Month: April 2011

D-Rose leads Bulls past Pacers for 3-0 lead

The AP reports:

derrick rose

Derrick Rose was beaten up and shaken up by Indiana’s trapping defense, which was intent on shutting him down at all costs.

The Chicago Bulls guard struggled all game long and even lost his cool at times, but he still found a way to be the difference-maker. He scored 23 points, including the go-ahead layup with 17.8 seconds left, to help the Bulls beat the Pacers 88-84 on Thursday night and take a 3-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series…

Danny Granger had a chance to give the Pacers the lead, but his 3-pointer was off, and Chicago’s Ronnie Brewer rebounded. Brewer was fouled, and he made two free throws with 1.1 seconds left to put the game out of reach…

Rose made up for his shooting difficulties by making 13 of 15 free throws. Chicago can close out the series on Saturday…

Luol Deng had 21 points and Korver added 12 for the Bulls.

Granger, who led the Pacers with 21 points, said the Pacers wanted something better than the contested 26-footer that bounced off the rim with 2.2 seconds remaining.

InsideHoops.com notes: It was a brick-fest (or a defensive struggle, if you prefer that), as the Bulls shot 38.9% while the Pacers hit 37.9%. But the Bulls hit an impressive 9-of-20 three-pointers, the Pacers a miserable 1-of-10. Rebounding was even, but the Bulls won the assist battle, 20-11… Pacers point guard Darren Collison was limited in his return from brief injury, scoring nine points on eight shot attempts and only creating two assists with four turnovers.

Live fan discussion of this game took place in this forum topic.

Laurel J. Richie named WNBA president

Veteran marketing executive Laurel J. Richie, who brings more than three decades of experience in consumer marketing, corporate branding, public relations and corporate management, has been appointed President of the WNBA, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today.

Richie will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the world’s premier women’s sports league, which tips off its historic 15th season this summer.  She will assume her new role on May 16, 2011, reporting to NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Adam Silver.

With a long track record of developing award-winning campaigns that transform brands and drive business results, Richie served most recently as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Girl Scouts of the USA. She was responsible for the organization’s brand, communications, publishing, marketing and web-based initiatives, and was the driving force behind the recent brand revitalization of this well-loved American icon.

“Laurel combines extraordinary marketing and brand management skills, with a tremendous enthusiasm to help evolve young women into leaders,” said Stern. “She joins the WNBA at such an exciting time in its history and we know her expertise will be key to continuing the growth and success of the league.”

“The WNBA is comprised of the best female basketball players in the world and I’m looking forward to working with these talented women as they strive to achieve their professional goals both on and off the court,” said Richie.  “I am fortunate to have worked with an organization as inspiring as Girl Scouts, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to build upon the successes of the WNBA and help grow this league into a world-class business.”

Prior to working at Girl Scouts of the USA, Richie worked at Leo Burnett Worldwide, an advertising agency based in Chicago, from 1981-1983, where she worked on a host of Procter and Gamble brands. In 1984, she moved to Ogilvy and Mather, where she spent more than two decades building brands for blue chip clients including American Express, Pepperidge Farm and Unilever, among others.  During her tenure at Ogilvy, she led the team that helped Huggies become a multi-billion dollar brand. As Senior Partner, Executive Group Director with responsibility for a portfolio of global brands, her team was among the agency’s most productive and profitable. She continues to work with Ogilvy as a founding member of its Diversity Advisory Board, supporting efforts to attract and retain top talent.

Richie is a recipient of the YMCA Black Achiever’s Award and Ebony magazine’s Outstanding Women in Marketing and Communications. Earlier this month she was named one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business by The Network Journal.  A graduate of Dartmouth College with a BA in Policy Studies, Richie lives in New York City.

Lakers grind past Hornets, even playoff series

The AP reports:

Lakers grind past Hornets, even playoff series

Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Lamar Odom scored 16 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers survived poor games from their two biggest stars to even their first-round playoff series with an 87-78 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Ron Artest added 15 points as the two-time defending champions rebounded from a stunning nine-point loss in the series opener with an improved defensive effort against Chris Paul, who still had 20 points and nine assists after shredding Los Angeles’ defense in Game 1.

With Odom’s outstanding performance leading strong bench play, the Lakers overcame the struggles of All-Stars Kobe Bryant, who managed just 11 points, and Pau Gasol, who had eight.

Game 3 is Friday night in New Orleans.

Trevor Ariza scored 22 points for the Hornets, who committed 16 turnovers after making just three in Game 1.

The second-seeded Lakers nursed a small lead throughout the second half largely thanks to Odom, who was in top form in his first game since winning the NBA’s Sixth Man award on Tuesday. After Bynum scored 12 points in the first half, Odom drove the Lakers’ offense down the stretch.

Ginobili returns, Spurs beat Grizzlies 93-87 in Game 2

The AP reports:

Ginobili returns, Spurs beat Grizzlies 93-87 in Game 2

Manu Ginobili scored 17 points in the All-Star’s return after missing Game 1 with an elbow sprain, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-87 on Wednesday night to even the first-round series.

Ginobili wore a thick sleeve to protect his right elbow but played as physically reckless as usual. He stayed questionable until just before tipoff, yet even with Ginobili, the top-seeded Spurs didn’t have it easy.

Sam Young led Memphis with 17 points. The Grizzlies opened the series with a stunner for their first franchise playoff win, and 2-0 lead seemed possible in the final seconds.

Young’s 3-pointer with 14.9 seconds left made it 89-87 before George Hill sealed the win at the free throw line…

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, and Hill and Richard Jefferson added 16 apiece…

Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, who combined for 49 points in the opener, were far less dominant in Game 2. Randolph scored 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting and Gasol had 12 points, making just 2 of 9. Gasol had 17 rebounds.

