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Manu Ginobili could return to the San Antonio Spurs' lineup next week, earlier than expected after he had surgery on his left ankle in September to repair ligament damage.

Utah forward Carlos Boozer sat out the Jazz's game Friday night against San Antonio because of a left quadriceps strain.

Hawks center Al Horford returned to the lineup for Friday night's game against Charlotte after missing the previous contest with a sprained right ankle.

Stephon Marbury will be in uniform for the New York Knicks against Milwaukee on Friday, but it remains to be seen whether he'll actually play for the first time this season.

The Los Angeles Clippers filled their void in the post Friday, acquiring forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins from the New York Knicks for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

by Ryne Nelson As promised, Donnie Walsh is taking matters into his own hands. In the course of four hours, the Knicks shipped three players, in two trades, and received three in return. The most recent deal, according to the L.A. Times, involves Zach Randolph and Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers. The reshaping of the Clippers continued with the acquisition of forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins from the New York Knicks for shooting guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas. The Knicks may also have a second round pick, but that’s peanuts. Let’s focus on the…

Johnnie Lacy, a senior at Notre Dame Prep, has signed with the Providence Friars. The 5-10 point guard who is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, chose the Friars over Marquette.

by Matt Caputo John Starks played to win. Not just in basketball but in Life. After 12 years in the NBA, the Tulsa, OK roughneck left his mark by giving 100 percent every time down the floor. His early life off the court was equally as hard as the way he played on it. It’s what makes him who he is. Undrafted out of Oklahoma State, Starks worked his way into the NBA in 1988 with the Golden State Warriors. After an injury forced him to return to the CBA, Starks signed with the New York Knicks and became one of the favorite and most compelling players in team history. A devastating three-point…

Chris Colvin, who is considered one of the best ballers in Chicago, has committed to Iowa State. The 6-3 guard from Whitney Young High School made the announcement on his 18th birthday. Southern California, Washington State, Connecticut, Providence and Marquette showed interest on the point guard.

New York native, Lamont Jones, has committed to Virginia Tech. The 6-0 guard who originally started his high school career at NYC powerhouse, Rice High School, then transferred over to American Christian in PA last year and is now playing at national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy was once a Louisville recruit before de-committing last spring. Jones picked Hokies over Charlotte, Seton Hall, St, John’s, Georgetown, Providence, Southern California, Cincinnati and Memphis.

In the NBA some trades are made that seem a good fit for all parties involved. There are also some trades, where you look at the players involved, and you realize one team just pulled something over on the team they traded with. There is also a third sub-category of trades in the Association that make NBA observers ask just one question; why? The New York Knicks announced on Friday that they have completed deal with the Golden State Warriors. New York will receive veteran forward Al Harrington, and are giving up guard Jamal Crawford in return. I have always had a lot of respect for New York…

By and large the Los Angeles Lakers over the years have been a dangerous team, but in different ways; in past seasons, they either lacked that big man in the middle or they didn’t have a true Jason Kidd-type point guard to direct the team.  But this year, they seem especially dangerous as the entire team is healthy and contributing; Thursday’s game against the Phoenix Suns illustrated that point as six Lakers scored in double-digits, leading Los Angeles to a 105-92 win over Phoenix at US Airways Center. The Lakers went on a 14-0 run to end the first quarter and begin the second…

So far in this still young NBA campaign it appears the “New Look” Detroit Pistons are a team of extremes. There are going to be nights like Wednesday night when they took Central Division leaders the Cleveland Cavaliers to task beating them soundly 96-89. Last week was another example of the Pistons flexing their muscles as they handed the Los Angeles Lakers their first loss last Friday night 106-95. Then there will be nights like Thursday night when they looked like a weak imitation of themselves as they lost to the Boston Celtics 98-80.  In a re-match of last season’s…

Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Terry came off the bench and scored 31 points, and the Mavericks held the Houston Rockets to shooting just 37.2% (29-78) from the floor for the game as Dallas defeated Houston 96-86 Wednesday night. It was the third straight win for Dallas who began the NBA campaign with a 2-7 record. All of the Mavericks wins have been on the road as they are currently 0-4 at home. This game effectively was over late in the first quarter as Dallas would end the period on a 7-0 run putting them ahead 31-25. The Mavericks would never surrender the lead for the rest of the…

This is a game that the Chicago Bulls may as well have just mailed in; in Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, you had a game of stark contrasts.  Portland shot 50.6% while Chicago shot 34.6%; Portland out-rebounded Chicago 49-33.  Portland had 24 assists to Chicago’s 13.  Chicago did however turn the ball over more than Portland, 21-15.  I think by now you have an idea of who won this game…that’s right, Portland did; they destroyed Chicago 116-74. Portland led from the opening tip as they built an early 16-3 lead with a 9-0 run later on, giving the…

Manu Ginobili could return to the San Antonio Spurs' lineup next week, earlier than expected after he had surgery on his left ankle in September to repair ligament damage. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would not specify Ginobili's projected return, but he did say Ginobili has recovered more quickly than expected. Ginobili said Friday he'd like to play in the Spurs' next game Monday night in Memphis. Popovich said he doesn't think that will happen.

LeBron James steps foot inside the Garden on Tuesday night, and Friday Knicks president Donnie Walsh took two giant steps closer to making room for the King of Cleveland in the summer of 2010.

Donnie Walsh cleared cap space by trading his top two scorers, but at what cost? Charley Rosen says the Knicks just stink again.

Detroit Pistons forward Walter Herrmann was released from a Boston hospital on Friday after suffering a mild concussion in an NBA game against the Boston Celtics. Herrmann, who spent Thursday night at the hospital, is listed as day-to-day. The Celtics won 98-80. The Argentine is averaging 4.5 points and 2 rebounds in 10 games this season.

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Manu Ginobili could return to the San Antonio Spurs' lineup next week, earlier than expected after he had surgery on his left ankle in September to repair ligament damage.

The Warriors and Knicks have agreed in principle on a deal sending disgruntled forward Al Harrington to New York for Jamal Crawford.

John Hollinger lists his early disappointments so far.

