http://www.sportsnipe.com NBA Basketball News, Team News, Updates, and Stats from all sports sources, updated continually. http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048434/stephen-jackson-winning-wasnt-priority-for-golden-state.html by Chris TomassonFiled under: Bobcats, WarriorsMILWAUKEE -- Four months after Stephen Jackson arrived in Golden State in January 2007, the Warriors won their first playoff series in 16 years. They went 48-34 the following season, their best record in 14 years. Jackson would like to take plenty of credit for it. "The Warriors were (garbage) when I got there so look what happened,'' Jackson said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "So I love challenges.'' That's why the 10th-year swingman is ecstatic about his trade last Monday from the Warriors to Charlotte. Even though the Bobcats (3-8 entering Friday) never have made the playoffs since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 2004, Jackson believes it's "a great opportunity for me to be part of something great.'' Also: Don Nelson Opens Up About Issues with Monta Ellis Stephen Jackson: Winning Wasn't a Priority for Golden State originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048431/looking-for-respect.html by Sean Ceglinsky As we speak, at this very moment, the college basketball season is well underway, meaning conversations about who is going to end up on the ‘09-10 All-American team have already begun. And soon enough, the speculation will run rampant. From Pauley Pavilion to Cameron Indoor Stadium, the chatter is contagious. From Allen Fieldhouse to Rupp Arena, the banter is bordering on nonstop. From the Dean Smith Center to Assembly Hall, the discussions are becoming more and more heated. Interestingly enough, when the Associated Press, ESPN and all of the other media outlets from across the country released their respective pre-season selections of the best ballers in the business, there was no mention of anyone from the West Coast. Only a few of the nation's top players are perceived as All-American locks. When it comes to the first team, the consensus starting five seems to be Kansas' Cole Aldrich, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody and Duke's Kyle Singler in the frontcourt along with Oklahoma's Willie Warren and the Jayhawks' Sherron Collins in the backcourt. Fair enough. No problems with those picks. None whatsoever. Now, one could make the argument that caliber of play out west is a bit watered down these days, and thus, the lack of recognition is somewhat deserving. Wonder what our main man Cub Buenning has to say about the level of play out this way? But for argument’s sake, let's go ahead and take a look at several individuals that should be receiving attention for the All-American team, at the very least, some consideration for a spot on the second or third unit. Maybe even an honorable mention shout out. If SLAMonline doesn't give the West Coast any love, no one will. Matt Bouldin | 6-5 | G | Senior | Gonzaga He's well-rounded, capable of knocking down jumpers from the perimeter or getting to the hoop off the dribble. Unselfish, he's willing to make the extra pass or get physical underneath the basket to grab boards. There's a reason why his name is on the John R. Wooden Award watch list. He's out to prove the distinction is worthy. Patrick Christopher | 6-5 | G | Senior | Cal The Los Angeles native entertained thoughts about entering the 2009 NBA Draft before ultimately deciding to return for one last hurrah with the Golden Bears. Bet coach Mike Montgomery is more than happy to have Christopher back in the fold. A breakout effort this time around could only improve his stock in the eyes of the powers that be. Jerome Randle | 5-10 | G | Senior | Cal Randle has some serious handle, no doubt about it. He's the premier point guard in the Pac-10. Creating shots for himself, as well as others, appears effortless. His 18 points and 5 assists per game as a junior is good indication of that. Prediction: Randle will lead the conference in scoring this year. And dishing out dimes, for that matter. Nic Wise | 5-10 | G | Senior | Arizona The Wildcats are known for producing dudes who run the show, dating back to the days of Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, for those who remember those guys, along with Jason Terry, Mike Bibby, and more recently, Jerryd Bayless. Wise is just another in the long line of distributors who keeps his teammates involved. Tajuan Porter | 5-7 | G | Senior | Oregon The pint-sized play-maker can do some serious damage on the offensive end of the floor. Most remember him from his days as a freshman, back when he scored 38 points and made ten three-pointers against Portland State. Little has changed since. Porter, a four-year starter, is the leading active scorer in the Pac-10 with 1,491 career points. Quincy Pondexter | 6-6 | F | Senior | Washington As athletic as the come. Blessed with tremendous bounce off the floor and a 7-foot wing span, Pondexter plays above the rim, regardless of whether there's a defender in his way. Snatching rebounds others can't get to has become common place and blocking shots anywhere in his general vicinity simply comes with the territory. Luke Babbitt | 6-9 | F | Sophomore | Nevada Before college life, the leftie with a smooth stroke from the outside had plenty of options when it came to schools. UCLA and Kansas were among the many suitors. However, Babbitt chose to stay close to home and play for the Wolfpack in the Biggest Little City in World, less than 30 miles from his high school. In retrospect, it was a good idea. Paul George | 6-8 | F | Sophomore | Fresno St. Haven't heard about him yet? No worries, you're not alone. He might be a relative unknown on the basketball landscape now, but that's all about to change, sooner, rather than later. George possesses all the skills needed to make impact this season, and with continued improvement, we wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in the League. Malcolm Lee | 6-5 | G | Sophomore | UCLA There were many questions surrounding UCLA after its backcourt from last season, Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison, bolted for the NBA. Everyone in Westwood was hopeful that Lee would be the answer. So far, so good. Perhaps, at some down the road, he'll follow in the footsteps of his Bruin brothers and make the jump to the next level. Isaiah Thomas | 5-8 | G | Sophomore | Washington What he lacks in the height department, Thomas makes up for with a fearless approach to the game that you love to see from a floor general. Leave him alone beyond the arc and he'll bury you from way downtown. Overplay him, and he'll blow right bye you, directly to the rim. Underestimate him and he'll make you pay each and every time. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048430/will-bynum-amp62-rodney-stuckey.html by Eric Woodyard Picture this... We're at the park and we're shooting up for captains. I hit the first shot which gives me first captain and someone else hits after me which obviously gives them second captain. Among the players that we can choose from are Detroit Pistons guards Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum. Who am I going to choose with the first pick? Will Bynum! Bynum is more consistent, scrappier and a better basketball player than Rodney Stuckey. At first I thought it was just an illusion after his strong finish of the 2008-2009 season in Motown. Bynum averaged a solid 11.8 points on 46.2 percent shooting in just 19.5 minutes per contest in his first playoff series against King James and the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers of last season. While Stuckey didn't completely bow down to the Cavs, to his credit he did average 15.0 points and 5.3 assists but shot a nasty 39.3 percent from the field. In my opinion, if Bynum was given the green light that the Pistons give Stuckey than he would thrive in the same fashion. After Stuckey's first post-season season oust in the 2007-2008 season under Chauncey Billups in which he averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 assists on 37.1 percent shooting from the field, the Pistons were ready to place the franchise in Stuckey's hands. With Bynum it's different, it seems as though his performances go completely under-the-radar. For example, his 24 points and 6 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers this past Tuesday in which he shot 75%...Or how about his 27-point effort against the Dallas Mavericks the game before that on 68.8% shooting...Or even his 16 points and 4 assists against the Charlotte Bobcats on 83% shooting on Nov. 11. This man is the truth! He has mad game. "Bynumite” has a unique ability to bring the playground game to the NBA with his yo-yo handles and wet jumper that slices through the net. He brings that Chicago gritiness to the point guard position as the 6 foot (5-10 if you as me) guard steps up to the challenge to take on each of the League's elite players at his position on a nightly basis. Starting with his stupid hops, "Bynumite” will blow by you and dunk over you just like he did against the Bobcats. Then he will cross you up like he did the last fool who challenged him. Kevin Garnett challenges Will Bynum and learns his lesson Or if you are stupid enough to test his street cred then he will just prove it to you like he did on the streets of Chi or at Georgia Tech. Will Bynum GT Highlights At this point, I am almost completely sold on my opinion that Will Bynum is clearly better than Rodney Stuckey. I'm not taking away anything that Stuckey does because he is a good young talent in the NBA today but I truly feel that if Will Bynum was placed in the same role that Stuckey is currently is in than he would be more productive. The proof is not only in the statistics, but also for anyone who watches any Pistons games. Bynum always outplays Stuckey and that's the moral to the story. Through 12 games, Bynum is putting up 14.3 points and 4.2 assists on 50.4 percent shooting as opposed to Stuckey's 17.1 points and 3.8 assists on 38.7% shooting. You do the math... I would be willing to bet that my team at the park, led by Bynum, would beat that team led by Stuckey on any day. Any bets? NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047981/kings-owner-will-no-longer-operate-wnba-franchise.html The owner of the Sacramento Kings will no longer operate the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047980/fanhouse-mcgrady-adelman-fight-over-return.html NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047979/oak-speaks.html by Nick Rattner On the day that Cleveland — Charles Oakley?s hometown team — was to play at the Garden, SLAMonline got a chance to chat with the former-Knick in NYC. The plan was to get an update on one of the Knicks’ most beloved players: where he?s been and where he?s at, all with a view to where he?s going. Our conversation sprawled over a number of topics including his past, his business endeavors (including a cooking show), what?s wrong with the NBA, and what measures will bring it back to health. With characteristic charm, honesty and humor, Oak broke it all down. And if all goes according to his plan, then Oak?s hiatus from the League will only last a little while longer. Don?t sleep on Coach Oakley! This time next year, he may be on a sideline near you. The following is excerpted from a conversation Nick Rattner and Charles Oakley held in the lobby of The Ritz on Central Park South. SLAM: Are you going to the Garden tonight? Charles Oakley: Yep. SLAM: To watch LeBron or the Knicks? CO: I?m going to watch the best team. You know, the best team is the team that wins, so that?s who I?m going to watch. SLAM: What about the Giants-Chargers? CO: I like [the Charger?s] running back. He?s a great running back. I think about three years ago they lost a playoff, he wasn?t shaking nobody?s hand. Now he?s smiling. Been hurt three years. You?ve got to realize when you start getting hurt, you?re not getting three or four yards like you used to, you?ve got to look at yourself. You can?t blame the coach, the management, the line. It might be time for you to retire. Take the good with the bad, the bad with the good. Some people might say what does he know about football? I?m 6-9, 260. I can say what I want to say. SLAM: You started in football, right? CO: I was All-American in football. [And] I?m not talking about no one. I?m just talking