New 2010-2011 NBA Uniforms
Golden State
If you haven’t seen the new uniforms the NBA is rolling out for the upcoming 2010-2011 season here is a quick look. Cleveland Cavaliers,Dallas Mavericks,Golden State Warriors,Los Angeles Clippers,Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz new jerseys can be purchased at NBA.com.
Which do you like best?
Karl Malone Gives Hall Of Fame Jacket To Wheelchair Kid
The Mailman Delivers
Karl Malone went home from his Hall of Fame induction without his Hall of Fame jacket. The sports coat with the Hall of Fame logo now belongs to a young boy in a wheelchair.
“I told him when he graduates from high school he will have a jacket to wear,” Malone said.
The coat didn’t exactly fit as the sleeves were well short on his arms and so tight that Malone joked maybe it was supposed to be fellow inductee Scottie Pippen’s. The former Utah Jazz star wondered what he would do with the jacket anyway.
“Put it in some closet and years from now blow the dust off of it, light up a cigar, and look at it?” he said. “This little boy will do something with it. I loved that I did it.”
NBA 2K11 Allows Gamers To Play 10 Different Versions Of Michael Jordan
Did You Even See Him Play?
The makers of NBA2K11 have released details the game has a game mode entitled “The Jordan Challenge” which allows you to play 10 different versions of the NBA great.Fans can play whatever game they want in whatever order.
In each game, gamers are charged with different goals, including matching Jordan’s point totals and shooting percentage. Here are the 10 different versions of Jordan that can played, however two of the 10 challenges don’t have specific dates tied to it.
April 20, 1986: Jordan scores 63 vs. the Boston Celtics
March 28, 1990: Jordan scores 69 vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
May 26, 1990: Jordan’s Game 3 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit Pistons
Any date in 1990: Jordan’s battles that season against Dominique Wilkins and Atlanta Hawks
June 2 thru June 12: Jordan’s performance in the 1991 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
June 3, 1992: Jordan scores 35 in the first half vs. Portland Trail Blazers
March 18, 1995: Jordan scores 55 vs. the New York Knicks
June 16, 1996: Father Day Game in 1996 NBA Finals vs. Seattle SuperSonics
June 11, 1997: The Flu Game
June 14,1998: Jordan’s last game in a Chicago Bulls uniform
If you hit six three pointers in a row like Jordan did against the Trail Blazers in 1992, the virtual Jordan will shrug just like he did in real life on that night.
2010 NBA Finals Most Viewed Since 2001
Est. 1946
ABC averaged a 10.6 rating and 18.1 million viewers for the 2010 NBA Finals, up 26% in ratings and viewership from Los Angeles Lakers/Orlando Magic last year (8.4, 14.3 mil, five games), up 14% and 21% from Boston Celtics/Los Angeles Lakers in 2008 (9.3, 14.9 mil, six games), and up 71% and 95% from San Antonio Spurs/Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007 (6.2, 9.3 mil, four games).
This marks the most-viewed NBA Finals since Los Angeles Lakers/Philadelphia 76ers on NBC in 2001 (19.0 mil), and the second most-viewed since Chicago Bulls/Utah Jazz in 1998 (29.0 mil), Michael Jordan’s last NBA Finals.
This is only the second time since 1998 that the NBA Finals has averaged at least 18 million viewers. This only the second time in the past eight years that the NBA Finals has averaged a double-digit rating.
Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics outdrew the last two seven-game NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs/Detroit Pistons in 2005 (12.5 mil) and Houston Rockets/New York Knicks in 1994 (17.3 mil).
Of the 15 NBA Finals since 1990 that did not involve Jordan and the Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics is the third-most viewed, behind the Los Angeles Lakers/Philadelphia 76ers series in 2001 (19.0 mil) and Houston Rockets/Orlando Magic in 1995 (20.1 mil).
However the Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics ranks as the fifth-lowest rated NBA Finals to involve the Los Angeles Lakers in the past thirty years (15 series). It’s ahead of only Los Angeles Lakers/New Jersey Nets in 2002 (10.2), Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics in 2008 (9.3), Los Angeles Lakers/Orlando Magic in 2009 (8.4) and Los Angeles Lakers/Philadelphia 76ers in 1980 (8.0).
