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[Monta Ellis #11]

Documents: Seattle working to bring NBA back

SEATTLE (AP)—The city of Seattle has been working behind the scenes the past eight months with a hedge-fund manager to bring an NBA team back to town— possibly as early as next fall if the Sacramento Kings fail to get a satisfactory deal for a new arena, newly released documents show.

The city turned over the documents to The Seattle Times on Friday under a public records request (http://is.gd/PyQ06N ). The documents included the agenda for a meeting between the parties on Dec. 13, with topics including “Review of Basic Deal Structure,” “City Debt Capacity” and “Financing Issues.”

A Seattle native who now lives in San Francisco, 44-year-old hedge-fund manager Christopher Hansen, approached the city about his desire to buy an NBA team and build an arena south of Safeco Field, the documents show. Hansen told city officials an arena could be built with minimal impact on taxpayers.
“I really appreciate it and look forward to making this happen in Seattle. I genuinely mean that and am confident that with a little effort and creativity we can find a solution that meets our needs and the City’s/State’s desire to get a team back to Seattle without a large public outlay,” Hansen wrote in a June 16 email to Julie McCoy, chief of staff to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and Ethan Raup, the mayor’s director of policy and operations.

Seattle hasn’t had an NBA team since 2008, when owner Clay Bennett moved the Sonics to Oklahoma City and renamed them the Thunder.

Hansen, who heads Valiant Capital Management LLC, offered to provide information on recent arena deals that have been put together.

The Dec. 13 meeting was attended by McCoy and Raup and set up by Carl Hirsh, a New Jersey arena consultant hired by the city in July. The agenda also included discussion of KeyArena, where the Sonics played, and which could be used as a temporary home for a new team with the permission of the NBA. The league considered it an unsuitable even before the Sonics departed.

The documents don’t mention how Seattle would obtain a team, but the Times reported that they show the city has been following developments in Sacramento, which is under a March 1 deadline to come up with a proposal to build an arena for the Kings.

In addition, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has expressed interest in placing a team in Seattle, leading to speculation the financially struggling Phoenix Coyotes could move to the city and possibly share an arena with a basketball team.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said Saturday he is taking the proposal seriously, but doesn’t want the city left “holding the bag.”

“It’s a pretty substantial commitment that would have to be made by the investors,” McGinn said, emphasizing that the city budget can’t be tapped to fund an arena.

He added that any offer also must honor the will of Seattle voters, who in 2006 overwhelmingly approved an initiative that says the city must make a profit on any investment it makes in a sports arena.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...ap-seattle-nba

[T-Snell]

Sources: Jonny Flynn drawing interest


The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers have contacted the Houston Rockets about acquiring Jonny Flynn, according to league sources.

No deal is imminent with either team, but both clubs are in desperate need of a point guard and have Flynn on their radar.

The Knicks have shown the most interest, sources say, and discussed a possible deal involving Renaldo Balkman and Mike Bibby. The Rockets were not interested.

Bibby, who was signed as a free agent before the season, can't be traded before March 1.

In addition to inquiring about Flynn, the Lakers have also shown interest in free agent Gilbert Arenas and Cleveland's Ramon Sessions.

Flynn, a 2009 lottery pick out of Syracuse, is the third-string point guard in Houston, where he backs up Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic.

Flynn averaged 13.5 points and 4.4 assists as a rookie in Minnesota but has struggled since injuring his hip in his second season.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/75...nn-sources-say

[T-Snell]

Rondo for Gasol a Possibility?


The Los Angeles Lakers lost their second-straight game on Monday night, a late collapse to the Philadelphia 76ers, to drop to 14-11 on the season.

Los Angeles is in the middle of a difficult six-game road trip with stops ahead in Boston, New York and Toronto. While they’re an impressive 11-2 at home, 3-9 away is an issue. The Lakers are just not a good team outside of STAPLES Center.

What’s the solution? Will the return of Steve Blake (rib injury) make the difference? Would a small move catapult the Lakers back to elite status? Is there a big play to make?

General manager Mitch Kupchak may have inadvertently leaked one target to reporter Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.

To the question, what would he like to address before the trade deadline (March 15th), Kupchak answered:

“Well, if there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard we’d love to do it … but that’s not likely in February. So you look at other alternatives, and see if it’s better than what you have. That’s all.”

First, a tiny bit of background. Kupchak has a history of being somewhat of a “literal” speaker. He’s not the kind of GM who will flat out lie to media, but rather chose not to answer the question directly or indirectly.

You might call that a “tell.”

One example would be Kupchak mentioning at a season ticket holder event (prior to drafting Andrew Bynum) that there was a high school kid he’d hate to see on another team. Later, he made a similar comment about a 17-year old.

Bynum at the time was the only 17-year-old, high school kid in that class. Kupchak all but spelled it out before the Lakers took him in 2005 NBA Draft.

Applying that logic to the Trudell quote, there is exactly one 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard in the league.

Rajon Rondo.

Note: “ball-handling guard” is triangle-speak for a point guard.

Additionally, sources have told HOOSPWORLD that the Boston Celtics do have interest in Gasol for their All-Star point guard.

The Celtics have the potential for sizable cap room this summer but there is no true sense that Dwight Howard or Deron Williams would be within their reach.

