AP For the Lakers fifth offensive option (if that), Metta World Peace isn’t afraid to do the talking.
We told you how he said he didn’t think anybody could get past the Lakers. We’ve shown you his latest boast-filled video. We showed you him on Yo Gabba Gabba. He’s kind of everywhere right now.
Then there is this quote from his ESPN Los Angeles radio interview recently (via Sports Radio Interviews), when asked about Lakers goals.
“We definitely want to beat the Bulls record and go 73-9, that’s definitely something that I want to do. Whoever is out there at the beginning of the season then we gotta get it. It’s as simple as that. We just have to go get it. (Host: So that Bulls record is something you’re thinking about?) No question. You try to snatch records before you leave this earth. You gotta try to do a lot of great things so it’s definitely a goal. With Dwight Howard, (Steve) Nash, Kobe (Bryant), myself, Pau (Gasol) and then (Antawn) Jamison and a lot of great additions it’s something that’s possible.”
File this in the “good that he’s thinking this way, will never happen” file. I mean, you want you players to think they can win every game, so good for MWP here. But every year some team or teams foolishly think they have a shot at that record, I wish players would stop saying that. It is not going to happen in this case for a lot of reasons.
First off, the West is too deep with good teams. The Clippers are young, talented, have Chris Paul and Blake Griffin plus Jamal Crawford off the bench and they probably end up being the four or five seed in the conference. Minnesota with Kevin Love, Rick Rubio and a lot of nice young pieces are a bubble team to even make the playoffs. There are just too many tough games.
Second, the Lakers should be good with this roster but if Dwight Howard is out for training camp there is going to be an early season adjustment period that will cost them some games. Third, Phil Jackson (who coached that Bulls team) said no team from the West will break that record because the hours and amount of distance traveled is too great and it wears teams down.
And we could go on and on, but this is a silly topic. The Heat aren’t going to win 72 games and in a less deep East they have a better shot at it.
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The next time the Bulls play a game Derrick Rose will be suited up and playing. Hopefully by a couple games into next season we can all move past the “why didn’t he play last season?” crap. But for now the issue keeps coming up in Chicago. It came up again recently when Bulls legend Scottie…
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Metta World Peace says Howard isn’t going anywhere because he has a hold on his… um… those
Jun 17, 2013, 8:54 PM EDT
AP
Metta World Peace was in rare form today. He was on Sportsradio 610 in Houston — and let me say as a guy who has done a fair amount of radio spots with some quality hosts there, the buzz is all about Dwight Howard coming to the Rockets. If they are talking hoops, they are…
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The Celtics and Clippers are still discussing the trade that would send Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers to Los Angeles, but the whole deal is predicated on Rivers wanting to coach the Clippers. So, even if the Celtics and Clippers agree how to handle Eric Bledsoe, Jason Terry and Courtney Lee, Rivers still must give…
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Victor Oladipo has worked out for the Phoenix Suns. In Phoenix, he said he already worked out for the Orlando Magic and planned to work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers, though it’s not clear where those sessions occurred. Oladipo is preparing for the NBA Draft in Bowie, Md., which is about 20 minutes outside Washington,…
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The time Phil Jackson asked then GM Jerry West to leave the Lakers locker room
Jun 17, 2013, 5:26 PM EDT
Reuters
Phil Jackson is unquestionably one of the greatest coaches of all time, but he didn’t get there by placating people or considering the feelings of others — especially those with seniority or who were holding down a higher-level position within the organization. Speaking at an event last week where Jackson was plugging his latest book,…
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Report: Allen Iverson’s wife claims he abducted their children, has them in Georgia hotel
Jun 17, 2013, 5:12 PM EDT
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Allen Iverson’s post-NBA life has been – sad to say, predictably – rough. He’s reportedly losing a lot of money and suffering from alcoholism, and those closest to him are especially worried. Unfortunately, it can get worse, and it might have already. TMZ: Tawanna Iverson just filed legal docs, claiming Allen recently asked for permission…
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Mark Cuban plans to lure top free agents by giving them roster input
Jun 17, 2013, 4:36 PM EDT
AP
The Mavericks enter the off-season as one of the major players in free agency. Not only do they have money to spend, but they also have a history of championship level contention, a still very good Dirk Nowitzki, and Mark Cuban to close the deal when it’s time to make the pitch on why the…