For perspective, the 2010 NBA Finals finished behind the 2009 World Series, which averaged an 14.7 rating and 23.4 million viewers for six games.
The final game of the 2010 NBA Finals saw its largest audience and it was its largest for an NBA game since the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty.
The Los Angeles Lakers Game 7 win over the Celtics drew a 15.6/27 final rating and 28.2 million viewers on ABC.
This marks the highest rated, most-viewed NBA game on any network since Chicago Bulls/Utah Jazz Game 6 in 1998, topping the previous highs of 14.7 Indiana Pacers/Los Angeles Lakers Game 6 in 2000 and 23.8 million viewers Los Angeles Lakers/Sacramento Kings Game 7 in 2002.
Additionally, this is easily the highest rated, most-viewed NBA game ever on ABC, topping the previous high of 13.8 and 21.8 million viewers for Los Angeles Lakers/Detroit Pistons Game 5 in 2004. This is the first time since that 2004 series that any NBA game has surpassed 20 million viewers.
Despite the big numbers Boston Celtics/Los Angeles Lakers finished behind previous Game 7s in the NBA Finals. New York Knicks/Houston Rockets Game 7 drew a 17.9 on NBC in 1994, Detroit Pistons/Los Angeles Lakers Game 7 drew a 21.2 on CBS in 1988, and Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics Game 7 drew a 19.3 rating on CBS in 1984.
Will Kobe Bryant Ever Escape Those Photos?
Whats With Utah Providing Classics
As a Stan of the greatest player in the NBA right now I have to wonder if the photos that Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryants wife Vanessa forced him to partake in will ever go away. I truly doubt it and really don’t have a problem with it if the don’t. I just hope that fans stay creative with them down the line and three years later its still the all white Michael Jordan pose.
But how about the photo though, you got Turtle from HBO’s Entourage in the front row, the guy in the far left that just sharted on himself and of course the best for last is the chick in the upper right hand corner that could really care less she is at an NBA playoff game. Like really, sorry for wasting all that money for behind the basket seats so you could come be bored out of your mind watching playoff basketball.
Depending on how much Jameson I had in my system at the time and my eyes caught that, she just might have been walking home or getting real friendly with some Dick or Harry at EnergySoulutions Arena.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz
Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to the Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and the Utah Jazz in being swept 4-0 in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Each team played formidable opponents in the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers but still never managed to win a game. Out of 16 games only one, game 3, was decided by one point in the Jazz and Lakers series. The rest of the games in the series had the Jazz loss by an average of 9 points.
The Hawks versus the Magic series was never close from the moment of tip off in game one. The series saw game one’s outcome decided by 43 points and an average of 25 points in defeat for Atlanta. The Spurs four loses to the Suns may have seemed close but that was until the second half got under way. The second half saw Phoenix pull away four straight times and proving to be to much for the Spurs in the end.
BLOCK CITY: Your Victim-Derek Fisher
C.J. Miles, you have been charged with the crime of Representin.
And the verdict is Guilty.
San Antonio Spurs Second Round Playoff Ratings Down
Est. 1973
Fewer viewers are watching the latest entry into the San Antonio Spurs/Phoenix Suns rivalry.
The Suns Game 2 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night drew a 2.7 U.S. rating and 4.0 million viewers, down 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Orlando Magic/Boston Celtics Game 2 in the timeslot last year 2.9, 4.3 mil. Monday’s Game 1 drew a 2.7 and 4.1 million viewers.
To put the numbers in perspective, Game 2 of the Phoenix Suns/San Antonio Spurs first round series two years ago drew a 3.0 rating and 4.4 million viewers.
Through Wednesday, ratings have declined for four of the six second round telecasts (not including Utah Jazz/Los Angeles Lakers game since ratings where not available), with three games seeing double-digit drops. However, with the exception of Atlanta Hawks/Orlando Magic Game 1 on Tuesday, the ratings have been generally solid.
A Utah Jazz Dance Off
There’s a gun to your head, million dollars on the line and you got three seconds to say who you got in a Utah Jazz dance off between Kyrylo Fesenko from the Ukraine or Kosta Koufos of Greece. Who You Got?
San Antonio Spurs Draw Good Ratings On TNT
Amazing Is Belief
TNT NBA Playoffs tripleheader on Sunday drew good numbers for TNT. Headlined by the San Antonio Spurs/Dallas Mavericks matchup.
The Mavericks Game 1 win over the Spurs drew a 2.9 overnight rating on TNT Sunday night, up 7% from Miami Heat/Atlanta Hawks in the same time slot last year (2.7). Last year’s Mavericks/Spurs Game 1, which aired on a Saturday night on ESPN, drew a 2.3 overnight rating. The 2.9 for Sunday’s game was tied as the highest of the weekend for an NBA Playoff game on cable as the Miami Heat/Boston Celtics also drew a 2.9 on ESPN the previous night.
The rest of ESPN’s tripleheader numbers saw the Milwaukee Bucks/Atlanta Hawks game draw a 1.8 overnight rating and later in the night the Utah Jazz/Denver Nuggets saw a 2.4 overnight.
The Charlotte Bobcats/Orlando Magic Game 1 drew a 2.5 overnight rating, up 9% from Philadelphia 76ers/Orlando Magic Game 1 last year (2.3). The night ended with the Portland Trail Blazers Game 1 upset of Phoenix Suns drew a 2.2 overnight and was down 3% from last year’s Game 1 between the New Orleans Hornets and Denver Nuggets (2.3).
Overall, TNT averaged a 2.5 overnight rating for NBA Playoff coverage on Sunday.
SGE 2010 NBA 1st Round Playoff Picks
SGE PICKS
The NBA playoff’s begin today but yesterday on our we made the predictions who would win each series. As our bracket probably resemble yours with few shockers there just might be a series or two that leave you disagreeing with one of us. If you missed yesterday’s show you can still download the listen from the Sports Grind Entertainment’s Archive but without further ado here is each of our predictions.
Eastern Conference
- Calvin Casey
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Rudy J
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Salami
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
Western Conference
- Calvin Casey
- Los Angeles Lakers
- San Antonio Spurs
- Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz
- Rudy J
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz
- Salami
- Los Angeles Lakers
- San Antonio Spurs
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Utah Jazz
Serge Ibaka Forever Linked To Carlos Boozer
Utah Jazz’s Carlos Boozer has his million dollar moment at the expense of Oklahoma City’s Thunder Serge Ibaka from 36 feet out it seemed. That’s what I call throwing down the hammer.
Boozer is still lame though.
Former NBA General Manager’s Cell Phone Found In Thrift Store
Who Is This?
A Utah man shopping at his local thrift store came across an interesting buy that connected him to the NBA. The Utah man bought a used cell phone for only 50 cents. When he went home and plugged it in, the Blackberry lit up with phone numbers for famous athletes and entertainment stars.
It turns out that the phone belonged to former Utah Jazz general manger and New York Knicks president and current Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts. He had lost the phone about 10 years ago.
All of the information was still saved and a list of the contacts included Patrick Ewing, Alan Houston, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig, David “The Goon” Stern, Marv Albert, Tom Brokaw and Jerry Colangelo, to name a few.
The phone actually has e-mails of proposals to bring an Major League Soccer team to Salt Lake City sent to former city Mayor Rocky Anderson and even former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.
Former Utah Jazz Player Arrested With Weed Between His Buttocks
"spread your cheeks and give me two big coughs"
Police in Salt Lake County arrested former Utah Jazz center Robert Whaley and found marijuana between his buttocks according to a jail document.
Whaley, 27, had warrants for his arrest for absconding from a probation in Michigan. A police document filed with the Salt Lake County jail says gang detectives stopped a car about 4:30 a.m. Thursday. Whaley was a passenger and was not wearing a seat belt, the document says.
Gang detectives were monitoring the apartment complexes due to recent crime problems when detectives spotted an occupied car sitting in a parking lot with no lights on and decided to investigate. Whaley identified himself to police as Kareem Johnson but the detectives recognized him as being a former Jazz player. Police discovered Whaley had a warrant for his arrest.
