This week in the NBA

[alfdogg 0]

Sun, Feb. 4

LA Clippers @ Toronto, 12:00

Atlanta @ New Jersey, 12:00

Detroit @ Cleveland, 2:30 ABC

 

Mon, Feb. 5

New Jersey @ Philadelphia, 7:00

Seattle @ Washington, 7:00

LA Lakers @ Atlanta, 7:00

Golden State @ Indiana, 7:00

Charlotte @ Miami, 7:30

Minnesota @ Houston, 8:30

Chicago @ Utah, 9:00

Phoenix @ Denver, 9:00

NO/OK @ Sacramento, 10:00

 

Tue, Feb. 6

LA Clippers @ New York, 7:30

Boston @ Detroit, 7:30

Orlando @ Milwaukee, 8:00

Houston @ Memphis, 8:00

Phoenix @ Portland, 10:00

 

Wed, Feb. 7

Orlando @ Toronto, 7:00

Charlotte @ Philadelphia, 7:00

San Antonio @ Washington, 7:00

New Jersey @ Atlanta, 7:00

LA Clippers @ Cleveland, 7:00

Seattle @ Indiana, 7:00

Miami @ Boston, 7:30

Golden State @ Minnesota, 8:00

Memphis @ Dallas, 8:30

NO/OK @ Denver, 9:00

 

Thu, Feb. 8

LA Lakers @ Detroit, 8:00 TNT

Milwaukee @ NO/OK, 8:00

Chicago @ Sacramento, 10:30 TNT

 

Fri, Feb. 9

LA Lakers @ Toronto, 7:00

LA Clippers @ Philadelphia, 7:00

Portland @ Charlotte, 7:00

San Antonio @ Orlando, 7:00

Denver @ Indiana, 7:00

New Jersey @ Boston, 7:30

Miami @ Cleveland, 8:00 ESPN

Minnesota @ Memphis, 8:00

Houston @ Dallas, 8:30

Atlanta @ Phoenix, 9:00

Chicago @ Golden State, 10:30 ESPN

 

Sat, Feb. 10

Orlando @ New Jersey, 7:30

Toronto @ Detroit, 7:30

Memphis @ NO/OK, 8:00

Denver @ Milwaukee, 8:30

Charlotte @ Houston, 8:30

New York @ Utah, 9:00

Sacramento @ Seattle, 10:00

[Just John 0]

Rockets/Mavs can't get coverage, but at least we get to watch another mediocre Heat/Cavs game.

[Boon 0]

Celtics looking good to add games 15-17 to their losing streak.

[Ripper 0]

Hawks win with the Lue buzzer beater in overtime against the Nets. Hell of a game.

[Ripper 0]

Toronto is quitely turning into a beast of a team. They are ridiculously deep, and Bargnani is getting better and better every game and Chris Bosh's game is just obsenely complete. They might just end up locking up the Atlantic after all when its all said and done. Goddamn Bryan Colangelo...good job.

[Just John 0]

The Cavaliers have to be one of the worst hyped teams ever. I don't know how anyone thinks they're good enough to make it to the ECF, let alone win the East. They seldom show any heart, and can't get any consistent scoring from someone not named Lebron. Outside of the usual Lebron highlights, I really don't like watching them play. It looks like they're just trying to coast into the playoffs, even though they aren't good or credible enough to do so.

 

Along with the Raptors quietly coming along, I think another team that will surprise in the playoffs is Indiana. I don't see them being an easy out for anyone.

[alfdogg 0]

weekly power rankings

 

1. Dallas (2)

2. Phoenix (1)

3. Utah (7)

4. San Antonio (3)

5. Houston (4)

6. LA Lakers (9)

7. Detroit (6)

8. Chicago (5)

9. Indiana (12)

10. Washington (11)

11. Toronto (8)

12. LA Clippers (15)

13. Miami (14)

14. Minnesota (17)

15. Cleveland (16)

16. NO/OK (18)

17. Charlotte (24)

18. New Jersey (20)

19. Denver (10)

20. Orlando (13)

21. Golden State (23)

22. Portland (26)

23. Atlanta (27)

24. New York (21)

25. Sacramento (19)

26. Seattle (22)

27. Philadelphia (25)

28. Milwaukee (30)

29. Memphis (29)

30. Boston (28)

[alfdogg 0]

The numbers next to the teams are their positions in the Hollinger daily rankings.