about the game in itself. People talked about me when I was getting old. You need to retire, this and that. But it?s different. My thing is, wasn?t no guys scoring 20 or 30 points on me. Maybe I wasn?t dunking or jumping over the rim but I was still an integral part to the game. I could still hold my position. That?s the key: Can you still do your job? SLAM: What is it about sports? CO: I like football because I think always football is a game where you always have to protect yourself. And I think those guys always try to go out there and win? You can be losing but you can still play hard? Two years ago a few people, Michael and me went down played some golf in Grandover. We know Jason Terry? Jason said, ?Come on Michael, give ?em some words, some encouragement.? Michael?s a funny guy. People don?t know that. Well they probably know now after the Hall of Fame. So we go down there, [and] now it?s time for them to go in and go over their stuff? They asked him to come up and say a few good words? He just said, ?Good luck on Sunday, hey, just keep your heads up.? They had lost so many games in a row. Next thing you know, the Jets came in and beat them 51-3. I said good motivational speech, Mike. They?ll never invite you back in life because they didn?t get no encouragement from that speech. SLAM: What?d you think of his Hall of Fame speech? CO: I told him a long time ago speak your mind. They know you?re a great player. Let people know. Let them know you?re great not because you want to be great or because you worked on your game but because it was a struggle to the top. A lot of things didn?t go his way. You wouldn?t think so because he?s the best player to play basketball? He?s got a resume say he?s the greatest, he?s got a resume that says ?hey.? He had to jump over some hurdles to be great. SLAM: Would you be disappointed if he hadn?t spoken his mind? CO: At first he said he wasn?t gonna say nothing. I knew he was going to say something. A lot of us [were] in the hotel, just talking about basketball, about life, the NBA, and this moment? For me it?s a statement that you did something nobody else could accomplish along the way. Somebody might have got 10,000 rebounds but you might have got 8,000 offensive, that?s something special? And look, I told somebody on Facebook, they keep asking when the Knicks are going to retire my jersey. They probably will never retire my jersey. The only way they?ll retire my jersey is if I marry Dolan?s daughter, and I never see that happening in life. People ask me that, but I don?t know. SLAM: You want it to happen? CO: That?s tough though. They retire your jersey that?s a big statement. A lot of people telling me, since I quit from basketball, a lot of people telling me that I was as good as this, good as that. I didn?t look at myself that way. I get so many praises now. I didn?t know I was decent. I thought I was just an average player. They?re telling me I was more than average, they said I was a statement. That was a great comment, to hear that from people because I just took it as an everyday job and went to work? I was always myself, never looked for someone to give me a handout, just did it. A lot of people can?t go out with someone praising them. I wasn?t like that. I just went out and had fun, I had a good time, went everywhere, didn?t worry about this and that happening. SLAM: You never thought about being great? CO: I know I wasn?t great but I held my own. I wasn?t a 20-point-scorer. I averaged a double-double for a long period of time. SLAM: You didn?t feel recognition? CO: I didn?t play for recognition. I played to make things better, to make people happy. It wasn?t about me. SLAM: Do you see any players out there now who are true to the game that you were playing when you came into the League? CO: Kobe Bryant. Tim Duncan. Garnett?s still got some push. Shaq?s still a force? he came at an age when the game was at its all-time high. SLAM: What years would you say that was? CO: I think the game started slipping in the early 2000s? I?m not trying to blame nobody but something happened. It?s just like the economy. They saying Bush and his cabinet, two awful terms of him. Now we?re at the bottom of the rope trying to pull our way back to the top. Some time the rope gets slippy, but there?s problems no matter what you do, so hopefully this country can get back on track like it used to be in the ’80s, early ’90s. SLAM: Has the NBA shifted to hype? CO: Way more hype. They?re spending more money on marketing now than all-time because they don?t have the product. SLAM: [Jordan] knows that he got special treatment, right? CO: You know, some people say I?m going to get a manicure-pedicure… No, they came to his house. I?m going to get an oil change. Jiffy Lube, they brought a truck to his house. He said he?s gonna get his haircut, the barber comes over? Looking back you might say the man might have deserved it. But while I?m playing, no? While we?re playing he?s trying to kill me. That?s how it is. He?s trying to cross me over with a jump shot, I?m trying to hit him in the paint? SLAM: Did you ever have a night when you felt you hadn?t played hard? CO: Naw. I laid it out. I might have played bad. But the effort, the understanding of what my role was. There was some nights guys might have got 30 points but he won?t get 30 next time. Have some balls? Only some guys really got consistent numbers on us. MJ might have. Reggie Miller, maybe. A few games here and there. But he got every call. If a guy doesn?t get every call and still gets 30, something?s wrong. STATE OF THE ASSOCIATION SLAM: Is there a shift of emphasis from production to potential? CO: David Stern has too much control of the game. When you control the game like that it ain?t good for the public because of superstar calls. When you?re at a level like this, everyone?s a superstar? Why should you get a superstar call? ? Because you already said he?s a superstar? I tell Michael this all the time. You?re the best player in the game and you got all the calls, you traveled. I ain?t Barkley talking about this behind his back. We talk about this all the time. Barkley talk about [#*$@] just to be in the paper. I don?t do that. I mean? He know how much I love him as a friend. We don?t be kissing like Magic and Isaiah? but we?re friends? This is gonna be a hype story. SLAM: What do you think about Donaghy? CO: I think he got some truth, I think he?s got something to tell. It?s gonna hurt the League. There?s a lot of tricky stuff going on in the NBA. I always said that. Too many people voiced their opinion but I always voice my opinion. You can?t go from two officials to three officials. The rim?s not higher, the floor don?t change, the court don?t get any wider. The game is too controlled? Too many whistles going the wrong way. SLAM: Is money part of the problem? CO: Everything is about the dollar. When it boils down to it, it?s money, money, money. The NBA is global. That?s where the money comes from. When I came in the League, there was maybe two European players; now you?ve got probably 25-30 percent. Even though there?s more American players in the game, the money?s European. That?s why you got all these different guys from different countries? making max. If you got play in these other countries the most you can make, at the most, is $1 million. SLAM: Now they?re looking at guys in 5th grade? CO: They?re trying to be like the Europeans. They grow their players. It?s like a farm. You raise your cows, your cattle. They?re put in a program. In the U.S. they watch them, but they don?t put them in programs. AAU don?t help guys. It might help the guys but looking at it, it gives them a big head at a young age. They not really teaching the fundamentals, they just let them use what they got. If a guy can jump, put him on the floor. That?s why the Europeans always have a chance over here, because they can shoot, their fundamentals are sound. HOOPS SLAM: Do you think about basketball when you?re not around it? CO: No, not really. I play pick-up now and then. I play with the pros in the summer time. I played with Knicks about two and half months ago at their practices. I?m gonna play until I can?t hold my own. But I only play seven or eight times a year. It?s not like I?m playing every week. I stay in shape, they say they?re playing, let?s play. SLAM: So you can still handle these young guys? CO: I handle the guys I check. There may be some guys I can?t check? They might not see me again for eight months, but I always keep myself prepared. SLAM: Ever think about playing overseas? CO: If they would have called me, I would have played overseas. Two year deal. Rebound. My thing is, I can fit a shoe, still run the floor. SLAM: You would do it now? CO: I would go. COACHING SLAM: Are you interested in coming back as a player-coach? CO: [Laughs] Not a player-coach but a coach. Coach, consult and develop. You know I don?t mind doing it. I think that every team in the League needs someone around who?s been in the League who has respect, who can talk to these guys. They say the young guys are hard to talk to; I don?t think they?re hard to talk to; you just have to put the right person around them. They?ve got to respect the person around them. That?s how you get better. A lot of these guys don?t respect the players who played this game. They don?t have to respect me, but I?m not gonna let them say nothing crazy to me. My job is to try to make you understand what the team is trying to do. That?s a team. It?s not about me personally. It has nothing to do with me. So the players have to understand that if you want to get better then you?ve got to listen to someone. You?ve got to respect what someone is trying to tell you. SLAM: Do you think that?s something that can be taught? CO: It?s gonna have to be taught. They?re trying to go global and they don?t have the product for global. Europeans are more of a skilled player. U.S. guys are one-dimensional. Most of them want to dunk, can?t shoot. SLAM: Do you see any way for the NBA to get back to that? CO: They got to bring people around who understand the game, who know the game, who played the game the way the game should be played. You?ve gotta be consistent. If you don?t be consistent in what you?re trying to do you?re never going to win? Like the Yankees? Money can get you some players, but you still got to be on the same road to play together. SLAM: Where does that attitude come from? CO: You learn as you?re in the League? Coaching or no coaching, when you play against other guys that are good, you pick up things from them? You watch film, too. So you know who knows what, who don?t know? I always try to learn what the 2 and 3 do, not just a 4 and 5… I heard someone say that I can?t play the 4. I?m a 5. I mean, it?s embarrassing. ‘Cause when you?re on the court you have to be able to do two or three things anyway. So you get stuck in one position. Unless you just a 5-8 point guard, OK, I understand that. But if you?re a 2, 3, 4 or 5 you should know all other positions. SLAM: Did you ever play with another guy who?s locked in like that? CO: It?s a tough assignment. It?s like being a middle-linebacker. You have to call the plays? football is tough. You got to know a lot every play. Basketball is just easy. You?ve got to know one play. Most teams now don?t have a lot of plays. You watch games now you see the same old plays. Cleveland runs a high pick and roll about 75 percent of the time. That?s bad basketball. That means either the coach can?t coach or the players are slow. You can?t run no play 75 percent of the time. If it works or don?t work, they still run it? SLAM: Worst? CO: I can?t really say because I really don?t watch the teams like that. They?re some bad teams out there. I?m not gonna say the worst individual guy? what you need when you play this game is team defense. You?re always gonna have one bad guy on your team who can?t play team defense but the other four guys have to complement him. He might be a great scorer. SLAM: Are you happy doing what you?re doing? CO: I?m happy. I?m thinking trying to get involved in doing a big man camp next summer. Might land a job with one of these teams. Hopefully, New York or somewhere I?ve really been around. I?ve had some talks with the Bulls, Portland. SLAM: You talked to Paxson? CO: I talked to Jerry Reinsdorf, I talked to Larry Miller in Portland about working with some guys. The opportunity is there. I think it?s going to happen soon. SLAM: Next season, this season? CO: Maybe this summer. Get the big man camp running. Try to do some individual skill work with big guys, meet them for three or four days here, two or three days there, maybe twice a summer. Watch them during the season, try to tell them their strengths and weaknesses. SLAM: So you have a decent relationship with Reinsdorf? CO: I got decent relationships with everybody around the League. My thing when I played the game, I was myself. I wasn?t trying to pretend or this and that, it is what it is. Stuff happened on the court. I?m not a kiss-ass guy. That?s maybe why sometimes I met with a couple teams and they say, ?Sometimes you say stuff.? When you say the truth people listen. I?m not here trying to sugar-coat people. That may be why I?m not with a team now but when someone wants somebody real to be a part of something, I?ll get a call. Trust me. Because I know the game, they know I know the game. SLAM: What do you think of D?Antoni? CO: I don?t know the guy?The GM, President, who picked him felt that he was capable of coaching the team. But in New York, when you?re not coaching a team and winning, people are going to let you know? When you have a bad team, bad things happen. Most of the time when teams don?t win, coaches get fired… I guess he?s doin’ what he can do with what he have? Being here in New York, playing a whole decade, and knowing what people here like and want to see, I don?t think they?re seeing what they want to see. SLAM: What five guys would you want put on the floor? CO: I?m gonna build a Dream Team. I?m not just gonna take five guys and put them on the floor. I?m gonna get five guys at the best at their position. My point guard would probably be Chris Paul, Kobe the 2, LeBron the 3, Pau Gasol the 4, you need a post up, and Dwight at 5. Carmelo be my sixth man. SLAM: You think he?d be all right with that? CO: I?m not trying to make no one happy. You asked me who would be my five. That?s the thing. He have to be alright, if I ain?t say his name what can he do? SLAM: Of coaches you?ve played for, who would you model yourself after? CO: Butch Carter was a great coach. A great offensive coach? probably one of the best X and O coaches I?ve ever played for? if LeBron had a coach like Butch Carter, he?d have a couple rings right now? Don Nelson is great for the guys now but I?d want to be more of a Pat Riley. You?ve still got to be grounded. Don Nelson wins games but I don?t know if his players get it on both ends. Pat Riley gets it on both ends? Some coaches don?t tell a guy nothing? You can be a good coach on a bad team but you?re still have to have your team ready to do it no matter. You might get blown out but you?re team has to have some integrity about winning? It?s all about effort. SLAM: Who?s on the Dream Team sidelines? CO: Guys who know the game but might not get a lot of credit for knowing the game. I like Pete Myers in Chicago. He?s a great assistant up there. He played with Chicago. He knows how to get the players going, he knows the game. My thing is seeing guys up and talking to players? I?d like to see guys who played the game. You go to Cleveland you like to see Larry Nance on the bench. You go to Philly, you see Maurice Cheeks. Anybody who played with them on that team, when a player comes out of the game he can go ask him about this and that. So many coaches never played basketball at a high level, so how can you ask them about something in the heat of battle. They don?t know. In the heat of the battle it?s hard for coaches to communicate with players. You see them drawing plays up. COOKING, CUISINE, CARDS SLAM: So this cooking show, how?d that come together? CO: Well when I first got into the League I was staying by myself in Chicago. The next year by myself. We used to get together play spades, talk, cook some fried wings. Spaghetti. Salads. Then I started making sliders. Macaroni salads. Saut�ed carrots. Went from there started making pasta. The meatloaf, the potatoes, string beans, macaroni and cheese. SLAM: Where?d you learn? CO: Just learned, on my own. My mother is a great cook. I just learned. I go to a restaurant, if I don?t know something I just ask. SLAM: You?ve got a feeling for it? CO: Oh, I got a good feeling for it. I can make anything taste good. That?s the key. I?m not fancy? if something cooks?when I get in the kitchen? I can do most anything. Breakfast, lunch, salads. I can put it together. I?m pretty crafty in the kitchen. SLAM: How many people do you prefer to cook for? CO: Twenty, 40, 50, whatever. Oh, yeah. SLAM: What?s your main spot [in NYC]? CO: I?m really picky. Four Seasons have great lunch, great lunch. I don?t eat room service. SLAM: So if you?re meeting up with old friends? CO: According to who I meet up with. I meet with MJ and we out of town he?s gonna want a nice dinner so we?re going to go to a nice place. Some people, we just go to wherever. Not saying that he?s more special than the other friends. Some people aren?t on his level because everything he does is first class. I?ve been around him 25 years, I know what his style is. You know, a quiet place, good food, good wine, kick back. SLAM: You play cards? Poker? CO: I love poker. They tried to get me in a couple poker shows. I had an idea when I was in Washington in ‘00-01, or 2002 I think. Whenever we was in Washington that last year with the Wizards. I told MJ and some friends that we should do a poker show. It would concern six guys, doing their regular, everyday work. We meet up, I cook the meal. We talk and mess. Eat dinner. Then we all put masks on and play poker. SLAM: Masks? CO: Yeah, but we?ll be talking mess while we?re playing. Get chips, buy in. You know, tape it. It was just something fun. So people wouldn?t know who was playing. They?d probably figure it out. It was just something different. THE FUTURE SLAM: Would you say you?re a businessman now? CO: Slash businessman. You know, just trying to keep living, everyday, life, keep building the portfolio. SLAM: What?s your business plan? CO: I?m trying to go global. SLAM: So as a business man can you fault the NBA? CO: I don?t fault no one. I love the game. It aint?t shorting me, it?s shorting your fans and your country. Your product. In the U.S., we sell our soul in a lot of business, not just the NBA. It is what it is. I guess it just comes with the territory. We?ve been behind the 8 ball now we?re behind the 10 ball. SLAM: Are we gonna get back up to the 9-ball? CO: We keeping it even, though. Eight, 10, next will be 12? but I hope it goes back down to 6. I don?t know? but I think the players will get locked out next year. SLAM: Parting words? CO: They say I got traded because I said some things in Chicago. I played hard, I deserve to speak my mind. It is what it is. I?m laid back. You don?t live but once. When I die they gonna dig me up and say, ?OK.? If they dig me up, they?re gonna take my casket and sell it to someone else. Now, if they?re talking about me they really must have no story to write. But people might like to hear someone who?s always going to be truthful. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047888/kings-owner-will-no-longer-operate-wnba-franchise.html The owner of the Sacramento Kings will no longer operate the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047887/revamped-spurs-stumble-to-46-mark-ap.html So much for the revamped San Antonio Spurs so far. For the first time in the Tim Duncan era, the Spurs have a losing record at the 10-game mark following three straight losses and injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (MAN'-oo jih-NOH'-blee). The Spurs fell to 4-6 after losing at home Thursday night to Utah, which won in San Antonio for the first time in 10 years. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047886/perfect-team-warkentien-best-gm-to-build-machine.html Ken Berger will spend several Fridays building his perfect team, but it isn't an All-Star team. There's a salary cap to consider. The GM who could best make it work is Denver's Mark Warkentien. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047885/wnba-folds-in-sacramento-seeks-bay-area-owner-for-2010.html by Michelle SmithFiled under: Kings, WNBAThe WNBA announced Friday afternoon that the Sacramento Monarchs, one of the league's original eight franchises, is folding and that the league is actively pursuing an ownership group for the team in the San Francisco Bay Area in time for the 2010 season. Joe and Gavin Maloof have owned and operated the Monarchs, but financial losses from their ownership of the NBA's Sacramento Kings forced them to give up the WNBA team. "We love the Monarchs, but it's time to re-focus," Joe Maloof told the Sacramento Bee. "Everyone in this business environment ... you have to do what has to be done. Our focus is to turn the Kings around."WNBA Folds in Sacramento, Seeks Bay Area Owner for 2010 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047884/echoes-eddy-curry.html (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Eddy Curry has lost so much weight he's almost unrecognizable. (He's the one in the headband.) By Henry Abbott He has only played 11 minutes, but as Chris Sheridan just explained, slimmed-down Knick big man Eddy Curry is already playing a pivotal role in the Knicks' thought process about Allen Iverson. Curry could also play a pivotal role in helping to unravel a couple of NBA mysteries. The first mystery is obvious. When will the misery end for Knick fans? The team David Stern, and a zillion other people, grew up loving, has lost all sparkle. The Knicks are a miserable team hoping to use the city of New York and Cablevision's deep pockets (anything but the roster) to lure a top free agent this summer. However, if Eddy Curry can prove he's a desirable NBA player, the Knicks' whole situation changes dramatically -- either because they'll have another quality player at a key position, or because they'll be able to trade his hefty contract and bring in more talent. The other mystery is William Wesley. What does he do? I spent ages poking around that issue. Curry's recent life is a bit of an answer. Curry has had every problem a person could have. Murder in the family. Accusations of misconduct. Financial problems. A career in shambles. Health problems. Weight problems. Enter William Wesley. The story has been told many places, but the basics are in Alan Hahn's training camp report from Newsday: William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley was in attendance yesterday, marking the second straight year the well-connected attache to many NBA stars (including LeBron James) has been present at Knicks camp. Wesley has an interest in Curry's progress, of course. He is the one who set Curry up with strength coach Tommy Weatherspoon and basketball trainer Jerry Powell to work with Curry this summer. For most of June, Curry stayed at Wesley's home outside of Detroit. What does Wesley do? He's integral to a lot of things, arranging mortgages, arranging trades, arranging jobs for coaches and a whole lot more. But he's also, clearly, something of a camp counselor for people like Curry, and the Knicks have placed a ton of trust in him. Everything changes if Wesley's work pays off. He'll be hailed as a genius. The Knicks will swell with pride. If it doesn't ... then the joylessness you have seen on the court so far is what the Knicks will be. As Hahn points out, Wesley is also famously close with LeBron James (and, complicating things somewhat, Allen Iverson). If the Knicks and Wesley can have success together in resurrecting the career of Eddy Curry, the good vibes that come along with that couldn't hurt the free agent conversation next summer. In the meantime, Donnie Walsh and William Wesley will be watching Curry closely, knowing they both have a lot at stake. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047883/bruce-bowen-on-dirty-play.html By Henry Abbott Here's a fun little project I'd like your help with:  Let's name the NBA's twenty all-time dirtiest players. I have a brainstorm list working, but I'd like your ideas, your anecdotes, your YouTube links ... To get you in the mood, here is the recently retired Bruce Bowen, talking to HoopsTV about his own reaction when people call him a dirty player: When people said that it allowed me to understand that they weren't necessarily competing. See, you never heard Michael Jordan call someone dirty. Even though, the Pistons during that time were hard fouling him, he never called them dirty. ... The true competitors of the game, they just compete. They don't say anything about anyone else, they just compete, and that's what it's all about. So, if I were ever to complain about something, say if someone pushed off to create space, is that person dirty for pushing off to get their shot? I don't think so. So it's all a matter of whose saying this and you go from there. You take it with a grain of salt and you keep it moving. He adds: A few coaches have said, yeah Bruce is dirty if you're playing against him, but he's a player that you'd love to have, and that's all that matters to me. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047564/arash-markazi-bosh-does-heavy-lifting-for-raptors.html With free agency calling and a rebuilt roster around him, Chris Bosh has focused on becoming a leader. Will it get Toronto to the playoffs or send Bosh packing? asks Arash Markazi. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047563/ian-thomsen-gospel-popovich-spreading-wide-across-nba.html No one in the NBA may have a greater influence on the league than Gregg Popovich. SI.com's Ian Thomsen examines how the Spurs and their coach have reshaped how teams are run. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047107/michael-jordan-thankful-but-says-others-just-as-worthy-jersey-retirement.html If the NBA were to retire Michael Jordan's No. 23 league-wide, the newly inducted Hall of Famer says there are several more players just as worthy of the distinction. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047106/knicks-will-pass-on-chance-to-sign-iverson.html The New York Knicks won't sign Allen Iverson, believing any short-term gain would hinder their plans to build for the future. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046962/day-24-170-peja-lives.html Line of the Night: Peja Stojakovic (0.88). Left for dead through the first two weeks of the season, the Chris Paul injury left the Hornets in desperate need of someone with even a minimal ability to create some offense. Well, as long as his shot is falling, Peja is the man for that job. In a 110-103 win over the Suns, Peja was stroking it hard and he finished the game with 7 threes, scoring 25 points and adding 13 rebounds. As long as Paul remains out, the Hornets are going to be Peja's team. And if that doesn't scare you Hornets' fans, you really might want to get yourself evaluated. Honorable Mentions: Straight off his dramatic CSI appearance, Pau Gasol (0.85) returned for the Lakers yesterday and jumped right into mid-season form with 24 points and 13 boards (Lamar Odom (-0.09) had an 11 and 8 in 26 minutes off the bench and – surprise, surprise – looks to be the guy hurt the most from Gasol's return); Andrei Kirilenko (0.69) continues his walk down rejuvenation lane with 13 points, 8 boards and 3 steals in 33 minutes off the bench for the Jazz. Waiver Wire Line of the Night: Jared Dudley (0.87). This much I know. There were not a lot in the way of great waiver wire performances in last night's three games. In fact, Dudley's 17 points off 5-6 shooting from three was just about the only one. The 27 minutes and the 5 threes were both on the high end of Dudley's year-to-date performance and he's a little too inconsistent to rely on in the majority of leagues out there. The Biggest Loser: I'm not a Bulls fan or own him in any leagues, and yet Luol Deng (-0.44) still frustrates the hell out of me. I'd rather just move on. At first glance, David West's (-0.16) line looks horrible, but he sort of salvaged his 2-11 shooting night with 5 assists and a steal. At least that's what you can tell yourself if you own the guy. All Eyez on Me: Cleveland (8-4) at Indiana (5-4) - With Shaq likely to miss the rest of the week with a shoulder injury, Zydrunas Ilgauskas becomes a viable short-term play. LeBron tweaked his wrist on a dunk in the Cavs last game, but should be ready to play tonight. Orlando (9-3) at Boston (9-3) - Eastern conference finals preview? Maybe, although the Magic just lost PG Jameer Nelson for the next 4-6 weeks after he got surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. If you're in need of a non-scoring PG, Jason Williams is worth an add in his absence for as long as the veteran can stay healthy. The Golden Ticket: Portland (9-4) at Golden State (3-8) - The Warriors are currently rolling 8 deep thanks to all their current injuries, and yet Don Nelson is still finding a way not to play Anthony Randolph (24 minutes in the Warriors' last game). Instead, Vlad Rad got the start and a good 28 minutes. *** Dont miss a day of the Fantasy NBA. Subscribe to Give Me The Rock  right now. You can also get bonus (and easily digestible) content by following GMTR on Twitter, or join the Give Me The Rock Room on FriendFeed to get posts, Twitters, and Midnight Snacks all in one place. You can even become a fan of GMTR on Facebook! We’re so social! What Are People Talking About? NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046961/knicks-will-pass-on-chance-to-sign-iverson.html The New York Knicks won't sign Allen Iverson, believing any short-term gain would hinder their plans to build for the future. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046960/undertheradar-additions-providing-major-value.html They weren't the splashiest offseason acquisitions, but these players are making big impacts for their new teams, Randy Hill says. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046959/knicks-decide-against-offer-to-iverson.html GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Knicks have decided not to pursue Allen Iverson. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046958/nelson-opens-up-about-issues-ellis.html by Matt SteinmetzFiled under: WarriorsWarriors coach Don Nelson doesn't give a lot up to the media these days. He's acknowledged losing interest in the daily give-and-take with the team's beat writers and looks to end his postgame press conferences as quickly as he can. Nelson has said, though, that he likes doing radio because it's a way to speak directly to the fans. To that end, Nelson had one of his most open exchanges on Thursday while speaking on his weekly radio show on KNBR.Nelson Opens Up About Issues With Ellis originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046957/how-eddy-curry-helped-doom-chances-iverson-to-knicks.html By Chris Sheridan GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Eleven minutes of Eddy Curry helped doom the possibility of 71 games of Allen Iverson. That was one of the nuggets of information revealed by Knicks president Donnie Walsh this afternoon as he explained New York's decision to pass on the opportunity to sign unrestricted free agent Allen Iverson. Curry played 11 minutes Wednesday night in the Knicks' victory in Indiana, and Walsh said the continued rehabilitation and re-integration of Curry -- along with the fear that Iverson would take minutes away from the young players the Knicks are trying to develop -- impacted the decision. "That's part of it, because Eddy is now on the team and we've got to develop a lot of attention to Eddy from a franchise standpoint, because he went out there in 11 minutes and I thought actually changed the game in a lot of ways. Their big guys were having their way with us, which big men do because David (Lee) is not a natural center, and when Eddy went in -- just the fact that he could take the ball and go at them -- I could see they went back on their heels and they weren't the same after that no matter who was playing. I thought he helped us win the game right there. He's got a lot of talent, he's got great size, you can see he's worked on his body tremendously, so yeah, Eddy is a guy we're very high on, and we wanted to work with him."   NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046956/beef-marv-albert-vs-50-cent.html This is an amazing story. I hope Marv releases a diss record soon: “On Wednesday, Albert was a guest on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” show. The musical star was rapper 50 Cent. As Albert arrived, with an entourage of one, TNT public relations specialist Jeff Pomeroy, there was a sudden scuffle when a multitude of 50 Cent protectors seemed unfamiliar with Albert. There was shouting (’It’s Marv Albert,’ yelled a Kimmel show guard, a pronouncement that seemed to have no effect on the 50 Cent phalanx.) There were obscenities. A fist or two flying. A ‘Don’t you put your hands on me” pronouncement. And finally Albert made it to his waiting room, relatively unruffled but slightly puzzled. ‘Did you see that?’ Albert said. ‘I thought they were kidding, but then I realized they weren’t.”‘ NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046955/slam-99.html Originally published in SLAM 99 The 6th Man: This is Maurice Evans, Detroit Pistons reserve swingman and currently one of our favorite NBA players. We like Mo for a couple of reasons: One, because with the build, the baldie, the single-digit uniform number and the penchant for emphatic dunks, he reminds us a lot of former Pistons backup (and SLAM favorite) Darvin Ham; and two, because someone recently sent us a link from the Detroit Free Press in which the Pistons beat writer asked different players what they liked to read. And Maurice said, "I like SLAM Magazine; that's one that appeals to us as basketball players.” Around the same time, we got a link for a Virginia newspaper that ran a Q&A with VA prep standout Duke Crews. Asked to name his favorite magazine, DC spit the plain truth: "SLAM. It's the best basketball magazine. Anything that's going on in basketball, you'll catch in there.” For the record, this came after we ran Duke in Punks a few months back, so you can't even call it brownnosing. But then, we knew there was a reason we liked this kid…Anyway, the moment that brought all this together came a few days later, when our ever-helpful friends at the McDonald's All-American Game passed along the following: Of the 48 players responding to the same topic in the MickeyD's player questionnaire, we were told, "All but one or two of them picked SLAM. They love you guys.” The feeling, of course, is mutual. The truth, if it isn't embarrassingly obvious? We're feeling ourselves. As much as anything, it probably stems from the hours we've already spent (and the next few weeks we're about to spend) working on SLAM 100. Looking back on 12 years of our history, and the past decade-plus of the game itself, has been pretty cool. We've seen, documented and been a part of a lot of incredible moments, and it's hard not to be proud of our role in covering (and, every so often, influencing) the game and the culture it represents. In that sense, the shout-outs simply serve to confirm what we already knew. It's worth noting here that SLAM 100 is gonna be crazy. Seriously. Be ready. All that said-and pardon us as we get in touch with our inner Kanye-there's a flipside to our foolish pride. It's about humility. It's about the people we cover, the ones who fill out our editorial space, actually appreciating us. As a magazine, we exist to pay respect to those who play the game at the highest level-a level that inspires us to keep playing, keep watching, keep dreaming. Whether you're a high school star, an NBA role player or just a playground fiend who'll never get closer to the NBA than your LeaguePass subscription, you're the reason we do this. We're about you, and as long as you're inspired to pick us up every month, we'll keep trying to do something right. And maybe, after 100 drops, we'll get over ourselves… Peace, Ryan Jones NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046344/bucks-bogut-sidelined-24-weeks-leg-strain.html MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut will be out for two to four weeks with a left leg injury. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046343/williams-plead-deal-hearing-delayed-indefinitely.html NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Retired NBA star Jayson Williams will not be in a New Jersey courtroom Friday to enter a plea in the 2002 shooting death of a hired driver. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046326/1987-nba-draft-remix.html by Jeff Fox It is a widely held belief that the three best NBA drafts in history were 1984, 1996 and 2003. Well we’d like to nominate 1987 as the most underrated draft and a place in the top five drafts of all-time. Just look at the three names at the top of this remix — David Robinson, Scottie Pippen and Reggie Miller. All three of these guys would rank higher than the No. 1 player in the majority of the drafts we’ve remixed up to this point.  