But Whaley made it all the way to the jail and thats where he was found to be in possession of several baggies of marijuana that he was holding between his buttocks. The amount was not released. Whaley remained in the Salt Lake County jail until his extrodiation to Michigan and is being held on $100,000 bail. The state of Michigan lists Whaley has having a 2008 conviction for maintaining a drug house. It says he has absconded from parole in that state.
In December 2005, Whaley and his then teammate Deron Williams had a run-in with the law. The pair were at Harry O’s nightclub in Park City and had a confrontation with Denver Nuggets fans.Some garbage cans were thrown and somehow Whaley slit his hand. But again in 2005 Whaley used a fictitious name to Park City police and received misdemeanor citations for providing false information. Whaley also lied to the Jazz about how he received the cut.
Whaley gave his name as “Bobby Williams” while Williams gave “Torrey Ellis.”
The Jazz drafted Whaley in the second round of the 2005 draft. He appeared in 23 games for the team the following season. The Jazz traded Whaley to the Toronto Raptors in June 2006. The Raptors waived him before he played a game. Whaley returned to the Jazz for training camp a few months later but never played another regular season game in the NBA.
Baron Davis Selling His Beard
It’s 2010 and if aren’t sporting a beard already I’ve gotta ask, what’s wrong with you?
Can’t grow one? Have no fear as because the illest don dada Baron Davis is here to help you step your game up. The don dada is hooking you up with a recession special by slashing the $5,000 price tag by practically giving it away for only $29.99 plus shipping and handling. Mark that down Kate.
Acting now and you’ll receive a free Deron Williams Texturizer kit too!
So where’s your beard at already?
Seattle Mariners Go Revolutionary & Abandon The Use Of Weights
Will It Work?
The Seattle Mariners are completely overhauling their approach to fitness and training this spring training. The Mariners have abandoned the use of weights in the teams facilty in Arizona and back in Seattle for the next three years. They are applying muscle science to particular movements instead of workout programs designed decades ago.
The Mariners have signed a three-year contract with Dr. Marcus Elliott of Santa Barbara, Calif., founder of the Peak Performance Project (P3). Elliott has been working with Mariners trainers the past couple of months to overhaul the team’s entire approach to fitness. The idea is to focus on reducing injuries and making the Mariners players more athletic through a series of workouts that have little to do with traditional weightlifting.
“If you’re going to build athletes, you have to do athletic things with them,” said Elliott, 44, who has trained many elite athletes on an individual basis, as well as worked with the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the Australian Institute of Sport and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. Elliott has also worked with the New England Patriots and Utah Jazz.
The team will focus on strengthening the movements used in baseball like the ability to generate force through a player’s hip rotation. They also have players doing specific workouts designed to increase lower body strength and make that translate into an ability to hit a baseball and react more explosively to balls hit in their direction.
Workouts like 30-minute cardiovascular “flush run” that pitchers do after a start which have long been a part of baseball tradition already been scaled back dramatically. Elliott feels such runs are a waste of time. He says it’s like training a marathon runner when pitchers and ballplayers have to be worked like sprinters.
Each player has received an extensive physical evaluation upon arriving at camp. There are computer printouts of each player’s strengths and weaknesses in the areas that are going to be targetted by the new training regimen.
The team isn’t forcing the big league players to completely abandon their prior fitness regimens if they really don’t want to. They instead are working the new system in slowly at a base level to introduce players to it and the players have been receptive.
The farm system of the Mariners won’t have a choice as the team is making this system mandatory at every minor league level of the organization. Trainers are being taught the system and weight rooms adapted at the various minor league sites.
No team in baseball is doing this but I have no idea what sort of conditioning really works the best since I don’t do any myself.
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 All-Star Reserves
February 14, 2010
The NBA is set to announce the All-Star reserves during tonight’s TNT games but Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski got a hold of a leaked list of the 2010 NBA All-Star reserves
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors
Gerald Wallace – Charlotte Bobcats
Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks
Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference Reserves:
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz
Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks
Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Roy – Portland Blazers
It will be the All-Star debuts for seven players: Williams of Utah, Chicago’s Rose, Boston’s Rondo, Charlotte’s Wallace, Memphis Randolph, Atlanta’s Horford and Oklahoma City’s Durant.
Among the notable candidates left off the team are the Los Angeles Clippers Chris Kaman, New York Knicks David Lee and Denver Nuggets Chauncey Billups.