Detroit Pistons forward Walter Herrmann was released from a Boston hospital Friday after suffering a mild concussion in a game against the Boston Celtics.

I don't know much about the source, and it seems fairly one-sided, but for what it's worth, here's an attorney who used to prosecute these kinds of cases for the government saying the case against Mark Cuban is risky and flimsy.

Steve Aschburner writes for MinnPost.com about how the Timberwolves are wholly different since the departure of Kevin Garnett. One player who has noticed is Randy Foye: "'One thing I miss about him is, he just let me go. That's why I was so successful my rookie year,' said Foye, who has sputtered in the season-plus since. 'No matter what happened, if I made a mistake, I'd look at him and he'd go [Foye balls up a fist and pumps it], like 'It's all right. Keep your head up.' It makes you feel better. It'd be like that for anyone in their work, if there was a legend who pumped you up. For a…

ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz (also the force behind Clipperblog) was up late watching the Suns lose to the Lakers, and got to thinking about the post D'Antoni offense in Phoenix. Has there ever been a point guard who could find a high-percentage shot for his team more quickly and effortlessly than Steve Nash? You can credit Mike D'Antoni's "Seven Seconds or Less" transition-oriented spread offense for much of that. Under D'Antoni, Steve Nash was encouraged to let his spatial intuition run wild to create those open looks. The result was an offensive juggernaut. Unfortunately, Phoenix could never…

Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum, a mainstay of NBA coverage for nearly three decades, the author of several books including "Seven Seconds or Less," and one of the most-read NBA writers anywhere, says he has accepted a buyout. We spoke a few minutes ago. "Whenever anybody 'takes a buyout,'" he says, "it sounds like code for being pushed out the door. But that isn't the case. It was just the right time for me. I've been at SI since Larry and Magic were considered svelte. I've enjoyed every minute of it. All right, not every minute. But most minutes. I even enjoyed it when David Stern…

Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Since he last played at Target Center, Kevin Garnett, of course, in one dizzying season with the reborn Celtics won an NBA championship that eluded him during 12 seasons in Minnesota. Since then, his former team swapped out everything but perhaps the arena bathroom fixtures and Kevin McHale, a process so complete that even the rookie who just survived the first eight-game losing streak of his life has taken inventory. 'From the new players to the new court, the new uniforms, the new logo, we've pretty much changed everything around just trying to…

by Tom ZillerFiled under: WarriorsFrom the perspective of Cleveland and New Jersey, the Knicks went from Jean Grey to Dark Phoenix today. But we won't know if the Great Contract Sell-off of 2008 actually worked for roughly 586 days, so let's focus on the present: the weirdest team in the league just got more gonzo. Don Nelson already starts four two-guards, and now he's acquired Jamal Crawford. Does the trade make you tingle, Nellie? "I'm stoked, is what I am."Once Monta Ellis returns and Crawford suits up (the Warriors expect him to be ready Tuesday), I expect you'll be able to describe six…

by Tom ZillerFiled under: Clippers, KnicksThe other sneaker has fallen: Ramona Shelbourne of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that Zach Randolph is a Los Angeles Clipper. Mardy Collins will join Z-Bo in Southern California. Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley, two fellows who have contracts which expire in 2010, will become Knickerbockers.In case you're wondering: as of today, Donnie Walsh has roughly $33 million of cap space to work with in the Summer of 2010, when the entire league (small exaggeration) is up for unrestricted free agency. Only Eddy Curry, Wilson Chandler, Jared Jeffries and…

by Tom ZillerFiled under: Clippers, Knicks, Mavericks, NBA RumorsThe Knicks have officially pulled off one important trade today, sending Jamal Crawford west for Al Harrington, making some room for the vaunted Summer of 2010. Various outlets are saying, though, that Donnie Walsh isn't done. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports that the Knicks might have a deal in place to send Zach Randolph to Dallas or L.A. with Jerry Stackhouse, Tim Thomas and/or Cuttino Mobley also changing places. Meanwhile, Newsday's Alan Hahn has the following line in a blog post: The Knicks haven't announced…

by Tom ZillerFiled under: KingsLongtime Kings GM Geoff Petrie has added a potential successor to Sacramento's front office: Jason Levien. That slice might only be interesting to the most devoted NBA heads or Kings fans. But here's the key: Levien is a player agent. More specifically, he's Kevin Martin's player agent. Levien actually has a long history with Petrie. The Sacramento Bee reports that when the Kings drafted Hedo Turkoglu in 2000, Levien accompanied Petrie to Istanbul to negotiate Hedo's release from European club and Turkish national team obligations. Levien clients Orien Greene…

by Tom ZillerFiled under: Heat, Rockets, NBA VideosT-Mobile's latest "Fave Five" commercial features three things I never thought I'd see: Yao Ming on a cell phone casually imploring someone to "eat the head," Dwyane Wade terrified and Charles Barkley passing up a meal.For an ad campaign that feels like it's gone on for a half-decade, the folks behind the "Fave Five" ads sure keep things funny.Charles Barkley Refusing to Eat? No! originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email…

Rumors abounded for a spell, but what we appear to finally have is the truth: the Knicks just dumped Zach Randolph off on the Los Angeles Clippers. Donnie Walsh has become the un-Isiah. There's no point in killing the Clippers too much for making what is essentially a pretty pointless move. They don't need Zach Randolph, at all. The idea of Randolph and Chris Kaman playing alongside each other kind of reminds of Zach and Eddy Curry trying to go at it, though Kaman has more high post gifts than Eddy Curry. Michael Kamen had more high post gifts than Eddy Curry, for that matter, but that's…

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.C: With Leather. Follow that link to check out Chuck's pants. Wow.PF: CharlotteObserver.com. How do you say "Bobcats lose" in Spanish?SF: NESW Sports. LeBron wants you to eat your veggies, buy his new shoes.SG: Khandor's Sports Blog. Wade or Bosh: which one would you choose to build your team around?PG: Blaze of Love. You know, after further review, the NBA All-Ugly team…

Sam Cassell is a freewheelin' spirit. From his sound bites to his swagger, there is no other player quite like Sam. In fact, if he wasn't going to become a coach after he retires, I would guess he'd start writing jingles, make a boatload of cash, and turn into the ultimate ladies man. Seriously. Don't let that face fool you, chicks dig the confidence. He's like an extraterrestrial Charlie Sheen.Which is why this story about Cassell's old practice habits should come as no surprise. On the Dan Dakich Show this past Tuesday, Dakich and Pacers' radio voice Mark Boyle were discussing Kevin…

OK, now this makes a bit more sense. You see, Donnie Walsh is a good GM. And he's also in love with Al Harrington. It's something that has cost him before, as mentioned in this post. So when word leaked that the Knicks were going to add Harrington for Malik Rose's expiring deal, you couldn't help but temper your "nice deal" bit of enthusiasm for the Knicks, mainly because you can't help but worry about what Walsh will do with Harrington. Would he extend him? Would he press Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni to play him? Would he make Harrington the new Knicks coach? Would he get to write…

The Blogger Formerly Known As Miss Gossip has new interview clips with Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace, and as expected, this video is just as good as the last, if not more. Sheed, playing the "nickname game" with teammates, dubs Tayshaun Prince "Paper Thin", Kwame Brown "Coffee With No Cream" and Ronald Stuckey "Young 50" because, well, he looks just like 50 Cent. (He does.)Once again, a big BDL head nod to Alana G for the video.

Since the earliest days of the National Basketball Association’s existence, big men dominated the game. Starting in the late 1940’s when the league discovered it’s first superstar in George Mikan who was the prototype of the NBA center, giants ruled the court. Mikan looked like Clark Kent on stilts, with his dark rimmed glasses, but on the floor he was Superman. Mikan was so dominant in his time, that once when his team played at MSG in New York the marquee read, “George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers” which caused him to take a ration of ribbing from his…

Granted it is a new year in the NBA and I wanted to take some time to remember the finer things in life WOMEN! The only good thing about the winter is basketball and DANCERS! After a thorough review, we’ve decided to rank the hottest dance teams in the NBA. As you all know, I am a Philly native. So I had to give the nod to the 76ers Dance Team - The most beautiful women in basketball! What I respect most is the fact the team did the photoshoot for their calendar in Philadelphia, right on the waterfront. They didn’t need to fly to Aruba, Key West, or the Bahamas. They have such…

I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer since I was a little boy. I have never had any hesitation questioning authority. When I was much younger I did it in an abrasive in your face manner, which I quickly learned was not the route to go. You get labeled as a malcontent, and a troublemaker. While I thought I was fighting for truth, justice, and the American Way, authority figures just perceived me as an unnecessary headache. I still question authority today, but I have learned the art of being tactful and diplomatic. Even though I have learned to be far less strident, I…

I don’t remember what the scene I am about to describe is from, it could be a movie, or from a TV sitcom. An actor was about to shoot a scene, when he asked the suit (possibly a producer, I’m a bit hazy on the details) what was his character’’s motivation. The suit, looked at the guy as if he had two heads, and asked the actor what he meant. The actor was apparently a “method actor” who needed to know a character’s back story, in order to do the scene. The suit looked at him, and said “Your motivation is getting paid.” The actor looked…

The “Associated Press” reported Monday that the S.E.C. filed a civil lawsuit in a Dallas courtroom against Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban. The agency contends that Cuban uside inside information to avoid suffering $750 thousand in losses. All the S.E.C. is doing is looking to fine the Mavericks team owner, and to take away any earnings that he would have made in the transaction. Cuban as of this writing has not been charged with any crime, that would fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney in Dallas. So far there has been no comment from the U.S.

Please, do spend some time with the links post I put together earlier today. But hold up and stop the virtual presses, even if it means sticking your hand in there until it's pulped and spewing blood everywhere. Crawford for Harrington. Knicks officially dead, my trip to the Garden possibly postponed. The 2007-08 Golden State Warriors become my favorite team of all time and we start a Wiki on

First, for everyone who lost his job on account of that tits yacht, here's a harmless video of Nicolas Batum attempting a trip to Burger King (about 2:00 in): I love this guy. On so many levels, he's like the missing other half of Barbosa. Moves weird, mild and yet aggressive in the most slippery way imaginable, by all accounts a lovable ingenue on these shores. But as of now, you see it

Artist Formerly Known as Miss Gossip, you're a national treasure. This is pure gold. I especially like the look on Sheed's face when he hears the phrase "Free Darko" for the second time. Also, the whole damn gang comes together for a very special New York Times Q&A. Tragically, they edited out the part where we revealed that high-top Wallabees are the FD uni. Thanks to everyone out who came

Tonight is the Seattle launch party for the Almanac. I know it's unrealistic to ask all of you to come out here for it, but for those of you in the Northwest, here's the info: FD Northwest Book Launch Thing Redwood 514 East Howell Street Capitol Hill 6-10PM Early game is Rockets/Mavs, which should be okay, I guess. Second game is the far doper Blazers/Bulls. I'll have books for sale, our

We already knew that J.A. Adande was pretty much the coolest sportswriter out, but were still moved by the mid-90's hip-hop knowledge he flashed in his latest ESPN chat, especially this nugget: "Enta da Stage is an underrated album." Really, though, the singles off that album are where it's at. He also makes a really good point about the double standard in how NBA fights are perceived compared

Done Deals: Knicks Trade Randolph and Crawford Randolph to the Clips for Mobley and Tim Thomas Crawford to the Warriors for Al Harrington Way to free up some cap space Donnie Walsh.

Bumped to the front page.  Great job Big Ticket!  -Green17 Tonight KG makes his return to the Target Center.  To a building that had millions of fans go through the turnstyles during 12 memorable years, almost invariably to see one man above all else.  To a state whose basketball interest and livelihood mostly lied in the palm of his hands.  KG returns dawning a new jersey, new teammates, and with a new type of passion and outward expression of emotion that Wolves fans painfully watched slowly drain from his face starting in early 2005.   Yet as far as most…

A Daily Babble Production Amidst several enjoyable storylines from the green side of a 98-80 Celtics rout over the Pistons last night, it seems worth noting one big-time negative in particular on the Detroit end: Rip Hamilton's poor play. Looking at the box score after the game, it was surprising to see that the league's best at moving without the ball shot as well as 4-for-9 from the field, because he looked much worse than that.  And 4-for-9 is nothing to write home about.  So far, this appears to be the story of Hamilton's young season. We talked a week ago about how well the…

  at  Boston Celtics (11-2) at Minnesota Timberwolves (2-8)Friday, November 218:00 PM ETGame 14, Road Game 6TV:  CSN HD, KSTC-45, NBA LP 755Radio:  WEEI Target Center Game Thread    l     Chat      Wolves Blogs:    TWolves Blog    l     Canis Hoopus       The Celtics have a quick turnaround after playing the Pistons in Boston last night, as they had to board a plane and prepare to play the Timberwolves in Minnesota tonight.  …

Herald    Celtics don’t bail out Detroit     Expect Kevin Garnett’s emotional max at Minnesota      Tony Allen burns Pistons      Two seasons after Kevin Garnett, Timberwolves moving closer to irrelevance     Globe    Celtics have the answers     Those weren't the real Pistons on display      Various posts on Globe Celtics blog MetroWest Daily    Celtics 98, Pistons 80: C's win in a…

Harrington to the Knicks for Crawford. Okay, I can deal with that. Really, really weird and nonsensical, but I can deal. But Randolph to the Clips for Mobley and Tim Thomas? Dear God.This is basically the same deal proposed in the offseason, only now that Camby's donning the white, blue, red, and whatever else the Clippers wear, actual players have to be included for salary cap reasons. For LA, they're dumping some marginal talent for a guy who can legitimately score the damn basketball. But what the hell does their rotation look like? Do they start Randolph and Camby? Randolph and Kaman?

The "If Corn had his way, they would all be like this" Edition.Stinker of a slate tonight. Too many injuries, too many lopsided matchups, too little intrigue. Yep, it's Friday night in the NBA. However, since most of you don't have dates or friends - the only thing you got tonight are these games. Could be worse - you could be Ashely Simpson and Pete Wentz's kid. Enjoy, wanna be ballers.If You Keep Doing That You're Gonna Go BlindOrlando @ Indiana7:00EST Watching Danny Granger on offense has been know to cause fits of exacerbate elation and dramatic discombobulation. Like riding the…

Mama and Papa Moore have packed up their bags and shipped out for awhile, meaning they left me and the rest of the gang in charge. Yes sir, I know, don't be too loud. Don't worry, I'll eat right. Go! Enjoy yourselves! Bye! Godspeed! Bon voyage!...okay Corn, you grab the keg and some bean dip, and I'll get some belly dancers. IT'S TIME TO PAR-TAY!REASONS TO WATCH THE GAMES OF THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TONIGHT:Just As Good As You Remember...But Now 100% Iverson-Infused!Pistons at CelticsThe Pistons completely confound me. Beat a bunch of bad teams. Take care of the Lakers pretty…

So Paroxi-Wife and I are relocating back to the Midwestern plains from whence we came. Which means that I have to have the cable turned off. This wouldn't be a big deal, except for the fact that I won't have my new place till the 12th of December. Which essentially means I wont' be able to regularly watch the NBA for about, oh, three weeks.YE GODS.Posting will continue here, but it's up to Rob, Graydon, and ...sigh... Corn to carry the banner. There's a slight possibility I won't have any 15s till the 15th of December. Hope you can carry on. Good slate tonight. Enjoy them.REASONS TO WATCH THE…

We're an eighth of the way in to the season, so why not prematurely judge the contributions of 20 year olds? Four words to encapsulate the impact the first round of this year's draft has had.(Sidenote: Is Mayo wearing Dunks? I've never noticed that before.)Matt and I on the ones and twos. Literally.1 Derrick Rose - Better Than Expected/Jesus.2 Michael Beasley - wasted on the Heat3 O.J. Mayo - Missiles and guns fun. 4 Russell Westbrook - the Thunder suck regardless5 Kevin Love - Needs more mutton chops.6 Danilo Gallinari - sorry about your back7 Eric Gordon - Is in Basketball Hell.8 Joe…

In the space of a few hours, Donnie Walsh, the Knicks’ president, traded Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors and struck a deal to send Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Seattle, which lost its pro basketball team as its football and baseball teams floundered, has, in one fan’s words, “the worst sports scene in the history of sports scenes.”

Wilson Chandler, 21, has taken a spot as a starting forward under Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni and is a burgeoning contributor.

Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and Vladimir Radmanovic made all five of his 3-pointers to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Phoenix Suns, 105-92 on Thursday night.

Rajon Rondo had 18 points and 8 assists, outplaying the new Pistons acquisition Allen Iverson and leading the Boston Celtics to a 98-80 victory over Detroit on Thursday.

The White Man Jump Challenge continues. I'm now one week into the Advanced Phase of the Strength Shoe training program and the net gain to my vertical leap is currently at just over two inches.I know. It seems like a rather modest gain for almost two and a half months worth of three-days-a-week workouts. But it's a gain nonetheless. And I have to tell you, even though I'm only jumping a couple inches higher, the training has improved my game in ways that I didn't originally anticipate. I haven't measured my foot speed, but I can tell you that my first step is faster and I'm breaking to the…

I call this photo "The Joy of the Human Victory Cigar."The Detroit Pistons: There aren't any Bad Boys on this Pistons team. Heck, there aren't even any Moderately Rude Boys. (Okay, okay. Rasheed Wallace probably falls into the "moderately rude" category.) Basically, Detroit got pushed around and beaten up by the Celtics last night. You won't see it in the box score, but that's what happened. There was very little defensive toughness and even less in the way of interior defense. The need for Antonio Keithflen McDyess -- yes, his middle name really is Keithflen -- hadn't yet been so obvious and…

Remember in when I mentioned that little lover's spat between Sasha Vujacic and Trevor Ariza? Well, here's the video. It's like Shaq-versus-Kobe Lite!

You might remember Clutch the Bear, Houston's adorable inflatable mascot (one of them anyway), who once gobbled up and then regurgitated an entire cheerleader. Well, Clutch's continuing misadventures had him scaring people...with hilarious results that included a violent nutshot (from a little girl no less) and a mean right hook. Your funny bone is sure to find this video...unBEARable. And yes, I'm going to say that every time Clutch is mentioned on this site.Danke schön to Dunpizzle for digging this up.

All of the pictures used in today's post are courtesy of Shayan from Time Intact.The Washington Wizards: The latest chapter in Washington's 1-8 saga was even more depressing than the previous chapters. The Hawks -- who were without starters Al Horford (sprained right ankle) and Josh Smith (sprained left ankle) -- broke their four-game losing streak despite the missing personnel, 39 percent shooting and 16 turnovers. Atlanta did it by dominating the boards 58-40 [!!] despite, as I mentioned, missing 66.6 percent of their starting frontcourt. The Wiz...they couldn't keep Zaza Pachulia…

From Chris McCosky: “Walter Herrmann was back home in Detroit Friday after spending Thursday night in a Boston hospital. He suffered a slight concussion in the fourth quarter and was kept behind as a precaution. He is listed as day to day, but is expected to return to practice Saturday.”

The first time the Pistons faced the Celtics this year, it was Allen Iverson’s second game since the trade and the entire roster looked completely disjointed. For the most part, things have turned around in the five games since, with the exception of the disaster in Phoenix and the first half last night. Can the Pistons win the rematch and become the league’s first team to beat both teams that made last year’s Finals? Will Coffee With No Cream outshine Kendrick Perkins? Will the Celtics listen to their coach and (finally) stop chirping? Will the always classy KG take any…

Lindsey Hunter is turning heads: “At Hunter’s level of tenure, there are plenty of players in this league who would have wanted no part of being on the floor late in the third quarter of a 30-point game. Not only was Hunter out there, but he set an example for his younger teammates with an intensity that belied the score.”

I’ve been pimping these videos all week long, but that’s because they’re hilarious. Kudos to Alana [1] and Yardbarker for getting Sheed to let his guard down. Alana forget to ask about Showbe/Snowflake/Afflac Afflalo but that’s probably a good thing — he probably would have dropped yet another nickname on us. edit: fixed the link.

From Keith Langlois of Pistons.com: An update on the two Pistons’ second-rounders who signed to play in Europe: Trent Plaisted got his feet wet in Italy, then experienced a disc problem in his back and returned to the United States, where he has undergone treatment in Los Angeles. Pistons VP Scott Perry told me he’s doing well and readying to return to Italy. Deron Washington, meanwhile, is playing very well in Israel. He’s starting at small forward. In four games, he’s averaging 12.0 points (third on his team), 6.5 rebounds (tied for first) and 2.5 steals (first)…

On today’s show, Skeets and I discuss the Suns and Pistons’ meltdowns, give away a confusing Epic Vale t-shirt, say goodbye to our first installment of Book It, and anoint a new “Wanker of the Week.” Enjoy. Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directlySubscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly

On today’s show, which is dated wrong, Tas and I give the DL on JO (Jermaine O’Neal), scrutinize the rocky relationship between Ben Gordon and Derrick Rose, hear from our new international correspondent, and bribe you with an Epic Vale “Kill + Mode = Chee$e” t-shirt. Subscribe to the audio show on iTunes | Download the .mp3 directlySubscribe to the video show on iTunes | Download the .m4v directly

JD’s still on his death bed. You obviously didn’t buy enough t-shirts. Jerks!

via bballchicho’s photostream

Please note that there will be no show on Tuesday. Early mornings, kids, work and this lovely Canadian weather have finally infiltrated JD’s immune system. His wife just called to tell me that he’s running a dangerously  high fever and the only prescription is less Jones. We’ll hopefully be back on Wednesday. In the meantime, though, buy a shirt. That’ll cheer him right up.

When Ryan Anderson was in Toronto this weekend he talked with Hoop Addict about leading the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, how Gus Armstead helped him prepare for his rookie season and he shared some of his highlights from his rookie season. Ryan McNeill: I hear you worked out with Gus Armstead this summer to prepare for your rookie season in the NBA. What kinds of things did you guys do to prepare for this season? Ryan Anderson: I prepared with other NBA guys. He helped me develop my game off the dribble because people know me as being a shooter. He helped develop me as an…

Los Angeles has always been a town full of young stars, but those luminaries very rarely are home grown. Young talent migrates to southern California; it does not often begin its journey there. The bright lights and commotion of Hollywood tends to sniff out budding talent before it realizes its true potential. Luckily though this is not the case for the Lakers. In Jordan Farmar and Trevor Ariza, two of the franchise’s most gifted youngsters are local boys who have made good. Farmar was born and raised in greater Los Angeles. A superstar prep player throughout his youth, he eventually…

Waiting for Next Year, a wonderful blog devoted to Cleveland sports, recently put forth a case for the Nets bringing LeBron James to NJ when his contract expires in 2010. I understand why the Nets want him. I understand why everyone wants him. Cleveland, however, needs him. RockKing (not sure what his real name is and I have to admit my “under the radar” tag on sports community Web sites is QTownMayor) says: Obviously LeBron is the top choice, but even if he happens to re-sign with the Cavaliers (hahahaha, I know) . . . Is this funny because LeBron will never leave or is this…

There were two series against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night that typified the type of up and down season it has been for Washington Wizards’ second year guard Nick Young. During one series, Young found himself going head-to-head with All-Star guard Dwyane Wade.  Young went between his legs with the ball, froze Wade with a cross-over dribble and then drove hard to the basket.  Just as Wade caught up with him, Young put the ball through his legs again, stepped back, and hit a jumper over Wade’s outstretched arms.  As he ran back down the court a slight grin crept across…

If you think about Syracuse University football, the one thing that comes to mind right away is the number 44. If you think about SU lacrosse you can think about the number 22, or maybe Jim Brown, or the Gaits or the Powells. But, if you think about Syracuse basketball the one person that comes to mind is their head coach, James Arthur “Jim” Boeheim. In this day and age of “what have you done for me lately,” Coach Boeheim can say that he has done plenty in over 30 years for his program and college. The head coach, who just turned 64 a couple of days ago, has given the…

Kobe Bryant has 24 points on a night that starts with a hug between Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal. Shaquille O'Neal gave Phil Jackson a sweaty hug 90 minutes before tip-off, a fitting image in a bizarre couple of days that ended the best possible way for the Lakers.