All three guys are locks for the Hall of Fame (with Robinson already enshrined). And the rest of the draft wasn’t too shabby either, with four other players making All-Star teams. And if Reggie Lewis and Sarunas Marciulionis had had longer careers, this draft would have been even stronger. This should also be remembered as the most important draft in Chicago Bulls history — even moreso than 1984. That is because there is no way Michael Jordan would have won all his titles without the two teammates the Bulls brought home from the 1987 Draft. 1987 NBA Draft Grade: A All-Stars: 7 (David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Kevin Johnson, Horace Grant, Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Reggie Lewis) Biggest Bust: Dennis Hopson, New Jersey, pick No. 3 Late Round Steal: Sarunas Marciulionis, Golden State, pick No. 127 (round six) Winning Team (in the long run): Chicago Bulls (Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant) Career Scoring Leader: Reggie Miller Career Rebounding Leader: David Robinson Career Assist Leader: Mark Jackson Pick No. 1 | San Antonio Spurs Actual Selection: David Robinson Draft 365 Remix: David Robinson (1) David Robinson has the honor as the first Hall of Fame member to grace a Draft 365 Remix. The Admiral had about as good of a career as any player could ever imagine — two NBA titles, two blocked shots and rebounding titles, a scoring title, the 1995 MVP award, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, 10-time All-Star, eight All-Defensive Team and 10 All-NBA appearances. You could say he had a dream career — if not for The Dream. Pick No. 2 | Phoenix Suns Actual Selection: Armon Gilliam Draft 365 Remix: Scottie Pippen (5) If teammate Michael Jordan was the G.O.A.T., then Scottie Pippen is the Greatest Second Banana of All-Time (with the possible exception of early-career Kobe). MJ wouldn’t have gotten his six rings without Pippen riding shotgun — there was nothing the man couldn’t do on the court. A seven-time All-Star and All-NBA member, he was also a stingy defender, making 10 All-Defensive Teams. And he showed during Jordan’s retirement years that he could survive without Mike, coming third in MVP voting in 1994. Pick No. 3 | New Jersey Nets Actual Selection: Dennis Hopson Draft 365 Remix: Reggie Miller (11) There is not too many draft classes that Reggie Miller would be ranked behind two other players, showing how strong 1987 really was. Cheryl’s little brother pretty much only excelled at two things on the court — scoring and running his mouth — but he was an assassin at both. The NBA’s reigning three-point champ, he’s also 13th all-time in scoring. Pick No. 4 | Los Angeles Clippers Actual Selection: Reggie Williams Draft 365 Remix: Kevin Johnson (7) The mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson had a borderline Hall of Fame career (he probably didn’t quite do enough to make it in though). A three-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA honoree, KJ’s first three full seasons in Phoenix were incredible — he never averaged less than 20 points or 10 assists per game. Oh, and he could jump a little bit. Pick No. 5 | Seattle Supersonics Actual Selection: Scottie Pippen Draft 365 Remix: Horace Grant (10) Overlooked because of his Hall of Fame teammates (Pippen and Jordan in Chicago, Shaq in Orlando), Horace “Goggles” Grant was a key cog in the Bulls championship teams. Despite never posting flashy stats, he’s the fifth leading scorer in this draft class and second in rebounding, he made an All-Star team and became a permanent fixture on the All-Defensive Team (four appearances). Pick No. 6 | Sacramento Kings Actual Selection: Kenny Smith Draft 365 Remix: Mark Jackson (18) No, Mark Jackson isn’t ranked this high just because he is a certain Editor-in-Chief at SLAM’s favorite player. And he certainly isn’t ranked this high due to his skills on the mic. No, Mark Jackson earned this spot on the list with his play of the court — in his 17-year career he was an All-Star, the Rookie of the Year and dished out more assists than anyone not named Stockton (but Jason Kidd will be passing - excuse the pun - him any day now). Pick No. 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers Actual Selection: Kevin Johnson Draft 365 Remix: Reggie Lewis (17) A high school teammate of fellow 1987 first round picks Muggsy Bogues and Reggie Williams, Reggie Lewis was passed the torch as the Celtics franchise player from Larry Bird. And Lewis didn’t disappoint — making the All-Star team in 1992 and averaging over 20 ppg in 1992 and 1993 before his heart gave out on him during a summer hoops workout. He was 27 years old. Pick No. 8 | Chicago Bulls Actual Selection: Olden Polynice Draft 365 Remix: Derrick McKey (9) A forgotten, yet important, piece on some very good Seattle and Indiana teams, Derrick McKey was a dependable scorer (eight-straight years averaging double digits) and solid defender (two All-Defensive Team appearances). Pick No. 9 | Seattle SuperSonics Actual Selection: Derrick McKey Draft 365 Remix: Kenny Smith (6) Before he was a talking head, Kenny Smith was a very solid NBA player, winning two rings with Houston and even getting MVP votes in 1991. Pick No. 10 | Chicago Bulls Actual Selection: Horace Grant Draft 365 Remix: Armen Gilliam (2) History shows that Armen Gilliam (no, the spelling of his name earlier in this story isn’t wrong — he was “Armon” when he was drafted before changing it to “Armen”) wasn’t a wise choice at pick no. 2, but he still was a solid pro, scoring in double figures 10 out of his 13 seasons. And “The Hammer” is a killer nickname. Barely missed the Top 10 Remix: Muggsy Bogues, Ken Norman, Reggie Williams, Olden Polynice. Next on the Remix: The tragic 1986 NBA draft. Read more of Jeff Fox at The Hoops Manifesto. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046325/taking-off-training-wheels.html by Sean Sweeney When someone thinks about the Lakers, normally the first person that comes to mind is Kobe. Then Phil Jackson. Maybe Ron Artest, Jerry Buss or the Laker Girls. There aren't too many people, even fans, who think Andrew Bynum when they talk about the purple and gold. There is this attitude out there that the just-turned 22-year-old is a decent young player, albeit one that can't stay healthy. Others would call him overrated, another young kid whose injuries are used as an excuse. But check out his numbers through the first 10 games this season: over 19 points, 12 rebounds and almost 2 blocks a game. Those are All-Star numbers, Tim Duncan-type numbers. Even though comparing the Big Fundamental with the Big Knee Brace is asinine, Andrew Bynum could be your starting Western Conference center February 14 in Dallas. Let me repeat: he turned 22 four days before Halloween. This is the third straight November everyone has heard it: Bynum is starting to get comfortable and develop. If he keeps this up...L.A. is unbeatable. Everyone knows what happened after that. In 2008, the Green Machine, with KG bullying Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, jumped the Bynum-less Lakers. Last year, Bynum did return for the playoffs but had little impact. The Lakers won anyway. Bynum is having his annual early season breakout again, but this one feels different. Before, most of his offense came on lobs from Bryant or dump-downs from one of the versatile bigs. Now, he is ripping rebounds away from everyone, even his own teammates. He is trying to perfect that old Shaq spin move. And he's hitting running hooks with both hands. Thanks, Kareem. Last week in Denver, while the rest of the Lakers were busy taking their usual one-night-a-week off and even Kobe was shooting air balls against Arron Afflalo, Bynum was putting in work. He wasn't content to concede the game, staying true to early season claims that he was going to get up and down the court quickly enough to get position. Most importantly, he wasn't standing around looking for 24 to bail them out. It was a new Bynum. Not excited about a good five-minute stretch or a dunk anymore, he was building something even in defeat. Bynum has stated several times that he wants to be an all-star this year. Right now, his waves are gaining steam, ready to splash down on everything. You know things are changing fast when Stu Lantz is pleading, "You've got to feed him the ball!” four or five times a game. There are a lot of potentially dominant big guys in the League. Most of them will never materialize. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Perhaps many of them were babied as kids, too large for advice but big enough to slip by. Bynum seems different. He's not an animal like Garnett or an explosive athlete like Dwight Howard. He's a finesse cat. But, he has length and touch. And a work ethic. Kobe's teammates will always be measured against his will and determination. It's a lost situation. The Machine better concentrate on making open jumpers first. But, based on Bynum's work with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during his first few years, he deserves credit for making himself better. Hardly anyone will agree that parting ways with the Laker legend was a good thing, but everyone can see Bynum soaked in a lot. Every season, he has come back with a softer touch around the hoop and this year he is even hitting short turnaround jumpers. His footwork is much better now and that's a case not only of the Hall of Famer showing him how to seal on the drop step, but also the mental maturation of the young pivot. The Lakers described the separation between the two as just a natural progression. No one can count on Bynum to be a force every night when he still has a baby sitter. The team needs him to be a big boy now. Anyone who plays for the Lakers has to know the history of the NBA's preeminent franchise. There are only a few other teams where role players can become icons. You can bet Odom was thinking about Michael Cooper and Jamaal Wilkes, great players who became greater by being a part of championship teams, when he re-signed this summer. Surely, Bynum knows the names Mikan, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar and O'Neal. Their history, like a lot of stuff in the organization, is about rings, scoring records and Top 50 proclamations. All of those guys are all-timers and all four of them will inevitably have some of their Laker records taken by Bynum. Given the progress he's already made, don't be so quick to discount the St. Joseph High School product. He's just improving too fast. Bynum probably still remembers his sick pivot and slam on one of Shaq's returns to Los Angeles as his NBA arrival. Back then, he was just a teenager, galloping around as if he was just learning what his 7-foot body could do. Now, he's the NBA's biggest enigma. A star? Not yet, but oh so close. Important piece? Hell yes. The baby-faced Bynum may ultimately decide who walks away with the championship in June. Will he continue his progression towards the All-NBA team? Or will he fail to step up his game in the playoffs, tapping out like he did last year amidst rust and injury? Bynum's ultimate test would be Lakers and Celtics. And at 22, southern California is asking him to be their Clydesdale. When people start thinking about the Lakers, they better start mentioning Bynum as a centerpiece. He's going to make sure of that. Just hope the Lakers hold him out whenever they play the Grizzlies. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045884/game-notes-bulls-at-lakers.html by John Krolik Pre-game, Phil Jackson says he doesn’t see any potential problems with Gasol coming back into the lineup, even though he’s had very little on-court with the Lakers. He also has this classic exchange with a Laker TV guy about the Bulls’ annual “circus trip”: “This road trip, it’s given them some tremendous problems over the years.” “Even when you were there?” “No.” – During the game, Gasol makes his presence felt immediately, snagging the first of his 7 offensive boards and tipping in a miss for the Lakers’ first basket. Not only is Gasol a tremendous offensive rebounder, but the fact he never brings the ball down makes him a force when he gets the ball near the basket. – Los Angeles wins the first quarter 25-19 despite Kobe, the League’s best first-quarter scorer thus far, going 1-5 from the field. Not only does this bode badly for the Bulls, but the rest of the League might be in trouble. – Ten points for Gasol in the first 6 minutes of the game. He doesn’t look too rusty. – Great moment early in the game: Joakim Noah has the ball at the elbow. Andrew Bynum is playing off of him. They stare at each other, and Bynum makes it clear that he has no intention of closing out on Noah. They stare at each other for a few seconds, and Noah finally drains a UFO jumper. “I’ll give you that shot” happens in the NBA. – Another playground basketball note about Noah-he will occasionally close out on people while yelling at the top of his lungs to try and distract them. Absolutely hilarious. – Derrick Rose cannot buy a layup. He goes 2-11 from the field in the first half, with a lot of his misses at the basket after double-clutch, whirling dervish attempts. No whistles, and no buckets. – Bynum has some trouble with the lack of space and Noah’s pesky defense, rushing some shots in the post and finishing 5-12 from the field. It’ll be interesting to see if this is just an adjustment or a symptom of Gasol and Bynum’s strengths overlapping. – Kobe didn’t have his best game from the field, but was passing the ball beautifully, finding the open man from the post and finishing with 8 assists. His passing’s fallen off a bit this year, but with his full roster around him he looks like he’s ready to pick apart some defenses. – Kobe also passes Kareem for second all-time on the Laker scoring list in this game-a great moment, and an amazing achievement. Now only Jerry West has scored more points in a Laker uniform than Kobe. – The 2nd unit looks completely transformed with Odom coming off of the bench. – When Rose struggles from the field, the Bulls really struggle to get points. It’s a lot of one-on-one play, and with Deng struggling from the field, the Bulls just never got into an offensive flow. – Hinrich played shooting guard alongside Rose in the 2nd quarter. Normally, I’m a big proponent of undersized shooting guards, but Kobe is one of the few guys in the League who can kill an undersized 2-guard. He takes Hinrich to the post every single time, and Kirk ends up with a game low -20 +/- in only 26 minutes. – If you’re wondering whether or not members of major publications give each other crap about how many twitter followers they have, the answer is a resounding “yes.” By the way, twitter and live-blogging make press row feel completely different from only a season ago. – Brad Miller honestly thinks he’s the world’s tallest point guard. Another good moment was the first time he went to the line-a small contingent of Laker fans booed him because he played with the early-decade Kings, while most of the building just didn’t care all that much. – Bright spot for the Bulls-the ultra-long rookie James Johnson blocked a Kobe jumper, which almost never happens, and used his length to get a post-up basket just before garbage time officially began. He’s got some tools. – After the game, Kobe says the Lakers “Didn’t miss a beat” with Pau Gasol back into the lineup. Considering the Lakers won an NBA championship the last time Gasol officially suited up as a Laker, the rest of the League should be very afraid right now. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045883/iverson-will-become-knick.html by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni In the last week, all indications seemed to point to Allen Iverson becoming a New York Knickerbocker. Donnie Walsh was said to be on the verge of pulling the trigger on the deal … and then, nothing. According to several reports this morning, the Knicks have decided not to pursue The Answer. Which means that Allen is still an unrestricted free agent, without a team. The NY Times has the details: In an abrupt reversal, Knicks officials decided late Thursday not to offer Iverson a contract, putting an end to their brief flirtation, according to a person close to the deliberations. Although team officials were highly intrigued by Iverson, a four-time scoring champion, they finally decided that he posed too great a risk because of his long history of problems on and off the court. Team officials spent three days weighing the potential merits and pitfalls of signing Iverson, and alternately talked themselves into and then out of making the move … By Thursday afternoon it appeared that the Knicks were fully committed to taking the gamble, with one person close to the team saying there was a 90 percent chance that Iverson would become a Knick. But team officials held one more discussion on the matter Thursday evening and decided to drop it, according to the person close to the deliberations. Man, if even the Knicks (a team that has a total of two wins so far this season, and one of the most dysfunctional sports franchises in recent history) think you’re too big of a gamble to take, it might be time to re-evaluate things. The sad saga of Allen Iverson continues, with no happy ending in sight. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045617/bucks-center-bogut-out-24-weeks-leg-injury.html Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut will be out for two to four weeks with a left leg injury. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045615/fanhouse-mcgrady-adleman-fight-over-return.html NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045607/bosh-wants-your-respect-recognition.html CB4 is tired of putting in the work, and yet continuing to be overlooked: “Seems Bosh has an ego after all. And it’s driving him. ‘Every day I turn on the TV and they’re talking about guys, especially my draft class, ‘03 draft class, and this and that,’ he said. ‘They keep bringing up all these and I never hear my name, unless I’m like second honourable mention or something like that. I got tired of that. I don’t even think people know I’ve made all-star teams or know what I’ve done in this league.’ This is the new - vastly improved - Bosh talking, a guy with more consistent determination, greater bulk and numbers that place him among the very best in the NBA right now.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045410/get-ready-for-happy-sunny-svg.html Dwight Howard wants Stan to find his happy place. If such a place exists: “The fiery, demanding Van Gundy confirmed that he met with Howard, who was speaking on behalf of the team. ‘I think, as a team, there was a lot of negativity and it’s not like Stan’s a negative guy,’ Howard said before the Magic left for Boston to face the Celtics on Friday night. ‘But it’s like there’s always some clashes and focusing so much on our mistakes. Instead of bringing each other down, we have to pull each other up. That’s the only thing I wanted from coach.’ Van Gundy told the Sentinel that his negativity was ‘draining the enthusiasm’ from his team. He vowed to change his tactics — from practices to press conferences to the bench on game nights — after listening to Howard’s concerns. The meeting occurred some time prior to the team’s Wednesday morning shoot-around.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045406/jayson-williams-hearing-delayed-indefinitely.html Former NBA star Jayson Williams won't enter plea Friday in the 2002 killing of his limo driver, and a judge has delayed the hearing indefinitely. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045403/jayson-williams-plea-hearing-delayed-indefinitely.html Retired NBA star Jayson Williams will not be in a New Jersey courtroom Friday to enter a plea in the 2002 shooting death of a driver. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045396/sonny-vaccaro-brandon-jennings-broke-mold-part-two.html By Henry Abbott Yesterday, Sonny Vaccaro explained why he feels defensive about Brandon Jennings. Jennings, says Vaccaro, has endured criticism -- and perhaps was drafted artificially low -- as punishment for playing his post-high school year playing professionally in Italy, instead of paying his dues to the powers that be in NCAA basketball. The way people talked about Jennings leading up to the draft does suggest opinion-makers weren't at all sure what to make of the player who has been the shining star of the rookie class in the season's early going. Vaccaro is a powerful basketball insider, who has played a pivotal role in the careers of may top basketball players, from Kobe Bryant to O.J. Mayo. In the second installment of the conversation, Vaccaro discusses getting to know a young Brandon Jennings, a fateful meeting in an Italian restaurant, and how Jennings came to the decision to skip college. Do you have a favorite Brandon Jennings moment? When you thought he would be special? Yeah! This is a true story. He was in eighth grade, going into ninth grade. We had one of my camps or something at Artesia High School. Near his house. He was playing on this AAU team. The best one. Southern California All-Stars. They had great players. They were really good, and he was beating this team like 100-10. Just killing them. And the end of the game, he threw a long pass, like over his head and behind his back to get somebody a dunk. I ran after him, I swear to god almighty, and he's like 13 or 14, and I ran after him and said: "Don't you ever do that. You're too good. Don't you ever show up the people you're playing against like that." I gave him a Sonny speech. It was a Sonny moment. I don't know why I did it. But I saw that this kid had this thing about him. But I didn't ever want him to take it for granted, or to embarrass other players. It was a moment. He didn't play at a lot of my camps. I quit the camps his senior year. He didn't play at the Roundball Classic because I didn't have a Roundball Classic his senior year. Those are the things that the kids usually went through all the process, O.J. [Mayo], Kevin [Garnett], Greg [Oden], Kobe [Bryant] ... they went from the camp to the Big-Time Tournament and all that. The last time, his junior year his team beat Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon's team in the final of the Big-Time Tournament in one of the greatest summer league's game ever. I just talked to Reggie Rose -- Derrick's brother -- about it a couple of days ago. It was Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose and his Chicago team, against Pat Barrett's Southern California All-Stars team with Kevin Love, Daniel Hackett, Taylor King, Brandon Jennings, a sophomore Renardo Sidney. And they won by two points or something. Derrick and Eric were unbelievable. It was one of the greatest summer league games ever. Then there was a year of separation. He went to Oak Hill. I didn't talk to him for a year. Then that fateful call. I flew to New York as soon as I got that call. I wanted to be part of that. Tell me about the fateful phone call. I hadn't seen him in a year. That was the first thing. It wasn't like we were continuous, like everybody thinks it was. Then he said I'm in New York. [Vaccaro's wife] Pam and I were going to the draft the next day. So we flew and met Brandon in an Italian restaurant. Just a coincidence that -- as you embark on sending him to Italy -- it was an Italian restaurant? No. Most of my restaurants are Italian restaurants. [Laughs]. Turned out to be prophetic. Yes it was. You have to understand. That was right before the NBA draft. I kept saying: Do you know what you're doing? They're going to beat you up. And then when you say that I'm the guy who is handling all of this, you're going to get double indemnity here. The two of us ... a perfect couple for Vogue magazine, you know that! I think I was a little proud that he asked me to do this. That he believed in me. Had you shared with him in advance that going to Europe was something he ought to consider? He heard it on the radio! I never spoke to him about it. He heard me say it on the "Loose Cannons" radio show I used to be a regular on. I had nothing to do with Brandon's decision. I had been preaching "Go to Europe" since David Stern put that stupid rule in. And then he heard me and called me. It's too simple for skeptics to believe. I told him they were going to kill him. We did everything, Pam and I. I did the shoe contract, I did everything. Duff [Agent Bill Duffy] came on in January. Brandon, me, and Alice, and [Jenning's half-brother] Terrence, and my wife Pam, we walked this walk together. And that's what people don't understand. And to see this happen now. You have to be inhuman not to feel