A Game Winner & It’s Not Kobe
Sundiata Gaines who was operating on his second 10 day contract and his fifth NBA game ever hit a last second three pointer to help the Utah Jazz in those ugly green uniforms defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-96 last night.
I apologize right now to your hears for having to listen to Reggie Miller during the video, he blows.
Dick Vitale To Announce Another NBA Game This Season
Do You Care?
Last season NBA season ESPN pulled the whole switch a roo with announcers Dick Vitale and Dan Shulman in announcing a Miami Heat-Denver Nuggets game while the three-man team of Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Mike Tirico called the Duke-Davidson game.
Well the swap was nothing special for the viewers but apparently it went well for the heads at ESPN and have planned on doing it again this January 20th. Vitale and Shulman will call Utah Jazz-San Antonio Spurs while the trio will head tobacco road for the Wake Forest-North Carolina.
Mark Cuban Speaks The Truth In Describing The NFL
O No You Didn't
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is upset that the NFL and its television partners has scheduled the Cowboys home playoff game for Saturday night.
The timing conflicts with the Mavericks home game that night. The ‘Boys take on Philadelphia Eagles at 7 p.m. (CST) in Jerry’s World while his Mavericks play at home against the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. and he anticipates a high number of no-shows. The Mavericks play Friday night at San Antonio, which eliminates the possibility of moving Saturday’s game up earlier in the day.
“I know we’re just little pissants compared to the NFL, but seriously, the NFL is turning into the ugly American when it comes to sports leagues,” Cuban said before Tuesday’s home game against Detroit. “They don’t give a crap about anybody but themselves.”
Word! Speak the truth Cuban!
Cuban continued to make his point on Twitter, pointing out that the Boston Celtics host the Toronto Raptors at 12 p.m. (CST) on Sunday, while the New England Patriots open their playoffs at home against the Baltimore Ravens… at the same time!
Cuban also made it clear that it’s not a shot at owner Jerry Jones but the league itself, a league that has never shown any interest in developing a scheduling cooperative with the NBA so each league can try to avoid overlapping.
“It’s not a Jerry Jones issue – Jerry’s great,” Cuban said. “But at some point in time, that will catch up to [the NFL] and hurt them in a big way.”
I love the NFL too but some of the NFL’s actions disgust me at times and I’ll gladly repeat myself in saying speak the truth Cuban!
Help Deron Williams Become 2010 NBA All-Star
Utah Jazz Deron Williams has hit the 2009-2010 campaign trail in trying to becoming a NBA All-Star at this years game in Dallas. Williams marks the second NBA player, behind Amare Stoudemire, to hit the campaign trail in trying to get to the great state of Texas. If you know of any other players on the trail, drop us a line.
D-Fish Forever Linked To Corey Brewer
Los Angeles Lakers Derek Fisher has had his fair share of memorable moments, er 0.4, but that’s not the case for Minnesota Timberwolves Corey Brewer. That’s all changed now for Brewer as he’s gotten his million dollar moment. How do you rank the three million dollar moments we already had in the 2009-2010 NBA season?
My order:
- Heats Dwyane Wade over Cavaliers Anderson Varejao
- Timberwolves over Lakers Derek Fisher
- Nuggets Carmelo Anthony over Jazz’s Paul Milsap
Matt Harpring Done For The Season & Possibly Career
BYE
Matt Harpring NBA career might be over, although it’s not official, one thing is and that’s his season is. Harping has fought through a lot of injuries throughout his career and lingering ankle and knee problems makes it extremely difficulty to physically perform at an NBA level.
The Georgia Tech product anticipates some day needing total knee replacement surgery as well as total ankle replacement. Not filing official retirement paperwork with the league allows him to collect the $6.5 million owed to him this season, and keeps open the possibility of his expiring contract getting used in a cost-saving trade.
Harpring who also played for Orlando, Cleveland and Philadelphia during his NBA career has been with the Jazz since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2002.
During seven seasons with Utah, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 25.8 minutes in 474 games. His best statistical season was his first with the Jazz, when he started 69 of 78 games and scored 17.6 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting and pulled down 6.6 rebounds per game.