He tells his former coach that recent comments were taken out of context. Phil Jackson stood in a dim hallway amid a semi-circle of reporters, talking about how difficult it is to box out Shaquille O'Neal , when the topic of discussion emerged from a nearby practice court, pushed his way through the media pack and gave Jackson a sweaty embrace.

O'Neal on Kobe Bryant: 'He's playing excellent ball. I can't say anything bad about him now.' Shaquille O'Neal sat in his locker, his eyes wide, his ears open for all the questions directed toward him about the Lakers.

For now, Phoenix is the not-so-big threat in the West. And now, the Big Division Rival.

He has started at small forward in every game this season, but says he has 'nothing to answer' about retaining that role. For the first nine games -- and presumably for the 10th tonight -- Vladimir Radmanovic has been the starting small forward for the Lakers.

The LA Times says "Want Better Ratings? Hire LeBron James and Win Games" Perfect holiday gifts Mookie finds Magic wrapped up in cellophane Women Like Sports is looking for a Guest Poster; this plea also contains links to some...

Ethan Jaynes, the man who can make even a day when you wake up crying seem worth living, sent me a link to LeBron's latest set of commercials. This one is my favorite. Click here to view the rest....

AEM and I don't agree on everything, including The Best Basketball Player Ever; this subject, however, is ridiculous. I'm with you, AEM. Michael Jordan Has It All, Almost by AEM (The 5th Corner) If I asked you to tell me...

Daniel Gibson sat down for a short interview, broadcast during Wednesday's pre-game show. Here's a peek inside Boobie's head: Most difficult road arena? Detroit Favorite road city? Houston Player you least like to guard? Rip Hamilton Player you least like...

When I began collecting basketball books, I hadn't thought beyond "wouldn't it be fun to have a book about some old players." Little did I know my compulsive personality would take over; there might be 237 bball books in my...

Apparently my last post wasn't clear enough for everyone. There will be no further posts here on 3shadesofblue.blogspot.com. Instead we have moved our entire operation over to 3shadesofblue.com, so update your favorites, bookmarks and subscription links to that site. That is where you will get all the latest Grizzlies news, commentary and analysis from now on.Go Grizzlies!

No, this isn't another poorly informed piece about the Grizzlies leaving the Bluff City for Seattle, Las Vegas, Kansas City or Piedmont, North Dakota.3 Shades of Blue is moving from our suburban home on Blogspot to our new palatial estate on the Bloguin Network.Now you can get all your updates on the Memphis Grizzlies at http://3shadesofblue.com/. We'll be making some adjustments as we familiarize ourself with the new website, but we promise to keep up our tradition of providing you with all the latest news, commentary, analysis and poorly crafted jokes.Joining us on the new network…

Memphis at Houston - 10.29.08Memphis enters Year 2 of the Iavaroni years with a far different perspective than the previous year. Gone are Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire, Andre Brown, Tarence Kinsey, Juan Carlos Navarro and Brian Cardinal. In are O J Mayo, Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, Quinton Ross, Marco Jaric, Hamed Haddadi, Javaris Crittenton, Greg Buckner and Antoine Walker. Turnover on this scale rarely leads to quick starts for a team. The Grizzlies are also expected to start two rookies (Mayo and Gasol) to partner with Conley (one year), Rudy Gay (2 years) and…

Denver NuggetsJeremy: Pickaxe and RollNick Sclafani: The Nugg DoctorMinnesota TimberwolvesDerek Hanson & Staff: TWolves BlogAndrew Thell: Empty the Benchwyn: Canis HoopusOklahoma Cityxphoenix87: BallerBloggerZorgon: Blue BlitzRoyce: The ThunderworldPortland Trail BlazersMookie: ...a stern warningBenjamin Golliver: Blazers EdgeCoup and SJ: Rip City Project Utah JazzUtesFan89: The Utah JazzBasketball John: SLC DunkAtlanta HawksMatt McHale: BasketbawfulHoopinion: Peachtree HoopsCharlotte BobcatsBrettL: Queen City HoopsZiggy: BobcatsPlanetMiami HeatDarren Heitner: SportsAgentBlog.comGregory…

On Friday October 24th two of the writers at 3 Shades of Blue met with local media personalities Chris Herrington (the Memphis Flyer and writer of Beyond the Arc), Eli Savoie (radio personality at WHBQ Sports Talk radio), Chris Vernon (730am Fox Sports radio personality) and Geoff Calkins (Memphis Commercial Appeal Sports Columnist). The discussion covered current topics about the Grizzlies, expectations for this season and the future. It was a fascinating hour long conversation and I hope everyone enjoys listening to it.Memphis Grizzlies Media RoundtableAs this is 3 Shades of Blue's first…

The Knicks and Clippers made a trade today that sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to Los Angeles, and Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley to New York. Mobley, an old shooting guard who can still play but whose career is winding down, isn’t happy about it. Mobley today said the following to the Los Angeles Times (Lisa [...]

The Los Angeles Clippers acquired forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins from the New York Knicks today in exchange for forward Tim Thomas and guard Cuttino Mobley Clippers General Manager and head coach Mike Dunleavy announced today. “In an attempt to make our team more competitive, we are excited about the acquisition of Zach Randolph,” [...]

Billups Earns Player of the Week Honors: Chauncey Billups was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from 11/10-11/16. Billups led Denver to a 3-1 record in the four games, averaging 21.5 ppg to go along with 5.8 apg, 2.3 rpg and 1.25 spg. A Win is a Win: Denver shot .337 [...]

The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that forward Al Harrington has been acquired from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for guard Jamal Crawford. “I drafted Al back in 1998 and I think his talents are a great fit for our style of play,” Walsh said. “This trade also gives [...]