The list of options after the top two stars is not especially impressive. The Celtics have almost no one inside to play next to Kevin Garnett, who is in the last year of his contract.

Jermaine O’Neal still starts for the team but is not exactly high impact and might be the salary ballast to make a Laker/Celtics trade possible. To be fair, Brandon Bass has had a solid year as a Celtic, but Boston is looking for a more significant inside player.

Gasol has two years on his deal after this season which happens to line up when Paul Pierce’s is set to expire.

The Celtics have shopped Rondo on a number of occasions. For a number of reasons, sources say Boston does not intend to rebuild their roster around Rondo.

The drop off from Rajon to second-year player Avery Bradley (a capable defender but not as experienced as a playmaker) may not be as significant to the Celtics as the void in the middle that Gasol would fill.

Boston could consider bringing back veterans Ray Allen and Garnett, while using their remaining spending power to improve at the point. Alternatively, they could renounce the rights to their free agents and come up with at least $11 million in cap space.

But would the rivals swap All-Stars? The two teams have dealt in the past, notably the Gary Payton/Rick Fox/Chris Mihm/Chucky Atkins/etc. trade in 2004.

Would the Lakers go big for small? Didn’t they try to go two bigs for small in December?

Taking Kupchak at his word above, “We’d love to do it.”

When the Lakers parted ways with Phil Jackson, instead of striving for continuity, the organization went in the opposite direction, cutting ties with the coaches, training staff (except institution Gary Vitti) and even Assistant General Manager Ronnie Lester.

If the team truly believed that the postseason letdown against the Dallas Mavericks was based on the fatigue of three-straight trips to the Finals, the Lakers would have hired Brian Shaw to follow Jackson and kept the same roster with some minor improvements.

That didn’t happen. The team decided it was time to rebuild, offering Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for Chris Paul. When the deal was scuttled by the league, LA furthered their move against continuity by dealing Odom to the Dallas Mavericks for an $8.9 million trade exception (and first-round draft pick, top-20 protected for many years).

The team remains fully committed to Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, although there’s no denying interest in Dwight Howard.

The Lakers are deficient at small forward this season but they are loaded with bodies and the three is arguably the easiest position to fill.

If there was a true building-block point guard available for the Odom exception, the Lakers would naturally have interest but the market instead appears to be Ramon Sessions, a steady, solid point guard who doesn’t shoot particularly well (especially from three).

While the same can be said of Rondo’s outside shot, the difference between the two as impact players is significant.

Other options at guard include Gilbert Arenas, Johnny Flynn and Kirk Hinrich . . . among others. None are big enough upgrades for the Lakers to make until they give up on bigger and better options.

When it comes to trade assets, if Bynum isn’t on the table, Gasol may be the team’s only path to solving the gaping need at point guard.

In the Trudell article, Kupchak acknowledges the obvious, “You could say to yourself the area where we’re lacking the most is in the backcourt.”

The trade exception and a first-round pick may bring back enough to improve the squad but to put the Lakers back in elite company? Unlikely.

Additionally, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is more restrictive to big spenders than the prior deal. Gasol at about $19 million almost has to go if he’s the third to Bryant/Bynum.

The Lakers won titles with Bynum as a distant fourth to Bryant, Gasol and Odom. The combination of Bynum and Gasol has always had its deficiencies, despite the height advantage. Those flaws are on full display and as Pau ages further, may never improve.

According to Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register, Gasol admitted Monday that the team may opt to make changes if the current road trip does not improve.

“That might occur, regardless,” Gasol said. “I don’t know. It’s totally out of my power. But there’s always a sense that if something was going to happen before, something might still happen until probably we get to the (trade) deadline. We won’t know for sure. We’ve just got to try to forget about that, put that aside, and try to continue to play as well as we can without being affected by any of that.”

Of course if Kupchak is to be taken literally, he did say in the earlier quote, “That’s not likely in February.”

The Lakers may covet Rondo. The Celtics may be interested in Gasol, but the league in general is still feeling out what’s to come.

March 1st is significant because players who were signed to contracts over the summer are finally eligible to be traded. In the context of the Lakers/Celtics, perhaps Kupchak has designs on Bass instead of O’Neal as filler. The Lakers would have Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts along with the big coming back from Boston (and the Odom trade exception to add to the mix).

Perhaps the Orlando Magic opt to deal Dwight Howard . . .

There’s a rush to improve but how many deals league-wide have gone through recently? In about three weeks, look for that to change.


http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-2-rond...l-a-possiblity

[Monta Ellis #11]

Paul Pierce leaps past legend

There was a distinct need to get it over with last night.
Paul Pierce, as evidenced by his early shot selection, needed to conclude his chase of Larry Bird for second place on the Celtics [team stats]’ all-time scoring list.

And the Celtics, matched with a Charlotte Bobcats team that had lost 11 straight games, needed to conduct a mercy killing.

The first task was an easier order than the second. Pierce passed Bird with the third quarter’s first shot — a 3-pointer, naturally — and the Celtics briefly flirted with a 20-point lead without quite getting there.

Though the Bobcats closed well, the Celtics closed better for a 94-84 win, their fifth straight and ninth in 10 games.

Pierce, after missing his previous five shots, including three straight 3-pointers at the end of the second quarter, finally hit a trey 1:38 into the third that pushed him a point ahead of Bird at 21,792. By game’s end that number stood at 21,797.

The Celtics captain nearly slipped in a triple-double with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Though his shooting (6-of-18, 2-of-10 beyond the arc) was clearly influenced by an early desire to pass Bird and get on with his career, for once the moment appeared to eclipse the meaning of the win.

“I get to make history with my teammate, The Truth,” said Mickael Pietrus, who wrote Pierce’s nickname on a towel and held it up once Pierce hit his historic shot. “He’s gonna take us to the championship, so I have to show him some love.”

Pietrus, who has some of the best comic timing on the team, briefly paused before he said, “He took so long to score 10 points, though.”

By then every Celtic on the floor was looking for one player.

“We were trying to get him the ball, because the crowd was also trying to get him going, and trying to show him some love, too,” said Pietrus. “Hey, he was making history. Guys come into this league hoping to do that.”

And the Celtics were fully aware of the mission.

“I think everyone was aware of it,” said Celtics rookie JaJuan Johnson. “When we walked back onto the floor after halftime and we were warming up, the announcer told us that he needed two points to tie (Bird).”

The crowd, which clearly knew what had just happened, stood and roared for the next two minutes as Pierce waved following his shot. A formal announcement, combined with a Pierce retrospective on the video screen, was played during the next timeout. Pierce walked to midcourt and waved to his adoring public once again.

Though Charlotte briefly threatened with a fourth- quarter run, the Celtics seemed to be running on the power of their mid-game celebration.
Kevin Garnett, who passed a milestone with his 10,000th rebound in last Friday’s win over the Knicks, took a moment to recall when he first met Pierce.

“We were 13 or 14, man,” said Garnett. “The first time we were on the court, we had a small conversation during practice, and later on I met his mom and his family, and we’ve been like brothers ever since. I went my way, but we bumped into each other during the summertime. I moved to LA, and we worked out at UCLA during the summertime, and it led to this right here, full circle.

“I remember he always used to talk about David Robinson. I couldn’t understand that one, but you saw the drive, the motivation. Being in LA you saw the drive in him from Day 1. I just happened to be his best friend. We had a lot in common.

“This is good man,” he said. “We can sit back and joke about holding our shoes and playing in little bitty shorts, but I love playing with The Truth.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/b...lt#articleFull

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Trade Deadline Looms In Lockout Season- Dwight Howard

One of the most interesting aspects of the Howard saga, at least on this scorecard, is the likelihood that three of the four teams believed to be the most realistic landing spots for Howard (New Jersey, Dallas and Chicago) are all presumably rooting for Orlando to keep Howard beyond March 15 for reasons unique to each team.

The Nets would have to jump on a Dwight trade immediately if a workable three- or four-team scenario materialized between now and the deadline, because they know anything can happen in July to blow up the best-laid plans, but the thought of Orlando rolling the dice and keeping him for one more playoff run has to be tantalizing. In that scenario, thanks to all of its forthcoming salary-cap space, New Jersey would be able to offer max deals to both Howard and guard Deron Williams in the summer while also keeping its best assets. If the Nets trade for Howard in-season, they know they'll have to gut their team just like the nearby Knicks did to get Carmelo Anthony, surrendering the likes of Brook Lopez and rookie MarShon Brooks as well as four (or more) first-round picks.

Dallas, meanwhile, has never denied that its only shot at Howard requires him to get to free agency. The Mavericks simply lack the trade assets to get in the short-term running, but their well-chronicled intent to try to create more than $30 million in salary-cap space this summer -- $27-plus million is the range they project to be for the moment if Shawn Marion is traded and Brendan Haywood is amnestied after the season -- has established them as a presumed bidder for both D-Will and Dwight.

As for the Bulls …

If you wondering why we've included them here, when they're still not on Howard's Nets-Mavs-Lakers wish list, it's because Chicago keeps quietly making its interest now, romanticized by the prospect of pairing Dwight with Team USA teammate Derrick Rose.

Not necessarily now, sources say. Word is that the Bulls' natural preference is playing out the season with one of the league's consensus top-three rosters and seeing how far they can go. But it's conceivable that they could always make a down-the-road trade play for Howard if he's still in Orlando, since they have several quality players under contract to plug into two- or multi-team trade scenarios. The Magic, remember, are known to want established talent if they do eventually give in because DeVos, at 85, has no interest in a total rebuild.

The Bulls, I'm told, are stunned (and somewhat miffed) that Howard doesn't have them on his wish list, struggling to believe he's not angling to hook up with D-Rose in a true (if frigid) NBA metropolis. And interesting won't begin to describe the situation if these teams do start talking seriously, with Orlando sure to want Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson and Chicago more likely to try to sell the Magic on the likes of Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Omer Asik.

(The Lakers would appear to be the only team of the four for whom trading now makes more sense than trading later. But all the longstanding obstacles to a Dwight-to-L.A. deal remain unchanged: Lakers lead decision-maker Jim Buss is unwilling to part with both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in such a swap … while Howard himself is said to A) have reservations about the Lakers parting with both of them and B) have even less interest in following Shaq's footsteps straight to Hollywood.)

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/p...ms-d12-orlando

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Jazz move on (even if Malone hasn't)

Jerry Sloan resigned as Jazz coach one year ago. Resigned. It's been a full year since the longest-tenured coach in the four major sports rode off on his John Deere, a year that saw Deron Williams depart and the Jazz go through an instant roster rebuild, a year that featured a tailspin finish to last season and an encouraging start to this one, and then ... hey, look, it's Karl Malone.
Happy anniversary, Jazz. The franchise's leading scorer is back. Don't worry about inviting him to the party. He knows where to find a scalper.

Yes, it's been some year. Malone recently ripped the organization for Sloan's exit, saying his former coach quit because management would not back Sloan on wanting to take a tougher stand with handling Williams. Then the Mailman complained that he had to buy a ticket outside EnergySolutions Arena to get into the game the night after the coaching change.

CEO Greg Miller and general manager Kevin O'Connor blasted back, Miller using his blog to call Malone a liar and high-maintenance during the Jazz years. (Liar may be a little exteme. High-maintenance: an understatement.)
Malone contacted the Salt Lake Tribune the next day to respond to Miller. Eventually, Sloan, who turns 70 next month, felt the need to release his version of last year's events, a most un-Sloan-like move considering the formal statement didn't sound anything like him. He said he had the complete backing of the Miller family. He did not mention Malone.

But here's the thing about all that: The Jazz are still about stability. Much has been resolved in the last year. Tyrone Corbin, Sloan's assistant who became the successor, finished 8-20 last season but is off to a 13-11 start in this one. Backed into a corner by Williams' looming free agency, Utah not only resolved the situation before it could turn the locker room toxic, but GM O'Connor swung a deal with the Nets that avoided a lengthy rebuilding process. One year later, reasons for optimism abound.
Sloan hasn't left the team entirely either, which, given his popularity and success, should be regarded as more good news. "Yes," Corbin said, "he does have an effect on what we do." Sloan and Corbin still talk, though rarely about Xs-and-Os. The Jazz still run some of the old sets.

"He is a part of what we do," Corbin said. "He's a part of my coaching because I respect his whole approach to the game and how he coached. The things he had his teams do, I used some and I changed some."
His presence still may be felt throughout the organization, but Sloan remains mostly tight-lipped, as he always has. He still won't give a reason for quitting at Evansville, his alma mater, before coaching a single game, long before he took over for the Bulls in 1979-80 at the beginning of a Hall of Fame career on the sidelines. Being passed over as head coach of Team USA in 2000, after serving as an assistant coach to Lenny Wilkens in 1996, was an aching blow. He mostly refused to talk about the disappointment.

And so it will be with the decision to quit. He refuted speculation a year ago that Williams had a hand in his decision, but anyone who knows Sloan understands that he simply could be protecting the sanctity of the locker room.
Yet something had to have happened for him to quit in the middle of the season despite several people at the top of the team's hierarchy urging him to reconsider. He still won't give a definitive answer.
Now Malone is the complication. The Miller family had become skilled long ago at rolling their eyes at the superstar power forward as he made frequent demands for a new contract or threatened to demand a trade. The late Larry Miller, equally emotional, would fire back.

Malone and Larry Miller (the father of the current CEO) became close friends. Malone bought into Larry's very successful car dealerships. Larry was agreeable when Malone approached him about purchasing a small portion of the Jazz, although there would be no major price cuts to close the deal, so it never happened. Malone talked about becoming an assistant coach, but was told it would be the real deal, with the full schedule of travel and tape review, not some ceremonial role. That never happened either.
The Mailman was high-maintenance, to be sure, but he was true to his emotions, good and bad. It's the same passion that drove him to improve his game, to maintain a conditioning routine most of the rest of the league could only dream of matching and to become a franchise bedrock.

That is also drove him to suddenly jump unannounced into the Sloan story is part of the bargain. Everyone in the organization understands that, even a year later.

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/feature...r/02/10/sloan/

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Meeks shooting for three-point contest bid

The Sixers will be well represented during All-Star weekend on Feb. 25 and 26 in Orlando with Andre Iguodala chosen as a reserve for the Eastern Conference squad and Evan Turner slated to play in the Rookie/Sophomore game.

But could the Sixers have another representative in Orlando for All-Star weekend?

Jodie Meeks, the Sixers’ starting shooting guard and leading three-point shooter, could be chosen to participate in the three-point shootout when the roster is announced next week. Headed into Friday night’s game against the Clippers at the Center, Meeks is shooting 52 for 118 (44.1 percent) from beyond the three-point arc, good for eighth in the NBA in makes and 19th in percentage.

Last season Meeks led the Sixers with 138 three-pointers, shooting at a 39.7 percent clip. That total was 14th-best in the NBA and Meeks was the first Sixer to make more than 130 three-pointers since Kyle Korver made 132 in 2006-07.

So if asked, Meeks will cancel whatever plans he has and head to Orlando.

“I’d love to do it, so we’ll see what happens,” Meeks said.

Meeks might be a good choice to participate since the Sixers have been somewhat underrepresented in the three-point contest. Korver was in it a couple of times and so was Dana Barros in 1994 and 1995. Hersey Hawkins and Gerald Henderson also participated when they were with the Sixers during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Aside from those four guys, though, that’s been it for the Sixers.

As far as the competition goes, Meeks is a straight-up jump shooter, which is a style that might not benefit a shooter in a three-point competition. Then again, all it takes is for a shooter to get hot and then styles don’t matter.

