Kevin Love Stuffs NBA Jam Ballot Box For Kevin Love
Excited?
NBA Jam officials are excited on their decision to return franchise later this year to the Nintendo Wii and NBA players are no different in this regard. Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Love expressed his love for the game so much that he went online to stuff the ballots for his inclusion,
“I went online and kept refreshing my computer and voting myself into ‘Jam,’ I’m not going to lie,” said Love. “‘NBA Jam’ was my favorite game growing up, so I was on there all day voting for myself. I used to play as Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton or Karl Malone and John Stockton. I never even imagined that I could be in ‘Jam.’ I just want to get that team fire, get that blue ball … it’s going to be cool.”
Other players like Carmelo Anthony said he used to always use the New York Knicks with John Starks and Patrick Ewing. Anthony also can’t wait to see himself in the game saying that he’s not a high flyer, but they’ll have to have the ball on fire when he shoots.
To Golden State Warriors rookie Stephen Curry, just the mention of “NBA Jam” brings back special memories of playing as his sharpshooting dad, Dell, in the game. “I remember in ‘NBA Jam’ and ‘NBA Live 95,’ those were the two games where my dad just couldn’t miss.”
NBA Announces Three Point Contestants
Most Important Shot Is The Money Ball
Everyone talks about the Slam Dunk contest when the NBA All-Star game approaches and I understand but I haven’t seen a new dunk since Kenny “Sky” Walker lifted off in Houston.
The NBA appeased my All-Star weekend appetite by announcing it’s contestants for it’s three-point contest today:
Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets
Daequan Cook, Miami Heat (my pick to win)
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Channing Frye, New York Knicks
Danilo Gallinari, New York Knicks
BLOCK CITY: Your Victim-Kobe Bryant
Ronny Turiaf, you have been charged with the crime of Representin.
And the verdict is Guilty.
Monta Ellis To Be The Next Golden State Warrior To Go?
Stay or Go?
Is Monta Ellis the next Golden State Warrior to go? This franchise might have easily moved aheaad of other laughing stocks in the league like the Los Angeles Clippers or the New York Knicks in their dysfunction.
The Warriors have gone through numerous coaches since Don Nelson last stint with the team that lasted from 1988-95 , no on has matched any length in tenure expect for Nelsons second go around which is now entering it’s fourth year. List goes from Bob Lanier, Rick Adelman, P.J. Carlesimo, Garry St. Jean, Dave Cowens, Brian Winters, Eric Musselman, Mike Montgomery in between that time.
The players also seem be in a revolving door situation as well now that Stephen Jackson is the latest marquee franchcise player to leave. Prior to Jackson’s demands to leave the Bay it was Al Harrington and now Raja Bell must think its so bad that is electing to have season ending surgery on his wrist, surgery he had put off in Charlotte, rather than play with the Warriors. Then there is the whole Baron Davis contract fiasco that lead him eventually to the Clippers.
Ellis could be the latest to leave as multiple NBA sources have confirmed that his agent is scheduled to meet with team management Thursday to decide his future. Several sources indicate they are seeking the approval of the possibility of the Warrriors giving Ellis and his agent permission to talk to other teams to quicken the pace of trade talks.
Two sources say that Nelson embarrassed Ellis when Ellis tried to step into a leadership role in the aftermath of the 28-point home loss to the Clippers on Nov. 6. The scene was in post-game locker room and Ellis, as a co-captain, began loudly addressing to his teammates, telling them that this performance could not be tolerated. But then Nelson told Ellis to be quiet. Then came a public verbal altercation between the two after a practice in New York last week.
In front of reporters, Ellis accused Nelson of blaming him for everything. When Nelson denied it and then walked away, waving his hands, Ellis said:
“See, that’s why I won’t do it. I just won’t do it.”
Ellis has not been perfect to say the least as when he lied to his employers about an injury in a low-speed moped accident that limited him only to 25 games and then vocalizing he couldn’t play with Stephen Curry. Ellis has four years and $44M owed to him after this season, but should be less difficult to trade than either Jackson or Harrington was.
If Ellis leaves who’s next Anthony Randolph, Andris Biedrins?
Stephen Jackson & Acie Law Traded For Vladimir Radmanovic & Raja Bell
Nothing Says NBA Like Praying Hands & A Glock
Stephen Jackson got his wish and was traded away from never won anything retread Don Nelson and his Golden State Warriors to the Charlotte Bobcats in a four-player deal. The Bobcats sent guard and defensive plug Raja Bell, forward and space cadet Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and yet to match college stardom Acie Law IV.