Pistons forward Walter Herrmann suffered a mild concussion in last night’s game at Boston.  Herrmann spent the night in a Boston hospital but was released this morning and has returned home.  He is listed as day to day.

We at NBN might have to retract our designation of Orlando reserve center Marcin Gortat as the Polish Dr. J. I had the following note on Gortat in Tuesday’s NBA Confidential column: In a discussion with fellow Magic European-import Mickael Pietrus (originally from French Guadeloupe), Polish-born Marcin Gortat boasted after a recent practice his ability to dunk from the free-throw line --- like Julius Erving. Doubtful of his skills, Pietrus bet Gortat an unspecified sum that he could, drawing a full post-practice audience that included several barefoot players and even Coach Stan Van Gundy.

And who said basketball players didn't show their emotion? Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press had a great piece talking to new Denver guard Chauncey Billups about saying goodbye to the Pistons and a little about what he thinks about former Coach Flip Saunders. Here's a few bars: Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton were crying. There they were, two NBA All-Stars, in Billups’ room in the Hilton City Center in Charlotte … crying. And laughing. And crying again. The Pistons had just traded Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson. Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince had gotten word…

Now that the hometown team is winning some games, some Magic/NBA fans are chiming in more regularly which we definitely appreciate over here in newspaper land and at Nothing But Net. And that interest has spurred some reader feedback which we equally are thankful for as it enables us to have a little talkback on 'Talkback Thursday'… An e-mail I received this week, the day after I wrote an advance story for the Magic’s three-game road trip: Regarding your above-mentioned article, you wrote something about . . . “world champion Celtics.” The Boston Celtics are NBA Champion, and not…

Quick question. What do Joe the Plumber and Orlando shooting guard Mickael Pietrus have in common? They both are being used as examples of being average. No, that’s not a swipe at the Orlando Magic’s free agent acquisition’s game, but rather a human face on the NBA average player based on the annual league-wide height, weight, age and experience survey. The NBA has done the yearly survey of opening day rosters since the 1985-86 season. This year’s NBA Average Joe is 6’6.88’’ tall, weighs 218.52 pounds, is 26.85 years old and has played 4.74 seasons. Mr. Pietrus is listed at 6-6,…

Quick report from Tuesday afternoon's Magic practice... Magic C Dwight Howard didn't practice Tuesday, the day after putting up 29 points and 19 rebounds in Orlando's 106-99 loss to Portland. Howard rested with swelling in his left knee, though neither Coach Stan Van Gundy nor Howard seemed particularly worried about it as he is not expected to miss any game action. "We just cant' seem to get [the swelling] down," Van Gundy said. "Hopefully we can get it down pretty soon." Said Howard, who was wearing a thin support brace on the knee: "It's no concern. I'm not at all…

Former Blazer Zach Randolph will take his bike rides to L.A.As you've read/heard by now, former Trail Blazer Zach Randolph swapped New York (Knickerbockers) for Los Angeles (Clippers) today. I know what you're thinking: Finally! Zach Randolph and Ricky Davis...

Go inside the Blazers with Oregonian beat writer Jason Quick.

Photos by Bruce Ely/The Oregonian Dunk....

In honor of Ball Don't Lie's daily "Create-a-caption" and The Oregonian's new hit caption contests, the blog is breaking out its own gimmie your caption feature today with a photo from the incomparable Bruce Ely during last night's game. The...

Blazers 116, Bulls 74. I think the score says it all. The last 40-point win for the Blazers was back in March of '99 against Houston (111-71). Anything else I would add would probably sully just how thorough of a...

            Friday was a good day for Michael Beasley, even though it was an off day for the Heat.                                               The player who in training camp set being league MVP as his rookie goal made a major concession after the practice session at AmericanAirlines Arena:                          …

            After some of his team's rougher performances, Erik Spoelstra has been quick to point out that this is about establishing a culture, installing a system, building a foundation.                                               His passion while offering those comments is heartfelt.                          …

      Observations from Wednesday's 101-95 loss to the Raptors at AmericanAirlines Arena:                                             It certainly wasn't for a lack of effort, after falling behind by 17 in the third quarter. And it definitely wasn't for a lack of Dwyane Wade, who finished with season highs in points and assists. Toronto flat out just made the biggest shots when needed most. No shame here. -Ugly shot, positive…

Observations from Monday's 94-87 victory over the Wizards at Verizon Center:                                             Shawn Marion as the offensive focus? It sure seemed that way in the first half, when Marion shot 5 of 11 for 10 points. At one point, his 10 attempts were twice as many as any teammate. It hardly was an overwhelming homecoming for Michael Beasley, who had just two points at the intermission and then was called for his fourth foul…

            If consistency is measured in maturity, perhaps it makes sense that the Heat is 5-5, as well as great at home and awful on the road.                                                              According to Elias Sports Bureau, prior to this season, only once previously over the past 14 years had a team started two rookies in each of its first…

Post mortem: Rather than dealing with my shallow analysis of what went wrong, I think it best to let Coach Mike Brown sum it up for all of you out there.: At halftime some of their players must have gotten together and said let’s defend and take this game away from the Cavaliers.They came out in the second half and just took it from us. They didn’t do anything special or anything differently.Defensively, they just turned it up.They turned it up with their pressure and we did not respond. We did not respond well at all in the second half to their aggressive play and that was disappointing.