good for him. I don't know what's going to happen. But one thing we can say, Henry Abbott, there's no more questions about whether he can play basketball. All the great coaches, all the great commentators, and all the great universities had nothing to do with it. Why Italy, by the way? Well, because we went to Las Vegas. Right after the draft, as you know, they all go to the Summer League out there. ... He started working out at the Tarkanian gym, and then I got these teams, reluctantly, to come watch. The Italians were really really interested. I met the general manager, and he worked him out personally. The first day, there was great interest. So the Israeli people come. The Russian people come to meet the next day at the games over in the gym, and they wanted to have workouts. And by the afternoon of the second day, the Italian team had made, to paraphrase, an offer that we couldn't refuse. I said Brandon, this is a lot of money. We can work out for the Israelis, the Russians, the Greeks. But s---, this is a lot. This is a lot! Let's go for it. They were good. We met, and we got the deal done, and everything they said it was going to be, it was. They called the coach up, who was in Greece for the World Championships and all that sort of stuff, so they really wanted him. They recruited him, and we never really entertained much else. Two days after that I saw these other guys in the gym, and I said we made a deal. Basically, the money was great. And Brandon had an affinity for going to Rome. If nothing else, Rome is an international city. A lot of Americans go through it. It has such history to it. The amenities were great. The living quarters, the car for the mom, the school for the brother -- they paid tuition, $25,000 for his brother to go to a diplomat's school -- all the things were good. And it was the highest level of European basketball. That was basically it. And then we did the shoe deal. I talked to all the shoe companies, they Under Armour stepped up, and I think ... he got the fourth best shoe deal last year, I think the money he's earning this year, is more than what any rookie got this year. I don't know that the other people all got, but Brandon's is pretty damn good. And Under Armour stepped up. We had the stars and the moon, everything lined up. They were a new company, and he's dynamic, and we go to Rome, and have a beautiful press conference overlooking the city. I think the one thing that really helped a lot was the honest look that Bryant Gumbel did on Real Sports. I think Bryant helped defray the negative stuff that was coming. And I think Chris Broussard went over there, and Brandon was the leading scorer in the exhibition season. That was the irony here. Then his coach went brain dead on me [and played Jennings in a limited role]. That happens. It all happened. But the public didn't know that. They just know he didn't go play for Lute Olson. Moreso than Kobe and all those guys, he's demonized. Because he took the European route. In the eyes of a public, he was a failure. But in Brandon's eyes, he wasn't. He learned. And that's why, of all the kids, through all the things ... Obviously, my life has been blessed, and every one is special in their own way, but I think I feel better personally, my wife and I, about the outcome of Brandon Jennings to this point then all the other ones. Because the other ones, the landmines weren't there. When Kobe went out of high school, when Kevin went out of high school, when they all went out of high school you accepted it. That was the rule. This guy wouldn't accept what they told him he had to do. One more Brandon Jennings conversation with Sonny Vaccaro to follow on TrueHoop. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045393/earl-boykins-shockingly-strong.html The little dude can bench press close to three times his weight. Mind boggling: “Earl Boykins man is listed at 5-foot-5, 139. His max bench press is 315 pounds. This makes him the Wizards’ strongest pound-for-pound player. And a lot of people, I told him, are surprised by that number. ‘I think they should be,’ he said. ‘I think they should be.’ Teammates, too. I guess to NBA veterans and longtime observers, the 315 number is sort of legendary, but to newcomers, it’s still a shock. If Shaquille O’Neal could bench a number in the same proportion to his weight, he’d be hoisting 736 pounds.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045391/manu-out-710-days.html Ginobili’s injury troubles continue to haunt him: “After being examined by members of the Spurs medical staff Thursday, guard Manu Ginobili has been ruled out of action for seven to 10 days. An MRI exam confirmed that Ginobili suffered a mild left groin strain during Wednesday’s game against the Mavericks in Dallas. He previously had been bothered by a left hamstring strain that caused Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to sit him during the fourth quarter of a loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045187/sunsamp8217-tnt-curse-wreaks-havoc-again.html It might be time for management in Phoenix to meet with Turner execs. Because this arrangement is just not working out for them: “Really, the Suns’ season had been perfect. Losing to two NBA Finals teams on the road on the second night of back-to-back sets was excusable. But not any longer. The Suns’ imperfection on TNT continued with their first bad loss of the season. Phoenix lost a game broadcast by TNT for the 16th consecutive time Thursday night, finally running out of comebacks to fall 110-103 to a Hornets team without injured star Chris Paul.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045142/day-22-170-his-name-nene-hilario.html Line of the Night: Nene Hilario (1.27) still has a first and last name around these parts. If he could turn out 4 steals and 4 blocks per game for a whole season, though, we’d call him whatever he wanted. He also had 20 and 10 with 61% from the floor and 80% from the line – an extraordinary feat for Mr. Hilario. Honorable Mentions: LeBron – who needs only one name – (1.07) missed out on his 4th LotN of the season, but helped his owners nevertheless with: 31, 5, and 12, plus a steal and 2 blocks. KobeBrook Lopez (0.87) might not be going by two names for long if he keeps up with 26 point, 16 rebound performances. (In case you’re wondering, my qualification for going by one name is: If you’re not on the Bulls and my wife would recognize you by your single name. LeBron and Kobe both qualify, partly because they have unique names, but also because, who else would you be referring to? See also: Jordan) Waiver Wire Line of the Night: Will Bynum (0.70) did well by the owners in the 35% of leagues in which he’s owned. His 24 points and 6 assists will probably help him to up that number. JJ Hickson (0.49) also deserves mention since he’s still only owned in 14% of leagues. The Biggest Loser: TJ Ford (-0.54) was on the court for 32 minutes last night, and did manage to put up some numbers with 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. To get his 7 points, though, he took 10 shots, making only 2 of them, and made only 3 of his 6 free throws. Those are some numbers that will hurt you for sure. —– Dont miss a day of the Fantasy NBA. Subscribe to Give Me The Rock  right now. You can also get bonus (and easily digestible) content by following GMTR on Twitter. Related Posts:Day 17 of 170: Can we just have the Heat and Cavs play every day? (0)Day 1 of 170: My Whole Season is Ruined Already! (15)The GMTR Hot List: Top 10 Fantasy Centers (2)The Hangover (Fantasy Basketball Style) (5)GMTR Mock Draft Analysis: Round One (9)GMTR Readers League Playoff Review (11) NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045141/day-23-170-do-go-gentle-into-that-good-night.html Some technical difficulties for GMTR over the past couple of days (more on that later), but we’ve busted through it like LeBron on a fast break. Here is the daily write-up for yesterday (Nov 19th). Today’s write-up coming shortly. Line of the Night: Elton Brand (1.32). As Erik more delicately said on Points in the Paint, it's put up or shut up time for Brand now that Marreese Speights is out for the next two months with a torn MCL. Well, it looks like the old man isn't ready to shut up quite yet, as Brand played a season high 42 minutes and finished with 19 points, 11 boards and 6 blocks against the Bobcats. It's never the greatest sign going forward when a guy's fantasy performance is driven by blocks (see the mediocre lines Chris Andersen is putting up this year for example), but I'm guessing Brand owners will take whatever they can get from the big guy right now. Honorable Mentions: Larry Hughes (1.29) was going to be my waiver wire guy of the night, but then I saw he is owned in about two-thirds of leagues. Well, all you Larry Hughes owners were rewarded with an almost-triple-double (22/10/7) including 3 threes and 3 steals. But keep watch on Nate Robinson, who has returned from his injury but has only seen limited minutes in his two games back; Al Jefferson (1.13) returned from a two game absence to put up a solid 20 and 10 double-double on 9-11 shooting; Joe Johnson (1.07) continues his scoring assault with 30 points while going 5-11 from three; Dirk Nowitzki (1.07) just won't quit. With Josh Howard, Erick Dampier, and Shawn Marion out with various injuries, the Mavs needed every single one of his 41 points and 12 boards to pull out a win over the Spurs in overtime; and Lebron James (1.05) had a ho-hum 34 and 9 in a loss to the Wizards. His 6 turnovers Waiver Wire Line of the Night: James Harden (1.02). A career high 24 points (and 6-7 from three) for Harden thanks to a career high 31 minutes on the court. Both the minutes and the points can be attributed to the Thunder getting blown out by the Magic. There was a lot of rest for the Thunder starters in this one. Surprisingly, Chris Douglas-Roberts (0.85) is only owned in 47% of leagues, although probably 0% of the leagues of people who read GMTR. His 31 points and 10 rebounds led New Jersey in both categories. If he's available in your league, grab him and Terrence Williams for as long as Courtney Lee remains out. Dahntay Jones (0.83) - 25 points and 6 boards - has been putting up consistent numbers in Troy Murphy's absence, although Murph is expected back any day now (sure…); and Carlos Delfino (0.79) who's game has been all over the place this season for the Bucks, got big minutes because Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is injured. Delfino put up 21 points and was 4-8 from three against the Nets. Rust? What Rust? In his first game back after missing the Wizards first 9 games with a shoulder injury, Antawn Jamison (0.83) came ready to play, scoring 31 points on 12-22 shooting, adding 10 boards and a couple threes. Let me give you some expert advice: you probably want to get him back in your lineup for the Wizards next game. The Biggest Loser: With the absolute lowest game score of the night, Kevin Durant (-0.75) was public enemy number one in the Thunders' smackdown at the hands of the Magic. Durant was 4-12 from the floor, finishing with 12 points and 5 turnovers in 26 minutes. Quiz Time: Is there anyone in the NBA doing less with more than Trenton Hassell (-0.52) right now? All Eyez on Me: Three games tonight. Phoenix (10-2) at New Orleans (4-8) – Darren Collison continues to start at point for the injured Chris Paul. But is it a punishable offense if I mention that Devin Brown is actually the player to pick up while CP3 is out? Utah (5-6) at San Antonio (4-5) – Manu Ginobili is going to be out in this one with a strained groin. Unfortunately for Manu owners everywhere, Michael Finley will get most of his minutes. Chicago (6-4) at Los Angeles Lakers (8-3) – Pau Gasol is finally expected to make his season debut in this one. And that sound is millions of Lamar Odom owners frantically offering him up in various trade scenarios. *** Dont miss a day of the Fantasy NBA. Subscribe to Give Me The Rock  right now. You can also get bonus (and easily digestible) content by following GMTR on Twitter, or join the Give Me The Rock Room on FriendFeed to get posts, Twitters, and Midnight Snacks all in one place. You can even become a fan of GMTR on Facebook! We’re so social! What Are People Talking About? NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045140/ap-exnba-star-williams-will-take-plea-in-shooting.html Former NBA star Jayson Williams is expected to plead