About Derrick Rose’s Future
The 2012-13 outlook was glum for the Chicago Bulls and their leader, Derrick Rose.
Rose tore his ACL in the waning moments of the opening game of Chicago’s first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Without their former MVP, Chicago dropped four of its next five games and with that, the top-seeded Bulls were out of the playoffs.
Despite medical progressions in dealing with his injury, Rose faced a grueling, lengthy rehab process.
The Bulls’ season appeared to be in jeopardy before they even broke training camp.
But thanks to another steady season from Luol Deng (17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game) and a breakout year from Joakim Noah (13.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.3 blocks), the Bulls are doing more than just treading water while waiting for Rose’s return.
They’re making splashes in a deep Eastern Conference.
At 14-10, the Bulls are leading the Central Division and find themselves just 4.5 games behind the Eastern Conference-leading New York Knicks.
Reports started leaking in early December that Rose was a matter of “weeks away” from a return to the practice floor (according to what a source told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times).
The news brought championship thoughts rushing through the Windy City with the same rapidity as the despair that accompanied his injury.
Those same lofty hopes have not found their way inside Chicago’s front offices, though.
They appear to be more keen on developing their younger talent (and saving money in the process) than chasing the conference elites.
The Bulls have considered moving some of their win-now pieces. The team may waive Nate Robinson, which they can do without penalty until January 2013. And they’re also dangling guard Richard Hamilton in trade offers (according to what league sources told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
Both moves would offer Chicago extended looks at some of their youth.
If Robinson’s waived, rookie Marquis Teague is waiting in the wings.
And sophomore Jimmy Butler has already been stating his case for more playing time (5.3 points on 52.3 percent field-goal shooting in 17.3 minutes per game), something that becomes infinitely easier for coach Tom Thibodeau with Hamilton out of the picture.
Bulls fans may not like the idea of waiting another year, but there are no guarantees that this team can defeat the likes of New York or Miami even with a (semi) healthy Rose.
Chicago’s doing the right thing by not rushing Rose back to the floor.
But would that same patience carry over to his return?
The Bulls, after all, have leaned on Deng and Noah more than any other players in the league (40.9 and 40.2 minutes per game, respectively). In fact, Thibodeau has called upon his bench fewer times than all but one coach in the league (according to hoopsstats.com).
There are also no guarantees that Rose ever returns to his pre-injury level (although a torn ACL hasn’t been as career-threatening as it once was) or that he and his teammates will have enough to make a title run in the coming seasons.
But if Chicago can ease the 24-year-old Rose back to 100 percent, find some financial relief and even add a young piece or two in the process, they’ll put themselves in prime position to make that push.
*All statistics used in this article are accurate as of 12/20/2012.
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Atlantic 10′s Butler not thinking about Big East move
Butler is not considering a move to the Big East at the moment.
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OJ Mayo Gets In Altercation With DeMarcus Cousins — Says What We’re All Thinking
With 3:25 left in the first half of Dallas Mavericks’ 119-96 blowout win over the Sacramento Kings, Mavs guard OJ Mayo appeared to be the recipient of a closed-fist punch to the groin from DeMarcus Cousins. The two exchanged words and were both handed the standard NBA cop-out double-technical foul. When asked about the altercation after the game, Mayo summed up exactly how everyone in NBA circles feels about the inconsistent and frustrating young Kings center:
“Man, that guy has mental issues. He’s a talented player. He has an opportunity to be the face of the organization, but I don’t think he wants it.”
and
“Big maturity problem. Hopefully he’ll grow out of it and become great. He definitely has the talent.”
Mayo would know a thing or two about “mental issues” and maturity, dating back to his days as a prep phenom. But it appears he’s turned a corner under head coach Rick Carlisle, and found his place in the NBA. And who knows if he meant “mental issues” in a Paul-Rudd-in-Anchorman
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5 Trades the L.A. Lakers Should Already Be Thinking About
The Los Angeles Lakers have their new coach in Mike D’Antoni and are running a little bit more efficiently lately. However, they still have a problem with a razor-thin bench and very little depth in case any of the starters gets injured.
In order to cover the holes in the lineup and the delayed return of Steve Nash, the Lakers need to start considering some trades. Nobody on the roster, except Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, is immovable, and trades would provide immediate benefits.
The Lakers ideally will be looking for younger, more athletic players that can fill holes and still provide the offensive pop that the team desires.
Let’s take a closer look at what might be available.
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