Bobcats coach Larry Brown, who has dealt with disgruntled employees in the past, is now paired with Jackson for three years and $27.7 million while Law is in the final year of his contract. Golden State inherits Radmanovic’s deal, worth about $13.5 million over the next two seasons while Bell is in the final year of his deal.
Cleveland, a source involved in the talks told TNT’s David Aldridge, wanted Jackson to do agree to a contract buyout before agreeing to any potential deal for him. But Jackson wasn’t going to give up money with the possibility of a lockout in 2011 looming. He was also reluctant to go to the Cavaliers because he didn’t know what the team would look like after this season, with LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas all pending free agents.
Jackson gives Charlotte, the NBA’s lowest-scoring team at 82.4 points a game, an immediate offensive boost while Law might be just a practice guy who never lives up to his 2007 number 11th overall draft hype. The Warriors get a player in Bell, who if he has surgery on his partially torn ligment in his left wrist, ill sit the remainder of the season and an expiring contract. Although Radmanovic is not a dependable player, he does provide size at 6-10 and might actually work for a shoot at all times Nelson offense.
The Bobcats have made five trades involving 17 players in 11 months since Brown began his record ninth NBA head coaching job last season.
Warriors: Winners/Bobcats: Winners
NBA Attendance Only Down 2% Despite Economy
Est. 1946
It’s fairly earlier so don’t shoot the messenger but the numbers are out for early attendance in the NBA and despite the economy and the earliness of the season they are only down 2% from this point last year. Also the statistic is skewed by two teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies, who are drawing less than 70 percent.
The 76ers averaged 15,802 in 2008-’09, in five home games this season they’ve averaged 11,377, and are down more than 20 percent of capacity from last year. The Memphis Grizzlies ranked 29th in attendance last year only filling 70 percent of their arena are now only filling 66 percent, only outdrawing the 76ers. The Detroit Pistons have cause for concern, dropping from first in average attendance to 16th, falling 19.6 percent. The Spurs, a team retooled and trying to avenge their first round playoff exit rank 12th but are down 8%
Not all is doom and gloom as the Chicago Bulls are up over 100 percent of capacity after filling 97.7 percent of the United Center last season. The Cleveland Cavilers are in a similar boat, selling out each home game so far after drawing 97.3 percent last season. The Atlanta Hawks have seen significant gains, rising from 89.4 to 95.4 percent. Even the Minnesota Timberwolves fans are showing support no that Kevin McHale is ruining their team by filling their stadium by 8% more than last season.
Source: SportsBusiness Journal
Average attendances and percentage for each team:
| Rank | Team | Average Attendance | % (+/-) from year prior |
| 1 | Chicago | 21,111 | +3.3% |
| 2 | Cleveland | 20,562 | +2.7% |
| 3 | Portland | 20,350 | -.8% |
| 4 | Dallas | 19,823 | -1.4% |
| 5 | New York | 19,625 | +1.7% |
| 6 | Utah | 19,611 | -1.5% |
| 7 | LA Lakers | 18,997 | (no chg) |
| 8 | Boston | 18,624 | (no chg) |
| 9 | Toronto | 18,131 | -3.2% |
| 10 | Denver | 18,039 | +4.3% |
| 11 | Washington | 17,975 | +6.7% |
| 12 | San Antonio | 17,957 | -.8% |
| 13 | Oklahoma City | 17,882 | +.5% |
| 14 | Atlanta | 17,862 | +6% |
| 15 | Golden State | 17,827 | -5.7% |
| 16 | Detroit | 17,541 | -19.6% |
| 17 | Orlando | 17,541 | +2.4% |
| 18 | Miami | 17,421 | -4.1% |
| 19 | Houston | 17,130 | -2% |
| 20 | Phoenix | 16,771 | -9% |
| 21 | Minnesota | 16,088 | +8.2% |
| 22 | New Orleans | 15,156 | -10.5% |
| 23 | New Jersey | 14,919 | -1.4% |
| 24 | LA Clippers | 14,748 | -7.4% |
| 25 | Milwaukee | 14,636 | -4% |
| 26 | Charlotte | 14,633 | +.4% |
| 27 | Indiana | 14,439 | +1.4% |
| 28 | Sacramento | 12,422 | -.9% |
| 29 | Memphis | 12,095 | -3.5% |
| 30 | Philadelphia | 11,377 | -23.7% |
Stephen Jackson’s Agent Slams Don Nelson
Nothing Says NBA Like Praying Hands & A Glock
The NBA season is under way and one thing remains the same in Oakland and that’s disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson is still a Golden State Warrior.
That doesn’t sit to well with Jackson’s agent, Mark Stevens, who has gone on the offensive, attacking the credibility and character of Warriors coach Don Nelson. Stevens bashed Nelson, in everything from his trustworthiness to his coaching ability.
“No one trusts Don Nelson,” Stevens said. “When Nelson was in Milwaukee, Wayne Embry trusted him and brought him in, and he betrayed Embry. In Dallas, Mark Cuban took damn good care of him and his son [Donnie Nelson Jr.], and he betrayed Cuban. In Golden State, Chris Mullin hired him and trusted him and Nelson backstabbed him by reaching out to president Robert Rowell and blaming Mullin for everything that was going wrong with the Warriors.”
With the urging from his client Stevens is tired of waiting and says anywhere will do instead of Jackson’s demand in August of wanting to be traded to Cleveland, New York or any of the three Texas teams.
“We’re trying to accommodate him,” Nelson said. “If we can get a good deal, we’ll do it. I said that over a month, month and a half ago.”
Stevens said his anger over his client’s situation grew while he was watching the Warriors lose 120-107 to the Kings on Sunday.
“I’m disgusted with the quality of Nelson’s coaching and with the lack of trust his players have in him,” he said. “Nelson is the winningest coach in NBA history to never have coached in the NBA Finals, let alone won a championship. Yet he keeps getting jobs despite being 69 years old.”
Someone did their homework.
Tim Hardaway’s Heat Jersey Retired
He Got Skeeels
Last night Tim Hardaway had his No. 10 jersey retired and raised to the rafters by the Miami Heat. This news may mean nothing to you unless you are a Heat fan or like myself a huge Hardaway fan. I remember growing up in Washington D.C. and seeing him play for UTEP in 1989 NCAA Basketball Tournament and thinking this guy could really hoop, so much so I had to look up on map to find where El Paso was.
The UTEP Two-step, what later became the killer crossover dribble, or how Hardaway could do no wrong on the court in my eyes those first couple of years in Oakland is what instantly sparks my memories.
With about 50 family and friends looking on, including the other two parts of the famed “Run TMC” trio Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin, Hardaway’s jersey was hoisted before Miami opened its season against the New York Knicks.
“Tonight, I stand before you truly humble and grateful,” Hardaway said.
“Obviously, well deserved,” Mullin said. “Tim is one of the best players of his time.”
His is the second Heat jersey to be retired: Alonzo Mourning’s No. 33 was hoisted last season.
“It’s another great moment,” Heat president Pat Riley said. “I would say from the year 2006 until now, we’ve had a couple of incredible moments. Both of them are hanging from the rafters, our world championship banner that we’re so proud of — and there’s more of those in store for the future — and of course Alonzo Mourning last year, one of the anchors of this franchise.”
Hardaway is still the Heat career leader in 3-point field goals and assists, ranks fifth in points and steals, and is 10th in regular-season games played.
“His contributions helped build a successful championship franchise,” Mourning said.
Hardaway was the true definition of a hoopster, oh and the shoes, they where my Jordan’s.
Stephen Curry Sends Out Thank You Notes
No, Thank You
Stephen Curry the ex-Davidson star and now a member of the Golden State Warriors, sent out 2,000 thank you notes to Wildcat fans and faculty.
“I started thinking about this while I was taking a summer school class at Davidson,” Curry said. “It hit me that I wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye to everyone I wanted to, and that they might have a hard time keeping up with me now that I’m on the West Coast. I want people to know that even though I’m here, I’m still deeply tied into Charlotte and Davidson. I still bleed Carolina blood.”
The Thank You cards sent out had this to say:
“Before I begin the next chapter in my life, I wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank all of the loyal alumni, students and fans of Davidson College who have so passionately supported me over the past three years.” The card ends with his favorite Bible verse Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
While the postcard was designed by the agency that also negotiated his pro contract, Curry said he paid all of the costs for it, and that the words and idea were his. Davidson also helped out by supplying some mailing lists.
“I’ve been around the Charlotte area so long – some people have been watching me play since middle school,” said Curry, the son of former 16-year NBA veteran and current Charlotte Bobcats broadcaster Dell Curry. “And so many people have been so great to me and helped me along the way.”
It’s rare to hear positive things coming from athletes and to hear a unique situation like this I just felt compelled to pass it along. It kinda of reminds me of something I would hear from another first class human being named David Robinson.
Good for you Stephen.
Get Out Of My Face I Don’t Wanna Be Your Captain Anymore
I Spit On Your C
Stephen Jackson walked into the offices of Golden State Warriors general manager Larry Riley and with coach Don Nelson in person told them he didn’t want to be their team captain anymore. Not all that shocking since Jackson has publicly asked to out of the bay area.
This comes after Fridays two game suspension for cussing out Don Nelson in front of the Staple Center’s crowd. Jackson has maintained he’ll play hard as long as he’s a Warrior, but is that possible if he’s in the locker room being permantly benched for a game.
As for giving up his captaincy, Jackson said: “That’s just the way I feel. That’s just the way I feel. Don’t try to dig into it. That’s just the way I feel.”
When Jackson was asked if he thought there would be more issues down the line with Nelson and the Warriors, he responded: “I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see. I can’t predict the future.”
Does Jackson risk being exiled like Jamaal Tinsley or Stephon Marbury were from their former teams, who neither has jobs right now, I don’t know I can’t predicit the future either?
Hoops Under The Stars
Shooting For The Stars
The league’s first outdoor game was played in September 1972 at a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Phoenix Suns, featuring Connie Hawkins and Dick Van Arsdale, scored a 116-103 preseason victory over a Milwaukee Bucks team featuring Kareem Adbul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.
Last year’s inaugural outdoor game at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden was hampered by winds that impacted shooting and cold temperatures that had players complaining they couldn’t stay warm on the bench. That was the case last year as the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 77-72. The weather dropped into the 60s and the wind picked up late in the game. Both teams were cold from the field, combining for 34 percent shooting, including 3-for-27 from 3-point range.
This year 14,979 saw the Golden State Warriors beat the Suns 104 to 101 in the desert. This years temperatures were mostly in the 70s after sundown and the idea to push tip off up to 6:40 help. The game estimates to be worth $3 million for the local economy in everything from hotels and restaurant spending for visitors to stadium use.
As for the players taking it in for the first time it was very different.
Warriors guard Monta Ellis hasn’t played basketball outside since he was a kid playing pickup games at Mary C. Jones Park in Jackson, Mississippi. Guard Anthony Morrow said he’s only played once outside and that was when the gym to Georgia Tech was locked.
On the other hand Warriors rookie Stephen Curry said he can’t even remember ever playing outside.
“I always played in the gym,” Curry said. “I grew up in the suburbs. We really didn’t do the blacktop thing.”
In related Warrior news Golden State played without Stephen Jackson, who is suspended for two games for cursing at coach Don Nelson during the previous preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Warriors Monta Ellis Say He Can’t Play With Stephen Curry
Grow Up
With NBA camps getting under way or about to most team are gearing up for photos and interviews across NBA cities with media days. That was the case in Oakland as everyone came to hear what forward Stephen Jackson was going to say about that trade demand he made.
But it was Monta Ellis who stole the show with what he had to say. Ellis was asked what he thought off playing alongside rookie Stephen Curry, and he responded that the two guards weren’t going to be able to play together.
“Us together? No,” Ellis said. “Can’t. We just can’t. … Just can’t.”
Someone then jumped in and said to Ellis that coach Don Nelson say you can.
“They say you can?” Ellis repeated. “They say you can … but you can’t. I just want to win and you’re not going to win that way.”
Nelson had said on that he envisioned Ellis and Curry playing together despite their collective lack of size. Nelson said that the team planned to do a lot of scheming to help Ellis and Curry at the defensive end.
“You can’t put two small guys out there and play the one and the two. You’ve got big two-guards in the league. You just can’t do it. Yes, you’re going to move up and down but eventually the game is going to slow down. You can’t do it.”
Its upsetting to hear such comments before Ellis has actually seen what Nelson has come up with. Just three years ago the Warriors made the playoffs, two years they missed the playoffs however they where for fighting for the last playoff spot right up until the last week of the NBA season.
Last year was a different story when not even a month after Ellis signed a six-year, 67 million contract extension, he lied to his employers that he had torn a ligament working out. It was later revealed . Now he has audacity to call out Nelson coaching philosophy through the media. The Warriors have more than one storm brewing without one single ounce of sweat dropped in training camp.
Don Nelson Will Work For Free
Where's The Scotch Don?
Warriors coach Don Nelson’s got two more years worth $12 million remaining on his contract but Nelson wants to be with the Warriors longer than that and he says he’s willing to do it for free. Nelson said that he’s made an offer to Warriors president Robert Rowell that he will work for free for the Warriors in 2011-12, in whatever capacity the Warriors decide, as a way of giving back to the organization he’s worked for two different times during the course of his career.
“I told Bobby a week ago that after this contract is up, I would like to give the Warriors one more year,” Nelson said. “It will cost the team nothing. Whatever they want me to do, for one more year, and not take a salary. Whatever it is. If it’s coaching, I’d do that. Carrying bags, whatever. But I would give them one year at the end of this to say ‘Thanks.’ I appreciate that extension they gave me. They didn’t have to do that.”
I wonder if Nelson, who needs 24 more wins to surpass Lenny Wilkens as the all-time winningest NBA coach, made this statement “dressed in khakis, no shirt, no shoes, with a scotch in his hand.”
Stephen Jackson Says He’s Done, Get Him Outta There
Golden State Warriors captain Stephen Jackson has confirmed that he has requested to be traded to a playoff contending team pronto and has provided a list of such clubs.
“Um…I don’t think I’ll be a Warrior next year. I’m looking to leave…at this point, I’m 31 years old. I have four or five years left, I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring. So that’s where my mind is at now.”
Jackson specifically mentioned Cleveland Cavaliers, any of the three teams in Texas and the New York Knicks as the teams he’d like to play for. I personally didn’t get the memo that the Knicks where a playoff team. It’s a good thing he chose to sign a $28 million dollar extension in November guaranteeing him: $8.4 million in 2010/11; $9.2 million in 2011/12; $10 million in 2012/13
In nine seasons he’s played with the New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers and the Warriors. But in the past five years Jackson has been charged with felony criminal recklessness and a number of other misdemeanors, including assault, disorderly conduct, and two counts of battery.
Glad to hear just three years removed from the playoffs, two years of missing the eighth seed but two games and nine months after signing your $28 million dollar extension you want to leave.
Cheapskate Cuban
Cuban's Trying To Give Nellie The Same Face....O
The Dallas Morning News acquired transcripts from a two-day arbitration hearing between Mark Cuban and Don Nelson that took place in June of 2008. Cuban withheld a substantial sum of wages owed to his former coach and GM on the accusation that Nelson used “insiders info” about the Mavericks he collected during his one-year as an adviser to beat the Mavericks in the 2007 playoff series as coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Two years ago Cuban sued Nelson on those accusations. The pair went to arbitration last year. Nelson won. Cuban still hasn’t paid the $6 million.
You can read all 800 pages of the transcripts (condensed into a 200-page PDF) here, credit to the Dallas Morning News. In the transcript, you’ll find:
*An attorney quotes Nelson from a deposition saying he didn’t want to sign an amendment to his contract in 2003, but his friends got him drunk and told him he should.
*Nelson talks about when he was upset that Cuban sat in on one of his pre-game
coach’s meetings.*Nelson calls Erick Dampier “a very doggy player” and “totally overpaid.”
*A Mavericks attorney points out that Nelson has been paid a total of more than $50 million for coaching the Mavericks and Warriors. “That’s correct, God bless the NBA,” Nelson responded
*Nelson admits he discussed the NBA draft with the Warriors in June of 2006 while he was still a consultant for the Mavericks. “Is that confidential information? I probably broke a rule,” Nelson said
*Asked if Nelson had been grooming Avery Johnson to become head coach, Cuban answers, “No, sir.”
*Cuban says Nelson wasn’t showing up for practices and Johnson was coming to him regularly saying, “I am ready, boss. Put me in.”
*Cuban calls Dennis Rodman’s tenure with the Mavericks a “failed experiment.”
*Cuban calls the 2003-04 season, Steve Nash’s last with the Mavericks,“probably the worst of my tenure.” He says Antoine Walker “just was a cancer.”
*Nelson answered his door and was dressed in khakis, no shirt, no shoes, with a scotch in his hand, and he was very celebratory,”
The classic of it all had to be when Cuban described there hugging,
*Cuban is asked if he and Nelson hugged each other at the press conference announcing that Nelson would step down as coach and become a consultant. “I hugged him,” Cuban answered. “He didn’t hug me back. I know a Nellie hug, and that was not a Nellie hug.”