Post mortem: The Cavaliers showed they are a second-half team.In fact, it was almost as if two teams were playing Tuesday night against the Nets – the one that would turn the ball over 10 times in the half and the other that would only turn it over once in the second.Also, they kicked up the defensive intensity in the second half, beating the Nets on the boards 28-16 and forcing 6 turnovers. The key in the game:a 12-0 run to start the third quarter, powered by the 3-point shots of Delonte West and Mo Williams.West hit 4-of-4 in that quarter to help the Cavs get some separation. Coach Mike…

Post mortem: The Cavaliers won this game for two reasons – Delonte West stepped up big in the third quarter, dropping three, 3-point shots.LeBron James assumed his normal role in the fourth quarter and dominated that period and lastly, defense.While James was busy muzzling the Jazz with 13-of-21 shooting for 38 points, the team went into shutdown mode, forcing Jazz players to alter shots and contesting each one.The Jazz would only shoot 35 percent in the fourth quarter.The fnished with a total of 10 steals and 6 blocked shots, including a monster one from James on Carlos Boozer that had to…

Post mortem: The Cavaliers hit triple digits for the fifth time in six games and ‘’hold’’ the Nuggets to just under 100. And they did it with defense, the way Mike Brown likes his team to play.A little perspective – the Nuggets scored just 38 points in the second half and a white-hot Chauncey Billups was put on ice for much of that time.He scored 18 in the first half and finished with 26. The Cavs have won games much like this one this season when LeBron James took over.He scored just 22 and proved instrumental in the win, but while he rested on the bench in the fourth quarter,…

Post mortem: Quick, anyone out there feel lucky to have escaped with a win in this game?Yeah, I thought so.That isn’t the wrong feeling to have at this point.Once again the Cavs came out looking flat.That could be said about the last three games. Sure they would go on to the win and hit nearly 49 percent of their shots, but they were slapped on the glass getting beat 45-36.More noticeable is that the Bucks got more offensive rebounds, besting the Cavs 17-9.More disturbingly is that a trend continues to emerge in the last four games – LeBron James has had to bail his teammates out.In three…

Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Mikki Moore will all sit. It appears Donté Greene and Jason Thompson will start again. That'd make Greg Oden and Spencer Hawes the first bigs off the bench for their respective teams. <cough> The game's at 7 PM PST. The win in New Orleans was a big one, but beating the Blazers tonight might net Reggie Theus a 20-year extension. Let's go Kings.

Game Day Conversation: Kings vs Blazers 11-21-08 (via kingsflix)

[Two can play at this game, Ben.] Aside from allowing that girl that wasn't wearing pants to grind on him, is there a more indelible image (here's video) of Greg Oden than when he is walking with the aid of a pair of crutches?   Great players, Jordan caliber, form their own paths in the NBA.  Other players, even good players (Bowie, Petrie, Darius Miles, etc.), get their destinies imposed upon them. That can either really suck or be fun to watch, depending upon which side you're on. I have an inkling that that might be happening here with Oden.  Greg just…

"Geoff is the one who is real high on him. Gavin (Maloof) and I are, of course, but I think he developed a relationship with Geoff, and Geoff's very impressed with what Jason has to offer." Joe Maloof, in the most important line in Sam Amick's story on the Levien hire

section214 passed on the news as soon as it hit the web, but the hire of Jason Levien as assistant GM is definitely something we'll be talking about a lot. This isn't a courtesy hire. Levien has made a pretty penny in the NBA as an agent. In the last two summers, he has signed Kevin Martin a $55 million deal and Luol Deng a $71 million deal. NBA agents make 4%. This is not small money. Once you work your ass off to get and keep some high-priced clients like Martin and Deng, being an NBA agent is a very lucrative endeavor. Levien can't keep his clients. He has youngsters like Courtney Lee and…

The White Man Jump Challenge continues. I'm now one week into the Advanced Phase of the Strength Shoe training program and the net gain to my vertical leap is currently at just over two inches.I know. It seems like a rather modest gain for almost two and a half months worth of three-days-a-week workouts. But it's a gain nonetheless. And I have to tell you, even though I'm only jumping a couple inches higher, the training has improved my game in ways that I didn't originally anticipate. I haven't measured my foot speed, but I can tell you that my first step is faster and I'm breaking to the…

I call this photo "The Joy of the Human Victory Cigar."The Detroit Pistons: There aren't any Bad Boys on this Pistons team. Heck, there aren't even any Moderately Rude Boys. (Okay, okay. Rasheed Wallace probably falls into the "moderately rude" category.) Basically, Detroit got pushed around and beaten up by the Celtics last night. You won't see it in the box score, but that's what happened. There was very little defensive toughness and even less in the way of interior defense. The need for Antonio Keithflen McDyess -- yes, his middle name really is Keithflen -- hadn't yet been so obvious and…

Remember in when I mentioned that little lover's spat between Sasha Vujacic and Trevor Ariza? Well, here's the video. It's like Shaq-versus-Kobe Lite!

You might remember Clutch the Bear, Houston's adorable inflatable mascot (one of them anyway), who once gobbled up and then regurgitated an entire cheerleader. Well, Clutch's continuing misadventures had him scaring people...with hilarious results that included a violent nutshot (from a little girl no less) and a mean right hook. Your funny bone is sure to find this video...unBEARable. And yes, I'm going to say that every time Clutch is mentioned on this site.Danke schön to Dunpizzle for digging this up.

All of the pictures used in today's post are courtesy of Shayan from Time Intact.The Washington Wizards: The latest chapter in Washington's 1-8 saga was even more depressing than the previous chapters. The Hawks -- who were without starters Al Horford (sprained right ankle) and Josh Smith (sprained left ankle) -- broke their four-game losing streak despite the missing personnel, 39 percent shooting and 16 turnovers. Atlanta did it by dominating the boards 58-40 [!!] despite, as I mentioned, missing 66.6 percent of their starting frontcourt. The Wiz...they couldn't keep Zaza Pachulia…

Marquette senior guard Jerel McNeal sits down with Joey Whelan to discuss this upcoming season, including the coaching change the team went through, entering the NBA draft last season, sharing the ball with Dominic James and a variety of other topics.

We finish up our look at the top NBA draft prospects in college basketball with the final segment of the non-BCS conferences analysis. 24 articles are in the books, examining over 125 players, and we are now officially ready to get the college season started. This last piece kicks off with a look at Illinois State's Osiris Eldridge, followed by St. Joe's Tasheed Carr, UMass' Chris Lowe, Miami Ohio's Michael Bramos, Western Kentucky's Jeremy Evans and Siena's Edwin Ubiles.

We continue our analysis of the top NBA draft prospects in the non-BCS conferences, looking at players 6-15. Stefon Jackson leads this group, followed by Ryan Thompson, Antonio Anderson, Marqus Blakely and Dior Lowhorn.