Meeks set the record for most points scored in a game while in college at Kentucky with 54 and also set the record for most three-pointers made in a game with 10. His 117 three-pointers in 2008-09 is also the school record.

http://www.csnphilly.com/blog/sixers...154&feedID=694

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Kobe: Melo won't need to adjust to Lin

NEW YORK -- As the legend of Jeremy Lin grows, the looming questions about Carmelo Anthony's return are also gaining momentum.

What's going to happen when Anthony returns to the lineup? Will he bring the Knicks' new and exciting ball movement to a screeching halt, or will Mike D'Antoni have to adjust is system to adapt to one of the league's best scorers?



"I think Melo having the ball in his hands in this town is overrated," said Lakers star Kobe Bryant, a teammate of Anthony's on Team USA. "I mean, I've played with him. The ball is in his hands and then it's gone."

The bulk of Anthony's scoring this season has come off isolation plays, which, at times, made the Knicks' offense stagnant. Players have admitted to being lulled into watching Anthony instead of keeping the offense moving. The fear is that the increased tempo New York has seen with Lin at the point will be slowed by Anthony's need to pound the ball into the post.

Bryant did not accept the idea that Anthony might need to make a big adjustment when he returns to the lineup from a strained right groin injury.

"He's not a player that's going to dribble the ball a whole bunch, so I think that is a little overrated," said Bryant, who also thrives in isolation plays. "They need to get the ball to Melo in the post and in the mid-post because that's where he operates, and its frees him up to do what he does best.

"He's not going to be a facilitator, so people need to stop expecting that from him. That can be Jeremy Lin's job. Melo can put the ball in the basket and let [Lin] do what he does best."

The Knicks are on a four-game winning streak without Anthony or Amare Stoudemire. One reporter jokingly asked D’Antoni if he would let his two biggest stars (if you don't count Jeremy Lin) back into the lineup.

"I'm excited about getting those two guys back and I’m excited about the possibilities and where we can go, and even Josh Harrellson, who adds another element to it," D'Antoni said. "We should only get better from here. That's obviously the objective. And guys will have to bend a little bit, but also we'll bend toward them and they know that. They’re good guys.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/kni...-adjust-to-lin

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Kobe obsessed with winning title No. 6

It was during L.A.’s stop in Boston when Kobe Bryant uttered words that ultimately define what he’s all about, as if anyone needed any reminders.

Spend time around Bryant during a championship run and even the least savvy of basketball observers can’t help but be struck at his commitment to win.

Whether these Lakers, as currently constituted, are capable of winning another title is open for debate.

What can’t be questioned is Bryant’s drive for that signature sixth ring, a total that will place him among the game’s all-time greats.

Not since the days of Michael Jordan has the game seen anyone quite like Bryant, who offers no excuses following losses, cuts no corners in his pursuit of excellence.

Even though he’s not as explosive as he once was, he’ll still provide glimpses of a youthful time when Bryant would soar above the rim.

When it comes to cold-blooded assassins, at least from a basketball perspective, Bryant has no peer, maintaining that innate ability to destroy a team’s will only the likes of a Jordan, Larry Bird or an Isiah Thomas could manage.

The Lakers that come to Toronto on Sunday are far from a finished product, but anyone suggesting that this group is finished would be foolish.

Had the NBA not nixed that proposed deal that would have shipped Chris Paul from the league-run New Orleans Hornets, talk of the Lakers being championship-worthy would not exist.

There’s plenty of time for the Lakers to find their rhythm and options prior to next month’s trade deadline to address needs, but as long as Bryant is able to tie his shoes, no one should take the Lakers lightly.

When the Lakers arrived in Boston to play the Celtics, Bryant huddled with reporters and pretty much stated his objective to claim a sixth championship.

“I’m obsessed about it,’’ he said. “I’ve got to get it. It’s just one of those things. I can think of nothing else. As a kid growing up, that’s all I saw.

“I watched (Larry) Bird, I watched Magic (Johnson) and I watched Jordan win multiple titles. You just kind of grow up saying this is how it should be. This is what I must do. I want another one.”

Days earlier in his hometown of Philadelphia, where Bryant would pass former Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal for fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the only number Bryant would talk about was the No. 6, as in a sixth title.

The 81-point night against the Raptors, the many buzzer-beaters, the many daggers he’s delivered over the years, it’s of little significance for Bryant, whose sole mandate is to win a championship.

It’s why he had no reaction to a tweet following his record-achieving moment against the Sixers by O’Neal, who said Bryant was the greatest Laker of all time.

The two haven’t exactly been on the best of terms and it’s always difficult to discern when O’Neal is being playful or genuine.

It says a lot about Bryant’s appreciation for the game and the players whom he respects when informed of Bird’s quote that Larry Legend would rather have Bryant as a teammate than LeBron James.

“It means the world to me because I looked up to him and his work ethic,” Bryant told reporters in Boston. “I always viewed him as being the staple of a blue-collar player that’s been blessed with a great deal of talent. To hear him have that kind of praise for me means a lot.”

Like Bird, Bryant plays through pain and would rather destroy an opponent than offer some pre-game chest bump.

There’s a theory floating around the NBA that time is beginning to catch up with Bryant.

This decade, Bryant’s Lakers have played in seven NBA championships, a run that is not conducive to off-season rest.

While 33, in many ways Bryant is closer to 40 in terms of basketball age when one considers the minutes he has played during his career and the injuries he’s been forced to endure.

“That’s what I hear,” he said. “Father Time will eventually catch up.

“It’s not going to catch up this year. Maybe it will be next year. Maybe it will be the year after that. That’s the kind of challenge I enjoy going through.”

While anything is possible, it’s almost impossible to see Bryant playing in another uniform, which is why there’ll be a sense of urgency to win a title this year or at worse make a move that puts L.A. into a championship position.

Had Pau Gasol not been acquired in 2008 from Memphis, a move that directly led to two titles, perhaps Bryant’s frustration would have been manifested in a deal.

Following their championship three-peat to begin the decade, the Lakers fell on tough times, prompting Bryant to openly question the team’s direction and pine for a trade.

Change may yet unfold this season, but Bryant’s stated obsession for a sixth title will never waver. It’s why Bryant remains in a class by himself and it’s why a strong will always compensates for any decline in athleticism, real or imagined.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/11...ing-title-no-6

[ЕлБиЏеј]

No more hot Air as Michael Jordan faces chilling reality in Charlotte

Jordan finally admits his Bobcats are a lottery team



Michael Jordan finally admitted in private this past week what had become obvious to anyone who had seen his Charlotte Bobcats play.

They’re a lottery team, and a lousy one at that.

Now in his fourth season as Charlotte’s majority owner, Jordan had talked about making the playoffs, despite gutting his team and leaving coach Paul Silas with a roster filled with backup quality players or unproven ones.

On the eve of the season, Jordan said he would not consider it “a wasted season.” At one point, he tried to make a case for a playoff run, saying, “I’m not waiting until next year. I think we have a good quality basketball team this year.’’

What was he looking at? In parting ways with Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson and Kwame Brown, Jordan had left Silas no choice but to put a team on the floor with the likes of Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, DeSagana Diop, D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson, all of whom would be hard-pressed to start for any other NBA team.

But apparently, Jordan believed his own hype, even though he had assured Silas before the season that he was putting a premium on player development and not on wins and losses.

But the heat started to come down on Silas this past week, even before the Bobcats lost to the Knicks at the Garden, falling to 2-7. It reached the point where Jordan felt the need to convene a meeting of his top aides and his coach to reevaluate where the team stands.

Sources said that in the meeting, Jordan finally admitted the obvious: The Bobcats don’t have starting-quality talent, aren’t going to win anything this season, and that Silas should not be held accountable, as long as the team plays hard and sees development from its younger players.

“Michael understands where we are and what this season is all about, and that’s rebuilding,’’ said a team official. “He has a real good idea of where we stand.”

Jordan had better, because it’s of his own doing. He and his aides want Byron Mullens to start. But otherwise, they’re allowing Silas to determine who plays and who sits.

It’s going to be another long season in Charlotte. As big a hard-line hawk as any owner during the lockout, Jordan doesn’t want to spend money on talent. He’s trying to find investors to buy as much as half the team, which lost $20 million last season, during which he inexplicably ran off Larry Brown after 28 games.

A day after his team’s loss in New York, Jordan continued to meet with his deputies as his team’s starters didn’t even try in a 30-point loss to the Hawks. According to the source, in his meetings, Jordan was “trying to figure out where we’re going to go from here.’’

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...icle-1.1006209

[Monta Ellis #11]

Derrick Rose must get healthy to hold up at deepest position in NBA

BOSTON — On Sunday, it’s the Boston Celtics and Rajon Rondo. Then the Bulls come home to face the Sacramento Kings and Tyreke Evans. Then it’s the Celtics and Rondo again before the New Jersey Nets and Deron Williams come to town. Later in the month, Brandon Jennings, Chris Paul and Tony Parker visit the United Center.

Sometimes it seems as though Derrick Rose is matched up against an elite point guard in every game he plays.

‘‘In the position I’m in, I have to play that way every night,’’ Rose said when asked if he has added motivation when competing against other top point guards. ‘‘You have people coming after you, but that’s the way I love to play.’’

Rose’s availability for the nationally televised game Sunday against the Celtics is in doubt because of a back injury. He sat out the Bulls’ rout Friday of the Charlotte Bobcats and said Saturday his back was still ‘‘stiff and sore.’’

Rose almost always insists he will play when asked about an injury. He stopped short of that Saturday, casting doubt on his availability.

Rose said he usually knows when he wakes up what kind of shape his back is in, so he won’t know for sure until early Sunday.

‘‘This is the most I’ve ever been injured,’’ Rose said. ‘‘It’s frustrating, knowing I worked so hard. I hate missing games, especially when we’re playing against great teams. I hate missing any game.’’

It’s difficult to be effective at less than 100 percent at the deepest position in the league. Three of the last four No. 1 overall picks in the NBA draft have been point guards, which means Rose might be competing against John Wall and Kyrie Irving for the next decade. Then there are old masters, such as Steve Nash and Jason Kidd.