 

Dunk contest participants

Nate Robinson, NY

Gerald Green, BOS

Dwight Howard, ORL

Tyrus Thomas, CHI

[naiwf 0]

Do you happen to know if they fixed the dunk contest rules? Watching Nate blow the same dunk a dozen or so times last year killed the competition for me.

[Just John 0]

I think the rule has always been if you miss 2 in a row, you lose your turn. I have no idea why they let Nate keep going last year. Probably because he's small. It wouldn't have been so bad if they declared Andre Igoudala the winner, then let the guys keep trying to give the fans a show. The fact that Lil Nate missed 15 dunks in a row and still won was what was really stupid about the contest. None of those judges should ever be allowed back since it was obvious they were fixing it.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

I think the rule has always been if you miss 2 in a row, you lose your turn. I have no idea why they let Nate keep going last year. Probably because he's small. It wouldn't have been so bad if they declared Andre Igoudala the winner, then let the guys keep trying to give the fans a show. The fact that Lil Nate missed 15 dunks in a row and still won was what was really stupid about the contest. None of those judges should ever be allowed back since it was obvious they were fixing it.

 

No they changed the rules because two years ago, the winner(I think it was Fred Jones) won because he had the "best" missed dunk. Neither guy made their final dunk so it was a very anti-climatic finish. Hence they gave the competitors unlimited chances.

[Guest]

Gerald Green is going to murder his competition.

[Ripper 0]

The numbers next to the teams are their positions in the Hollinger daily rankings.

 

Dunk contest participants

Nate Robinson, NY

Gerald Green, BOS

Dwight Howard, ORL

Tyrus Thomas, CHI

 

 

No Ryan Hollins or James White can kiss my ass.

[Brett Favre 0]

I think the rule has always been if you miss 2 in a row, you lose your turn. I have no idea why they let Nate keep going last year. Probably because he's small. It wouldn't have been so bad if they declared Andre Igoudala the winner, then let the guys keep trying to give the fans a show. The fact that Lil Nate missed 15 dunks in a row and still won was what was really stupid about the contest. None of those judges should ever be allowed back since it was obvious they were fixing it.

 

Or because the rules said that you can keep missing till you make it in (ex. Chris Andersen). Nate should've just tried a pussy ass dunk like Iguodala so people would stop complaining (and I mean in the last round cause Iguodala used up his best dunk in like the first).

[Just John 0]

My bad on the rule change. I know why I couldn't remember it now... I didn't watch All-Star Saturday Night the year it was put in, right after the Fred Jones win.

 

The rule needs to change, though, because the way it's set up now sucks. I think they should go back the "2 misses" rule, then do a freestyle thing after it's over where everyone can come back and try their crazy dunks. That way the fans are guaranteed to see some dunks without ruining the idea of the actual contest.

[alfdogg 0]

Well, the Warriors are embarassing the Pacers in their first meeting after the trade, leading 65-42 at the half.

[Brett Favre 0]

I think they actually changed the rule to having to be able to make the dunk in 2 minutes now, if I remember correctly. It was said on the Dan Patrick show.

[Ripper 0]

Well Kobe vs Joe Johnson was fun. At one point in the 4th they both scored 10 points in a row. so it was Joe/Kobe 20, rest of the court, nothing. Joes shooting numbers look bad because of his horrible first half, but overall the guys were going at it tonight. Lakers win because of the Hawks bad freethrow shooting, but one hell of a game.

[alfdogg 0]

After the 5-foot-9 Robinson needed 14 attempts to complete a dunk in last year's dunk-off, a new rule is being implemented this season allowing competitors 2 minutes to complete a dunk once they've received the ball from the referee. If they haven't dunked within that time, they will have two more chances to do so.

[Ripper 0]

THats a happy median. I don't like the idea of coolest missed dunk winning again. And for the record, Jason richardsons 360 between the legs should have won it that year anyway.

[Guest Oedipus Rex]

When asked about how it felt to be the first Bull in years to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, Tyrus Thomas stated that he doesn't care, and he's just doing it for the money, all of which was mumbled while tying his shoes. Pressed further, stating that Thomas was the first Bull since Scottie Pippen, Thomas replied "I just want free money." When John Paxson heard about the flippant attitude toward this honor, he fined Thomas $10,000 (!!!) and he still has to go play, but will be getting considerably less "free money."

 

Way to go, dumbass, but I'm not sure if this is a failure by Thomas or a failure by Paxson. Doesn't the front office of every professional sports team instruct and indoctrinate its players on how to say All The Right Things to the beat writers, talk show hosts, and whoever else sticks a mic in their faces? I mean, man! "I just want free money." Well, yeah, we all do, but we keep these thoughts to ourselves when we're already being highly compensated to shoot a basketball, irrespective of All-Star Weekend bonuses on top of that, don't we? I can't believe he didn't think that through better, or even make the slightest attempt to cover his ass after the fact. "Oh, I'm just funnin'. It's actually a real privilege. I was just working on my impression of a dumbshit black athlete. Ah jus doin ih fo duh muh'y. Gimme mo muh'y. I think it's really coming along!"

[Ripper 0]

What part of that rant wasn't needed?

[Vern Gagne 0]

Just read this in the Si.Com rumors

 

Publicist Howard Bragman, from a Los Angeles-based company called Fifteen Minutes, was spreading the word at the Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl party Saturday that a former NBA player he represents will be announcing publicly that he is gay on Valentine's Day.

-- Chicago Tribune

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Rumor has it that it's John Amaeche. Unsubstantiated, but it's just what I heard.

[Fökai 0]

From Yahoo...

 

Insiders say the Memphis Grizzlies keep dropping their asking price for center Pau Gasol, suggsting that owner Michael Heisley has told GM Jerry West to forget fair value and slash the payroll.

 

The Grizzlies reportedly asked the Chicago Bulls for Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and the New York Knicks' No. 1 pick, which the Bulls own. Now, Memphis is down to Deng or Gordon plus another young player, such as Thabo Sefolosha, P.J. Brown's expiring contract and a 2009 first-round pick.

 

Source: Charlotte Observer

 

Wow, if this is true, somebody better make a move NOW.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Dunk contest participants

Nate Robinson, NY

Gerald Green, BOS

Dwight Howard, ORL

Tyrus Thomas, CHI

 

That's pathetic. Ooh, how exciting.

I'm vaguely curious to see Dwight Howard in it, but really, it just ain't what it used to be.

[Guest]

Kwame, Farmar, Turiaf for Gasol. Do it NOW.

[naiwf 0]

Police: 3 Pacers involved in bar fight

 

INDIANAPOLIS -

Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley and teammates Marquis Daniels and Keith McLeod were involved in a fight with a bar manager after a home loss to Golden State early Tuesday, police said.

 

No one was immediately arrested or charged. Police are still investigating the fight.

 

The police report said the bar manager of the at 8 Seconds Saloon might have a fractured jaw and severed earlobe. He told officers that Tinsley had threatened to kill him, the report said. Witnesses told officers that McLeod had shoved people during the scuffle.

 

The confrontation followed another fight involving a person who employees thought was trying to steal coats from the coat check area, police said.

 

The manager and witnesses told officers that Tinsley, Daniels and a man with them punched the manager in the face and head.

 

The manager "stated that he was unable to defend himself, at which time both witnesses ... stated that they felt that the life of the victim was in danger," according to the report.

 

Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said in a statement Wednesday that the team was aware of the allegations but would have no further comment until police complete the investigation.

 

A phone number provided by the NBA Players Association for Tinsley's agent, Raymond J. Brothers, was answered by a message saying it was no longer in service.

 

Tinsley was at a strip club with then-Pacers teammate Stephen Jackson in October when a fight broke out during which Jackson fired a gun into the air several times before he was hit by a car.

 

Tinsley was not charged in that fight, but Jackson faces criminal recklessness and other charges. Jackson has pleaded not guilty.

 

When did the Pacers decided to become Jailblazers East (Midwest?) and how much street cred does Jamaal Tinsley think he needs? It's Indianapolis, not Compton you're repping tough guy.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Rumor has it that it's John Amaeche. Unsubstantiated, but it's just what I heard.

ESPN.com's NBA section says it is him.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Kwame, Farmar, Turiaf for Gasol. Do it NOW.

 

I'm thinking Memphis might balk at that one.