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This is the time of year when teams and agents create smokescreens so thick, firefighters can’t get through them. So, approach any report like this with a healthy dose of skepticism. But also consider that a beat writer for a major newspaper was confident enough to report it. There’s a fine line, and from the…
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Jazz unveil plans for new HD scoreboard at EnergySolutions Arena
Jun 17, 2013, 4:20 PM EDT
The Utah Jazz are updating their scoreboard that will sit high above center court at EnergySolutions Arena, and as you might imagine, the team is pretty excited about it. From the official release: “Miller Sports Properties today announced plans for a new center court high definition video display system that is seven times larger than its predecessor,…
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Dirk Nowitzki says NBA will never be able to get rid of flopping
Jun 17, 2013, 3:22 PM EDT
AP
The subject of players selling contact to officials, or even downright faking it in hopes of duping a referee into blowing a favorable whistle has become a hotter topic than ever this season, thanks to a new anti-flopping policy enacted which was designed to clean this mess up. It hasn’t had the desired effect, however,…
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AP
When I went to San Antonio to write this piece on Gregg Popovich (and, later, this piece on Tim Duncan) I was told, time and again, that the most popular San Antonio Spur in town, by far, is Manu Ginobili. At first, I found it a bit curious. I mean, Ginobili has been a terrific…
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AP
There is once again momentum to the idea that Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett (then later likely Paul Pierce) are headed to the Clippers. It may or may not happen, but a smart GM like Danny Ainge has to start planning for any eventuality. So, if Doc Rivers is gone from the bench in Boston,…
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AP
This was expected to happen, but now it’s become official. Monta Ellis is going to opt out of the $11 million he is owed next season to become an unrestricted free agent, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN and other sources. Ellis is seeking 19.2 points and 6 assists for the Bucks last year. He is…
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Heat must accomplish something they haven’t been able to in a month if they want to repeat as champions
Jun 17, 2013, 12:45 PM EDT
SAN ANTONIO — After falling to the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, the Miami Heat find themselves in a most uncomfortable position. In order to win the championship that they were heavily favored to at the outset of the postseason, they’ll need to accomplish something that they haven’t been able…
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Where does Celtics’ Rivers, Garnett trade to Clippers stand? They’re talking.
Jun 17, 2013, 12:08 PM EDT
Reuters
UPDATE 5:45 pm : This is getting close. The Celtics have agreed no Eric Bledsoe but they want the Clippers to take on one of their bad contracts, either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee. How that shakes out is really all that’s left, according to multiple reports. 12:08 pm: If you’re a Clippers fan who…
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Danny Green’s shot chart from three-point distance in the Finals is as ridiculous as you’d expect
Jun 17, 2013, 12:07 PM EDT
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SAN ANTONIO — Danny Green has been on a record-breaking tear with his three-point shooting through the first five games of the Finals, and he’s been a key reason the Spurs are taking a three games to two series lead back to Miami with two chances to close the Heat out. It isn’t just the…
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Tim Connelly has been a rising star in the front office world. He was with the Wizards and was hired away by the then Hornets (now Pelicans) to be an assistant general manager there behind Del Demps. Now he’s made the leap to the big chair. Connelly is going to be the new GM of…
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Reuters
SAN ANTONIO — The MVPs for the Spurs Game 5 win you know — Manu Ginobili came back like the prodigal son to have a huge game, Danny Green knocked down any shot given inside the San Antonio city limits, and Tony Parker continues to be the guy who should get the Finals MVP award…
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Report: Brian Shaw to get second interview with Clippers; team focuses on him, Hollins
Jun 17, 2013, 10:21 AM EDT
AP
While the talks to bring Doc Rivers in as coach of the Clippers — along with players Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in a massive trade — are not dead, they are stalled out and on life support. So the Clippers are moving forward — they are going to bring in Brian Shaw for a…
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The book is obviously still out on what kind of owner Vivek Ranadive will be for the Kings, but we do know this: The man is willing to write some nice sized checks. He got Pete D’Alessandro away from Denver as a general manager because he was willing to write a bigger check than the…