As though the league wasn’t talented enough at the position, Jeremy Lin has come from nowhere to score 20 or more points in four consecutive games for the New York Knicks, including 38 on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

‘‘There are a lot of great young point guards,’’ Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. ‘‘Even the older guys, you have a whole mix now. You have guys at the end of their careers who are still playing at an extremely high level, the Andre Millers, the [Chauncey] Billupses, the Nashes, those guys. Then you have the guys in the middle, and then you have the young guys coming. There are a lot of great point guards in this league. It’s tough to deal with because of all the pick-and-rolls, the dribble penetrations, the transition. They create easy opportunities for other players.’’

With a lack of dominant centers and rule changes that have opened the floor, building a team around an elite point guard is seen as the best way to build a championship contender.

The Bobcats have the worst
record in the league, and coach Paul Silas said he would draft a point guard No. 1 overall if one were worthy.

‘‘Point guards in this league,
especially now with the rules in place where you can barely touch guys, if you’ve got a guy who is
explosive and can go either way with the ball, that’s almost where you want to start without a dominant center out there,’’ said Cleveland Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, who is attempting to do just that with Irving. ‘‘If you look around the league today and look at the teams that are very good, they are normally headed by great point guards.’’

Rose said the competition is so intense it reminds him of playing as a youngster in Chicago, where there were always players looking to prove they were the best.

‘‘That’s basketball in Chicago,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re battling all the time.’’

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baske...on-in-nba.html

[T-Snell]

Source: Clippers after J.R. Smith


The Los Angeles Clippers are one of a handful of teams vying for free-agent guard J.R. Smith, who will be eligible to return to the NBA on Wednesday after his Chinese team's season concludes, according to a source with knowledge of the team's thinking.

The Clippers were interested in Smith even before the season-ending injury to Chauncey Billups last week, believing they could use more offensive firepower off the bench. That was going to be a harder sell to Smith, who is looking for a larger role. Now, they can offer Smith the opportunity to start.


Like Billups did with recently-signed Kenyon Martin, point guard Chris Paul has taken a lead role in recruiting Smith, according to the source. The two are close from their two seasons as teammates with the Hornets.


Also like Billups and Martin, who are both represented by agent Andy Miller, Paul and Smith both are represented by agent Leon Rose. That would seem like an advantage, except for the fact that Rose also represents New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who said this week he'd be happy to have his former Nuggets teammate join him in New York.


"Yeah, I think so, he's one of those type of players," Anthony told a small group of reporters after the Knicks' win over the Nets last weekend. "If it happens, it happens and I'll be happy."


The Knicks are the presumed favorite to land Smith because they can offer him both a large role on the team, and their pro-rated $2.5 million mini mid-level exception. Exceptions are only pro-rated after Feb. 10, so Smith wouldn't be losing much. Most of the other teams reportedly interested in him, like the Lakers or Clippers, can only offer him a veteran minimum contract, which would be pro-rated from the beginning of the season.


While the financial difference is distinct, it won't be huge (roughly $1.5 million depending on when Smith signs), making the choice more about which organization Smith wants to set himself up with in the future, and where he'd have the best chance to showcase himself the rest of the season.


Smith has been playful about his intentions, responding to fans of the Knicks, Heat, Lakers and Clippers via his Twitter feed for the last few weeks.


Although the Clipper fans interacting with Smith on Twitter might seem a bit desperate, the team feels it has multiple options for addressing the hole left by Billups.


The Clippers have two trade exceptions from the Paul trade -- one for approximately $3.9 million another for approximately $ 2.8 million -- that they could use to trade for an upgrade or depth at either shooting guard or small forward. Starting small forward Caron Butler can defend either shooting guards or small forwards.


If they miss on Smith, the Clippers would likely wait until after March 1 to actively pursue trades, the source said. March 1 is when players who signed as free agents in the offseason can be traded.


By then, Billups should almost be recovered enough from his surgery to travel with the team and help provide the gravitas and leadership that became so valuable to the team in the first two months of the season. It'll be from the bench, however.



http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...-smith-suitors

[T-Snell]

Brandon Bass to miss up to 2 weeks


BOSTON -- Forward Brandon Bass, the Boston Celtics' top reserve, will miss 10 to 14 days with inflammation in his right knee, coach Doc Rivers said before Sunday's 95-91 win against the Chicago Bulls.

Bass felt some discomfort in the knee during a win over the New York Knicks on Feb. 3. He sat out the following game against the Memphis Grizzlies, but played in three games last week. Rivers said the news came as a bit of a surprise to him, as he was informed by team trainer Eddie Lacerte on Sunday morning that Bass almost certainly will be out through the All-Star break, which begins Feb. 23.


"We knew his knee was bothering him, but then he got the treatment, and he missed that one game," Rivers said. "There was nothing said after the Toronto game. Then Eddie called me this morning and told me he was out, and out for a while. That was a surprise."


The Celtics also were without starting center Jermaine O'Neal, who missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury. O'Neal appeared to get dinged against the Lakers and sat out Friday's game in Toronto. Rivers suggested O'Neal was day to day, but asked about the injuries, he quipped, "Shoulder, knee, age -- I don't know."


Chris Wilcox started at center in place of O'Neal.


In positive health news for the Celtics, guard Avery Bradley is "fully healthy," according to Rivers, after battling shoulder pain last week, while guard Keyon Dooling returned after missing 16 of the last 17 games because of right knee soreness and a right hip pointer. Sasha Pavlovic also was available after enduring a flare-up of an injured left wrist last week.


http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/...miss-two-weeks

[T-Snell]

Derrick Rose (back) out Sunday


BOSTON -- Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose sat out Sunday afternoon's 95-91 loss against the Boston Celtics due to ongoing back spasms. He plans to see a specialist in Chicago to address the problem on Monday.



Rose, who admitted he has been struggling with back issue for several weeks, will seek out additional treatment options when the team returns to Chicago after the game.

"The first time I remember [the back problems] happening were in high school," Rose said before the game. "But college I didn't have it. First couple of years [in the NBA] I didn't have it. All of a sudden it just happened now. Hopefully, [Monday] I'll meet with some people and try to figure something out."



Rose said his back has been bothering him since the start of the Bulls' nine-game road trip, which began Jan. 29 in Miami.



"It was the whole trip," Rose said. "I just played through it and the more I played through it, it tended to get worse after every game. At the time I was really worried about it, but [I'm] just trying to stay positive and hopefully I'll be all right."


Rose said has had a hard time walking without pain for the past few days. He continues to get stim treatment while the organization tries to determine exactly what the issue is.



"You're always concerned," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's something that he's had before. He had it when he was in high school. So we're hopeful that it gets cleared up shortly, but we want to make sure. … Backs are tricky, so that's why he's going to see a specialist [Monday]."



The persistent pain is Rose's biggest concern. He was uncertain of when he will return to the court, but he wants to be pain free when he does.



"I got to be able to move," Rose said. "Get up without hurting. Be myself. Right when I feel that there's no pain there anymore, I know I'll be ready."


"It's usually up to me if I want to play. If I feel good the morning I wake up, or after I get done shooting or warming up, I'll be able to play. But if not, I'll definitely let them know and I'll be able to sit down."


C.J. Watson started in Rose's place.



Rip Hamilton, Chicago's marquee offseason acquisition, also missed Sunday's game. Hamilton is away from the team because of a personal matter, but he would not have played had he traveled to Boston.



Slated as the team's starting shooting guard before the season, Hamilton has missed all but 11 games with injuries. He last played against the Miami Heat on Jan. 29.



"I think he's maybe a week away," Thibodeau said. "The big thing with him was, because we had gone down that road where we sat him out, he came back, got hurt again, sat him out, came back, got hurt again. We wanted to make sure this time that he had all the rest to get completely healthy before we bring him back. We don't want to keep going down that road where he plays a few games, then we have to sit him out again. Probably another week or so."



Thibodeau admitted there was a chance the Bulls might sit Hamilton out until after the All-Star break.



"We're going to see where he is," Thibodeau said. "If it makes more sense where if he's completely healthy [and] get a few games in, we'll do that. But if it makes more sense for him to get the extra rest, we'll do that. We want to make sure he's completely healthy."



Rose's ailing back is the latest in a long line of injuries for the Bulls. In addition to Rose and Hamilton, Taj Gibson, Watson, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and John Lucas have missed games with varying medical maladies.



Rose, the league's reigning MVP, is averaging 22 points and seven assists per contest.



http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story...cialist-monday

[ЕлБиЏеј]

Yao tried to bring Jeremy to Shanghai

MINNEAPOLIS — Yao Ming attempted to sign Knicks point guard sensation Jeremy Lin to play for his Shanghai Sharks during the NBA lockout, but was unsuccessful, two league sources told The Post.

Lin, who helped the Knicks beat the Timberwolves last night, 100-98, has had a close bond with Yao since playing in Yao’s charity basketball games in Taiwan and Beijing in August 2010.

Yao, who retired as an NBA player in July because of chronic foot injuries, owns the Sharks, for whom he once played. Yao also has started his own wine label and has embarked in politics, recently named to a powerful political advisory committee.

Following his historic 38-point outburst against the Lakers on Friday night, Lin revealed he is close to Yao and communicates often with the 7-foot-6 Chinese basketball legend, mostly by text message. Yao lives in Shanghai.

“Yao cares for [Lin’s] well-being,’’ one person familiar with the relationship said. “He’s that kind of guy.’’

Lin didn’t follow the lead of other NBA players who left for China during the lockout — Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith, to name a few. Had Lin not been claimed by the Knicks on Dec. 26 after being waived by the Rockets, there was a chance he could have wound up with Yao in Shanghai.

Lin’s mother, Shirley, was raised in Taiwan and Yao invited Lin’s family to his charity event soon after Lin graduated from Harvard and before his rookie NBA season with the Warriors. Sources said the fans “knew who Jeremy was.’’

Following the rout of the Lakers, Lin, the first Chinese-American to play in the NBA, said, “I actually talk to Yao after every game. He’s taken me out to eat when I’ve seen him. He’s obviously a role model, big brother and mentor to me. We keep in touch all the time.’’

Yao, 31, and Lin, 23, would see each other socially whenever Golden State played Houston. Earlier this week, Lin said had the Knicks waived him before his contract became guaranteed Friday, he would have looked overseas, though the Chinese Basketball Association is now in the playoffs and he would have had to consider Europe.

“I wasn’t considering that just yet,” Lin said, “but I figure if I get waived before the [Feb. 10] deadline and there’s nothing left, you know, maybe I do need to go overseas, but God works in mysterious and miraculous ways.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knick...Oq07AIcuBqBVzN