Tuesday And-1 links: Set your DVRs, next week is “NBA Week” on Wheel of Fortune
Jan 29, 2013, 3:55 PM EDT
Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points like Bobby Flay loves a chipotle pepper.
• Finally, something NBA related you can do with your grandmother — “Wheel of Fortune” has teamed up with the NBA for “NBA Week,” which air all next week (Feb. 4 – 8). Who is involved? Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and Grant Hill as well as Lakers legend and Hall of Famer James Worthy. And of course Pat Sajak and Vanna White, which is why you are really watching (admit it). Plus players such as Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Durant will do pre-taped segments and introduce custom NBA prizes.
• Chris Bosh, photobombing at the White House. Well, I’m calling it that, maybe he planned to make that lame face.
• Here is another great look at life for the Celtics without Rajon Rondo, via Zach Lowe of Grantland. I’m not sure any of his Paul Pierce trade ideas will go over well with Celtics faithful.
• In the wake of a report that raised all sorts of ethical red flags around Billy Hunter and the NBA players union, he has let go of all his family members working for the union. That was not enough to stop agent Arn Tellem from sending a letter to his clients urging them to vote Hunter out of power.
• The Washington Post caught up with Yao Ming, and he seems settled and happy. Good for him.
• Great interview in GQ with Mike Conley, conducted by the legend that is Lang Whittaker. Oh, and don’t tell Conley he’s no good at Halo.
• Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and San Antonio’s Tony Parker today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week for last week. Irving led the Cavaliers to a 3-0 record averaging 35.7 points per game. Paker led the Spurs to a 4-0 week averaging 24.5 points and 9.5 assists a game.
• Speaking of Kyrie Irving, he is questionable for Tuesday night’s game due to an illness.
• A change in coaches can make a difference for a player — since Jim Boylan took over the Bucks Ersan Ilyasova has averaged 15.4 points on 47 percent shooting plus 8.4 rebounds a game. He looks like the guy from last season again.
• As people around the team expected, the Pacers have brought back Sam Young as he gets closer to playing following a severe ankle sprain.
• The Timberwolves inked Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson to second 10-day contracts. At the end of these 10 days Minnesota has to sign them (or one of them) for the rest of the season or let the player go.
• Loul Deng wants the British government to restore funding to the national basketball program.
• Lorenzen Wright’s ex-wife got a $1 million payout following his 2010 murder. She’s burned through almost all of it within 10 months.
• Rajon Rondo’s injury has Keyon Dooling thinking about coming out of retirement.
• Kendrick Perkins‘ wife got in an argument at a nail salon and there is video, Perkins allegedly threw a Gatorade bottle outside the store. Warning: It’s not that exciting.
• Finally, this Russian league coach knows how to make a swing pass to the open man.
-
Report: 100 percent chance Mavericks won’t keep No. 13 pick
Jun 19, 2013, 5:33 PM EDT
The Mavericks have made no secret about wanting to prevent the No. 13 pick from cutting into their cap room, whether that means trading the pick or drafting and stashing a player. The idea of wasting a lottery pick, either by dumping it in an uneven trade or using it on a lesser prospect just…
-
Report: Cavaliers ‘have completely overvalued’ No. 1 pick in trade talks
Jun 19, 2013, 5:09 PM EDT
Nerlens Noel would be a worthy No. 1 pick in many drafts if it weren’t for his ACL tear. His athleticism and defensive skills draw rave reviews from both traditional scouts and number crunchers. There’s safety in a consensus positive opinion, and Noel provides that on the court. But his ACL tear and the possibility…
-
Chris Bosh to fans who left Game 6 early: ‘Don’t come back for Game 7′
Jun 19, 2013, 4:31 PM EDT
Getty Images
MIAMI — The Spurs held a five-point lead with a little more than 28 seconds remaining in Game 6, before the Heat mounted a furious comeback to send it into overtime and ultimately force a seventh game. As things looked particularly dire, with San Antonio on a 10-2 run and seemingly on their way to…
-
Getty Images
Dwyane Wade has been clearly grounded through much of the playoffs. While he has had some monster games — including Games 4 and 5 of the Finals — his right knee has held him back at times. Now you can add his left knee to the list of issues. Wade and Manu Ginobili banged knees…
-
Getty Images
As a series moves deeper ratings go up — and Game 6 lived up to that, with a huge jump in viewership for ABC. An estimated 16.8 million people — a 14.7 rating — tuned in to watch Game 6, ESPN announced. The previous high this series had been 11.4 million viewers for a game…
-
Popovich explains decision to sit Duncan late in regulation of Game 6
Jun 19, 2013, 2:15 PM EDT
MIAMI — Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was the recipient of some rare criticism following his team’s collapse in the final moments of regulation in Game 6, and it surrounded his decision to bench Tim Duncan during some key defensive possessions. The end result, twice with under 30 seconds to play, was the Heat getting…
-
Getty Images
MIAMI — For all intents and purposes, the game was over. Except that it wasn’t. The Heat trailed Game 6 of the Finals by five with under 30 seconds to play, and fans in Miami began streaming for the exits. Arena staffers in yellow shirts lined the baselines and the court across from the team…
-
Doc Rivers, Celtics’ GM Ainge meet Wednesday to discuss what’s next
Jun 19, 2013, 12:53 PM EDT
AP
Now that the drama of Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett headed the Clippers trade talk has subsided, it’s time for everyone in Boston to act like adults and end this soap opera. To that end, Rivers and Celtics GM Danny Ainge are expected to sit down face-to-face Wednesday and talk, Ainge told the Boston Herald.…
-
Some fans in Miami left early, couldn’t get back in to watch amazing finish
Jun 19, 2013, 12:07 PM EDT
AP
PBT’s own Brett Pollakoff tweeted this out when the Heat were down 5 with: 28 seconds left and the Heat had called a timeout. “Fans in Miami heading for the exits.” Thousands of them. Not anywhere near a majority, but enough to reinforce the stereotype. Plenty (again, far from all) fans in Miami fit the…
-
Getty Images
Gregg Popovich is the best coach in basketball right now. One of the best of all time. He has four rings and built a culture in San Antonio that has them in NBA Finals 14 years apart and with consistent 50+ win seasons in between. But he is not perfect. He made a couple decisions…
-
Getty Images
That was an epic Game 6. There was great play from both sides, huge shots by Ray Allen and Tony Parker and LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard and… I could go on and on. The players knew it was a great game, too. These are some highlights from the postgame press conferences where they talk…
-
AP
With the Heat season on the brink LeBron James needed to change things up… He ditched the headband. Not exactly ditched, but late in the game LeBron’s headband was knocked off — and then he went off. LeBron played a key stretch of the fourth quarter then all of overtime without it. Couper Moorehead of…
-
Getty Images
That was as great a fourth quarter, as great an NBA Finals fame as you are likely to see. Miami started the quarter down 10 but LeBron James goes on a tear after getting his headband knocked off. The Heat come all the way back to take the lead, then Tony Parker drains a three…
-
LeBron James gets another triple-double, now favorite for Finals MVP
Jun 19, 2013, 4:35 AM EDT
Getty Images
You’ll have to excuses ESPN for not mentioning LeBron James achieving a triple-double during the Heat’s 103-100 win over the Spurs until Game 6 ended. LeBron grabbed his 10th rebound – capping a 32-point, 11-assist, 10-rebound, three-steal game – on Chris Bosh’s block of Tony Parker’s jumper with 31 seconds left, setting off a whirlwind…
-
Reuters
At shootaround on Tuesday before Game 6, Chris Bosh said that hot shooting Spur Danny Green wasn’t going to get clean looks at threes. Then, with the Spurs having one last shot in overtime to tie the game, Bosh made sure his words were good by blocking a Green desperation three to tie the game.…
-
‘Devastated’ Manu Ginobili says he has no clue how Spurs will re-energize for Game 7
Jun 19, 2013, 3:29 AM EDT
Getty Images
MIAMI — After suffering a brutal Game 6 loss that the Spurs had every reason to believe would turn out in their favor, one of the team’s key veterans wasn’t exactly optimistic that they’ll find a way to bounce back emotionally in time for Thursday’s Game 7. Manu Ginobili was the Game 5 hero for…
-
Spurs execution fails them when it matters most. Can they get it back for Game 7?
Jun 19, 2013, 2:24 AM EDT
Getty Images
For three quarters of Game 6, as it has been for much of the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs execution was just too much for the Heat to handle — the Spurs shot 50 percent, they played smart defense, they moved the ball, Tim Duncan was playing like a man possessed with 30 points…
-
Ray Allen giving Heat exactly what they expected this season, including his clutch 3-pointer in Game 6
Jun 19, 2013, 2:06 AM EDT
Getty Images
Ray Allen faced a potentially awkward moment before he even played his first game with the Miami Heat. Not only were the Heat facing his old team, the Boston Celtics, his new teammates were receiving their 2012 championship rings. Miami had won a hard-fought seven-game series over Allen’s Celtics on its way to the title,…
-
Heat force a Finals Game 7 with thrilling overtime win over Spurs
Jun 19, 2013, 1:53 AM EDT
Getty Images
MIAMI — The Spurs were on the brink of winning a championship. With 28 seconds remaining in the fourth, they held a five-point lead, were on a 10-2 run over the last four minutes, and fans were heading for the exits while arena staffers lined the court to rope off the crowd in preparation for…