guilty Friday in the fatal 2002 shooting of a hired driver, weeks before ... NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045139/frye-from-deep.html by Chris Deaton Imagine for a moment that the Phoenix Suns signed a sharpshooter in the 2009 offseason-a sharpshooter in the real sense, a player whose residence is 22 feet and out. His year's box scores have read, "3P: 4-8, 2-9, 3-7, 1-3, 6-8,” so on, so forth. Surely this guy has proven himself as one of the League's gunners, but no — prior to October 27, he had only attempted 70 treys in four years. Then, surely, he's rediscovered some collegiate quality, but no. Of the 1,257 field goals Frye shot from freshman to senior, less than a milky two percent of them were from three. He's not a wing, but a center, and he's not Manute Bol; he's not a Bird, but he hopped a plane from Portland to replace Superman. Channing Frye, where did this come from? "It was just a matter of me having the confidence to shoot it.” Flash back to the fall of '01 in Tucson, AZ. Frye, the lanky but accomplished big from St. Mary's High School in Phoenix, having earned statewide Player of the Year honors from the Arizona Republic just months before, was a clean slate. "I think when he entered Arizona as a freshman, he was 6-10, wasn't really strong inside and hadn't really developed a perimeter shot,” recalled Stanford Assistant Coach Rodney Tention, who served on Lute Olson's staff from 1997-2005. It was no matter. Frye displayed an early propensity for busting it in practice, seldom missing an opportunity to improve his play some way, somehow. "He had an unbelievable work ethic. Just unbelievable,” Tention said. "He liked being coached-just about the fundamentals, something [the coaching staff] harped on.” As his game improved, so did his stroke. By the time his college career had entered its twilight, he had established his face-up ability, his range had increased, and his willingness to use both had shown itself, notably in his senior year's final game against Illinois. He rode the success to a high pick but the wrong town in the 2005 NBA Draft-a lottery selection that sent him to the Knicks, a degenerative franchise that ultimately wouldn't accommodate his skill set. DraftExpress called him "finesse,” with "a very narrow frame that will likely not be able to carry too much weight.” Considering New York's post rotation of Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, Jerome James, David Lee and others from 2004-2006, a crew that did most of its business on the glass and around the basket, Frye was drawn toward a game not quite his style. Whatever trajectory toward "perimeter threat” he carried into the pros was slowed by a lack of opportunity on game night-slowed, but not stopped. "I always had to work on it,” Frye said of his jumper, realizing that even then, despite a less than ideal fit, it would someday be his calling card. "I figured it was my niche in this league.” He went to the Blazers. His playing time dwindled. Joel Przybilla received top billing at center for the majority of the ‘07-08 season, and once Greg Oden arrived a year later, a timeshare was Frye's best-case scenario-he saw the court just 11.8 minutes per contest. But he kept working and working and working, polishing his midrange game and moving outward. Portland wouldn't be the beneficiary. On July 14, Frye, a free agent, was welcomed to his old desert stomping grounds of Phoenix to play for the hometown Suns. "It is basketball heaven on this team,” he said. As part of the NBA's most balanced offense, a unit in which seven men average 9 or more a night but not one gets more than 20, he's found a system that thrives on hitting the open man. "With this team, everyone has the green light.” Considering the effort Frye's put toward bettering his shot-effort that's showed "no matter where he's been,” Tention said-he was ready for the opportunity. The Suns have doubtlessly benefitted, considering that last year, Phoenix hit only 7-18 from beyond the arc per night. Through 12 games this season, that number is a torrid 10-24. "We're not playing out of our minds,” Frye said of his team's hot start. "We're just playing Phoenix basketball.” And the opposition couldn't be more rocked. "They really put you in a position when they have four three-point shooters out there,” said Paul Pierce after his Celtics dropped a 110-103 decision to the Suns on November 6. "I think Channing Frye being a center is unusual. He really stretches the defense.” And because he's found that confidence, all signs indicate he'll continue to do so. Hitting six from deep one night may be a fluke. Hitting another six two nights later may be fortunate. Hitting 19 during a six-game stretch to follow it up confirms a trend: Channing Frye, at 35-76 from three-point range on the year, is officially a sharpshooter. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045138/tmac-at-odds-adelman.html Tracy McGrady’s self-imposed return date came and went without him seeing the court, which might’ve led to his anger boiling over: “McGrady understood he wouldn't be activated on Wednesday night, but sources say T-Mac was willing to go to great lengths to push his coach closer to blessing McGrady's return to the team. Eventually, Adelman returned to the locker room and retreated with McGrady into an adjacent coach's office. McGrady slammed the door behind him, a witness said, and that marked the start of a tense, sometimes loud exchange that could be heard in the locker room, sources said. In the discussion, McGrady challenged Adelman to tell him the coach's plans and timetable for the seven-time All-Star's eventual return to the roster, sources say. McGrady felt like Adelman had been uncommunicative with him for weeks, and no longer wanted to hear from Rockets general manager Daryl Morey or trainer Keith Jones about the team's desire to make him wait until next week to take another MRI.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045137/bogut-out-24-weeks.html With Michael Redd on the verge of returning, the Bucks lose their big man for a few weeks: “Andrew Bogut’s value to the Milwaukee Bucks is evident every time he goes out of the lineup. Now the team will have to cope for two to four weeks without the 7-foot center after he suffered a left leg strain and contusion late in the Bucks’ 99-85 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday night. The Bucks are off to a surprising 6-3 start behind the steady play of Bogut and rookie point guard Brandon Jennings, and they’ve been successful despite the absence of injured shooting guard Michael Redd. Just as they are about ready to get Redd back in the starting five, they will be missing their fifth-year big man.” NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045136/post-up-kobe-passes-kareem.html by Holly MacKenzie/@stackmack Happy Friday! Honestly, where do these weeks go? How is it almost December?  Yikes. Gotta keep this short tonight and by short I mean like 500 words or less. I’ve got the Raptors game against the Heat (Shout out to you Eboy and Cheryl!) tomorrow evening and shootarounds for both teams tomorrow morning. Game days are damn long as is and I usually only see the Raps for shootaround so it’s going to be even longer this time. Can’t complain though. Love the Heat team and what they are doing in the early goings of this season. I’m looking forward to watching Chalmers, seeing the reaction Jermaine O’Neal gets from the fans here in Toronto who loved him so very much and also, of course, watching Dwyane from my courtside media seat for the first time. Hornets rookies getting it done against Phoenix tonight, hey? That 110-103 victory was fun to watch. Okay, Peja’s seven threes (and 13 rebounds!) and the team’s 25 offensive rebounds certainly helped, but damn. Love seeing the rooks get some burn. Darren Collison’s huge three to nail the coffin shut on Phoenix was fantastic, especially when he all but floated to the bench, chest puffed with pride while Chris Paul was the first Hornet to bounce up off of the bench and show him some love, looking so very nice in his grey/purple suit combo. Collison logged 32 minutes in the start, finishing with 15 points and five assists. Even more important than his numbers was the poise that he showed in understanding that he will never be able to fill the shoes Chris Paul entirely electing instead, to stand tall on his own and help lead his team to the victory. Collinson’s fellow rook, Marcus Thornton was able to score at will, dropping in 19 points in his 20 minutes of playing time and the Hornets got the huge victory against Seve Nash’s Suns. In the loss, Jared Dudley continued to impress for the Suns, scoring 17 points off of the bench, including five three-pointers. Nash finished with 13 points and 10 assists, Amare Stoudemire added 23 and Channing Frye had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Jazz took down the Spurs, 90-83 as Deron Williams had 21 points and 10 assists, Carlos Boozer scored 18 to go with 11 boards and five assists and Paul Millsap added 20 off of the bench. Duncan scored 21 for the Spurs as George Hill scored 18 in the loss while the Spurs were without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Lakers/Bulls game. Really, what is there to say? The Lakers are stupidly, insanely good with Pau Gasol. In his first game back this season, he didn’t need any time to adjust and the team didn’t have any hiccups trying to reacclimate him onto the court. Pau finished with 24 points and 13 boards while Kobe had a bad shooting night, finishing just 7-for-20 from the floor. Yeah, pretty quiet night from Kobe. Just 19 points. To go along with nine rebounds and eight assists. 19 points, three more than the 16 he needed to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second all-time on the Lakers leading scorers list. J. West is the only guy to overtake, for Kobe to be at the top. Loved that so much. Can’t believe it’s been 14 years. Can’t believe I’ve been watching for all of them. Pretty wild. The Lakers came out in the third and dominated, going up by 20 and owning the game the rest of the way through. My favorite part was in the fourth, when the camera panned to Kobe and Fisher sitting on the bench, telling jokes, laughing their faces off. After 14 years, coming in as rookies together, their journeys saw them reunited in LA for their fourth ring and the search for five. I’m glad they’re still having fun. Have a great weekend, everyone. Catch you here Monday morning. ps, Noah makes me smile. Love the energy he’s playing with every single possession. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045017/tracy-mcgrady-reportedly-puts-on-game-uniform-demands-answers.html by Tom ZillerFiled under: Rockets, NBA Injuries, NBA Rumors, NBA CoachesAdrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! has a half-harrowing, half-hilarious tale out of Minneapolis, where sources say Tracy McGrady put on his uniform Wednesday to confront coach Rick Adelman about the team's timetable for the fallen star's return. Woj reports that McGrady -- who may or may not have told Yahoo! last week that he'd planned on returning Wednesday against the Wolves, a plan the Rockets quickly squelched -- is angry the team is holding him off the court, and wanted answers from Adelman.What resulted (with McGrady in full uniform after warming up with teammates before the game) was a heated closed-door argument, Woj reports. The writer's sources claim Mac demanded to know why team management wouldn't let him get back on the court sooner than next week's scheduled MRI.Tracy McGrady Reportedly Puts on Game Uniform, Demands Answers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043947/exnba-star-williams-due-to-admit-guilt-ap.html Former NBA star Jayson Williams is expected to plead guilty Friday in the fatal 2002 shooting of a hired driver, weeks before he faced a second trial for reckless manslaughter. A person with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press that Williams will plead guilty to aggravated assault. The person wasn't authorized to talk about the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043790/hornets-ride-stojakovics-hot-hand-past-suns.html Peja Stojakovic hit seven 3-pointers during a 25-point, 13-rebound performance, and the New Orleans Hornets defeated the Phoenix Suns 110-103 on Thursday night. NBA Basketball News - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates