Archives › Kurt Helin
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Or maybe, rather than trade him, the Bulls are trying to lock up Joakim Noah
Sep 10, 2010, 8:59 AM EDT
1 CommentThis makes a lot more sense. The Chicago Bulls are not looking to trade Joakim Noah but are close to reaching an extension with him on his rookie deal, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. The two sides have been talking for weeks and are closing in on a deal that would keep Noah a…
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Omri Casspi not shocked but hurt by swastika graffiti on mural of him
Sep 10, 2010, 8:38 AM EDT
Omri Casspi is home in his native Israel right now, celebrating Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and preparing for another season in the N BA. His second, after an impressive rookie campaign with the up-and-coming Sacramento Kings. But all anyone is talking about right now is the news that someone is Sacramento painted a…
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Next up for the USA is Lithuania, which isn't as easy as you think
Sep 9, 2010, 9:31 PM EDT
Sadly, the Lithuanians will not be breaking out the Grateful Dead tie-dye uniforms Saturday. They will not be rolling over for the USA, either. Lithuania advanced to the semifinals of the World Championships, routing Argentina 104-85. A lot of people probably thought with Argentina gone this should be easier for the USA, but Lithuania has…
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Nets trying to be actual globetrotters, hosting open practice in Moscow
Sep 9, 2010, 7:32 PM EDT
Because a move to Newark and a preseason game in China were not enough… As the Nets are on their way to China, they are going to stop off for a while in Moscow for an open practice and to run a children’s clinic, according to the New York Times. As you might expect, this…
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Report: Bulls considering adding Joakim Noah in Carmelo Anthony talks
Sep 9, 2010, 5:25 PM EDT
The Denver Nuggets are not talking about trading Carmelo Anthony right now. Calls are politely being turned away. They want their chance to keep him first. But a good rumor is like Freddy Krueger, it will not die. The Chicago Bulls are considering trying to pry Anthony out of Chicago by including Joakim Noah in…
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USA, Kevin Durant wear down Russians, win 89-79. Bring on the semifinals.
Sep 9, 2010, 1:48 PM EDT
It’s still the one thing the USA can do in basketball that the rest of the world can’t match. The USA rolls with a dozen top-flight players — Danny Granger leads the Indiana Pacers in scoring, is an All-Star and gets DNPs on this team. He’d star on any other team in the World Championships.…
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You ever heard of Nemanja Bjelica? Of course not, you have a life and a fantasy football team to obsess over. That’s why teams hire European scouts, to go find guys who might fit in the NBA some day so you don’t have to. Bjelica was a guy who caught interest because he’s 6’10″ with…
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Ricky Rubio is good, but until his shot falls more the legend part is on hold
Sep 9, 2010, 11:59 AM EDT
Ricky Rubio has reached a legendary status. With reason — the guy was on the floor in the key moments of an Olympic gold medal game at age 19, or just check out his mix tapes. He has mad game. He’s 19 and will spend this season playing for Barcelona, then decide whether to come…
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A court case with lawyers arguing and a judge deciding where two children should live is nobody’s idea of a good situation. But it’s the one Dwyane Wade and his ex-wife Siohvaughn Wade found themselves in yesterday. Custody of the twin boys is the latest step in a nasty divorce between the two. As is…
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Jarrett Jack wonders about Miami's chemistry: Someone will happily be option three?
Sep 9, 2010, 10:09 AM EDT
The “is this Miami trio really going to work?” questions are out there. This has worked before in other places — from Boston and the Lakers in the 80s, Boston in the 1960s, even today’s Celtics — because guys were willing to make the sacrifice on the court. There has to be give, three guys…
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Former NBA player Rumeal Robinson found guilty of bank fraud
Sep 9, 2010, 9:38 AM EDT
Rumeal Robinson — who played six seasons in the NBA after a stellar college career at Michigan — was found guilty by a jury yesterday on 11 counts of fraud. Robinson tried to sell his mother’s home without her knowledge, just part of the charges that included bank bribery, wire fraud, and making a false…
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Hey, we’ve got some almost actual intrigue for today’s Russia vs. USA game at the world championships. Russia’s coach Mike Blatt — a guy born in the United States now living in Israel and coaching the Russians — and Mike Krzyzewski are in a little war of words. First, Blatt said that the 1972 Olympic…
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Ron Artest to sell his championship ring to raise money for mental health awareness
Sep 9, 2010, 8:30 AM EDT
Ron Artest does not do things half way. Not on the court — if he is after you defensively he is Pit Bull relentless. Not off the court, which the many tales of his youthful imbibing can attest to. And not with charity work. We told you recently Artest was appearing with congresswoman Grace F.…
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Preview: It's no Cold War, but Russia should scare the USA a little
Sep 8, 2010, 9:30 PM EDT
It’s not the size of the test — although this will be a pretty good one for the USA — it’s the consequences of failure. This is the round of eight — lose and go home. Early. Hearing from the home front about the failings of the youngsters of USA Basketball. Just like the Spanish…
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It seemed like this summer the Denver Nuggets should have gotten the bulk shopping discount on knee surgeries. Chris “Birdman” Andersen had his partially torn patella tendon repaired after playing through the pain of it most of last season. He says he may be back from his sooner than expected — possibly even the start…
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World Championships roundup: Turkey's fans keep singing, Spain's fans crying over their Tapas
Sep 8, 2010, 6:45 PM EDT
And it is looking more and more like the gold medal game of the World Championships will be the USA vs. Turkey. Serbia 92, Spain 89: This was an upset — not a massive, Buster Douglas/Mike Tyson upset, but an upset. It was also the fair result, Serbia controlled most of this game, but a…
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Seriously, $300 for a pair of basketball shoes? That is the new high end of the market, set by Athletic Propulsion Labs for their new Concept 1 shoe. Why would you do that could basically buy two pairs of new Jordan Six Rings for the same price? Because these shoes will help you jump higher.…
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I am loathe to put anything from “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” on this site, but FIBA is really being restrictive with use of its video and nobody is slipping me good stuff from the set of Transformers 3. Besides, this just made me laugh. Lamar Odom is one awkward dude at times. And you…
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Nick the Quick is a coach. The Atlanta Hawks tweeted out the information Wednesday, that Nick Van Exel was being brought in as a Player Development Instructor. He’s got cred — no other Hawk had his name dropped in a Jay-Z song. He left an impression because he played with style and swagger. He had…
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Dwight Howard has become "7- foot-tall bottle of medicine" for woman fighting cancer
Sep 8, 2010, 1:58 PM EDT
Kay Kellogg has it a lot tougher than Dwight Howard. Kellogg doesn’t have Shaq and the Celtics or the Miami Heat to worry about. But she has cancer. Stage 3 Multiple Myeloma, and it is incurable. She is also an Orlando Magic season ticket holder whose one wish was to meet Dwight Howard. Recently that…
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Mike Krzyzewski not buying that '72 USA Olympic loss to Russia was "fair"
Sep 8, 2010, 1:29 PM EDT
Either Mike Krzyzewski forgot, or he took a little dig at his Russian counterpart. Smart money is on the latter. Yesterday, Russian coach David Blatt said that the controversial ending of the 1972 Olympics USA v. Russia gold medal game was “fair.” That after Russia — playing the game in then Eastern Bloc Munich —…
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Chucky Atkins trying to resurrect career in Phoenix. Seems appropriate.
Sep 8, 2010, 1:05 PM EDT
Chucky Atkins has had 11 solid years in the NBA, played in some big games early in his career, drained 934 threes and pocketed a little over $34 million. A career most guys would envy. But Atkins doesn’t want it to end, so he is in the Valley of the Sun, according to Paul Coro…
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“He’s a beast … the MVP by far in this tournament, win or lose.” –USA’s Kevin Durant on Argentina’s Luis Scola (via NBA.com’s John Schuhmann’s twitter account). Scola has averaged 30 PPG during the World Championships and dropped 37 and 9 on Brazil Tuesday. It is possible the USA and Argentina will meet in the…