Thunder rock Nuggets 106-89, take 2-0 lead

The AP reports:

kevin durant

Kevin Durant scored 23 points, Russell Westbrook added 21 and the Oklahoma City Thunder built a huge first-half lead on their way to a 106-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 on Wednesday night…

The Thunder relied heavily on their All-Star duo in Game 1, getting a combined 72 points from Durant and Westbrook. But they got contributions from everyone to build a 26-point lead early in the second quarter of a dominant victory.

Ty Lawson scored 20 points to lead Denver, which got as close as 10 in the fourth quarter before Oklahoma City put the game away.

Nene and Raymond Felton added 16 points apiece for the Nuggets…

Oklahoma City got a balanced performance, with James Harden providing 18 points and Serge Ibaka adding 12 points and 12 rebounds. Kendrick Perkins had 11 rebounds as the Thunder piled up a 41-19 edge on the boards by late in the third quarter.

The Sports Network reports:

James Harden scored 14 of his 18 points in a first half controlled by the Thunder, who went up by as many as 26 points early in the second quarter and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Ty Lawson scored 20 points, while Nene and Raymond Felton both had 16 for the Nuggets, who shot just 39 percent from the field and head back to Denver for Saturday’s Game 3 trailing the series, 2-0.

Fan discussion of this game took place as it happened in this forum topic.

Grizzlies sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

Grizzlies sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies signed franchise cornerstone Zach Randolph to a multi-year contract extension, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“During a week that has seen the Grizzlies franchise take a significant step forward with its first-ever postseason victory, it is incredibly meaningful for this organization to be able to take another by ensuring that Zach Randolph will continue to play on Beale Street for many years to come,” said Chris Wallace, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations.  “Zach has been a pillar for this team on the floor and in the community from the moment he arrived two seasons ago, and his leadership has helped to solidify our talented young core, putting the Grizzlies in position for continued success moving forward.”

The 6-9, 255-pound forward posted 20.1 points (19th in the NBA), a career-high and franchise-record 12.2 rebounds (3rd) and 2.2 assists on .503 shooting in 36.3 minutes in 75 games in his second season in the Bluff City.  Randolph led Memphis to the club’s first postseason victory Sunday with 25 points and 14 rebounds against the No. 1-seeded San Antonio Spurs.

One of the league’s most dominant post scorers and rebounders, Randolph wrapped up his third consecutive season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game (no other NBA player has done it in each of the last two seasons) and his fifth-straight season averaging a double-double (only Dwight Howard, at seven-straight, has a longer active streak).

Overall, Randolph has averaged 20.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .495 shooting in 37.0 minutes in 156 games since being acquired by the Grizzlies from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Quentin Richardson on July 17, 2009, setting over 20 franchise records along the way.

Helping to change the pro basketball culture in the city of Memphis, Randolph has guided the Grizzlies to an 86-78 record (.524) over the past two seasons after the team finished an NBA-low 68-178 (.276) the previous three seasons.  Over that span, Randolph has totaled 656 offensive rebounds (over 60 more than any other player), while Memphis has averaged 51.4 points in the paint (five points higher than any other team).

The most decorated player in franchise history, the 29-year-old recently won his third Western Conference Player of the Week Award of the season for games played from March 28-April 3.  His first two weekly honors (Jan. 3-9, Jan. 24-30) culminated in the Western Conference Player of the Month Award for January 2011, a first for the Grizzlies franchise.  All of those honors have been career firsts.

But Randolph’s outstanding efforts have extended well beyond the court.  In recognition of his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work in the Memphis community, Randolph received the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for December 2010.  Randolph partnered with a variety of organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis and MIFA’s Holiday Hope Chest, to provide gifts and brighten the holidays for children and families in need.  In addition, for the second consecutive year, he paid the utility bills for 100 Memphis families in need during the holiday season.

In his first season with the Grizzlies, Randolph averaged 20.8 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists on .488 shooting in 37.7 minutes, making his first career All-Star appearance at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in front of 100 thousand fans at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.  Memphis improved its win total by 16 games last season, the second-highest increase in the league.

The 10-year veteran owns career marks of 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists on .474 shooting in 31.7 minutes in 662 games (534 starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Marion, Ind. native was selected in the first round (19th overall) in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers after helping Michigan State to the 2001 NCAA Final Four as a freshman.  He won the 2003-04 Most Improved Player Award after averaging 20.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a member of the Trail Blazers.

DeJuan Blair changes diet, drops weight

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports (via blog):

DeJuan Blair changes diet, drops weight

A self-professed fast-food junkie, Blair arrived in San Antonio from Pittsburgh and quickly discovered the joys of Whataburger.

Now he sounds like a man in a 12-step program.

“I’m not eating anything and I’ve changed from eating everything,” he said.

His dietary regimen is not a fast. It just feels that way.

“I just eat a lot of salads; eat a lot of little portions of a lot of things,” he said. “Portions, keep your metabolism up and drink a lot of water and you’ll be great.

“But no juice, no Whataburger with Strawberry Fanta.”

So far, he said, he has lost between 15 and 20 pounds in a little more than two weeks. Maintaining dietary discipline is easy, he said, because the stakes are so high.

Celts up 2-0 vs Knicks but have issues

The Boston Celtics lead the New York Knicks 2-0 in their first round playoff series, but both teams have been incredibly close, and had the ball bounced differently for just a few plays per game, the Knicks would be the ones with the lead right now.

John Schuhmann of NBA.com reports:

In Game 1, when Amar’e Stoudemire went off for 12 fourth-quarter points, the Celtics had to aggressively deny him the ball, sacrificing their ability to help on the ballhandler. In Game 2, with Anthony in the midst of scoring 26 second-half points, they blitzed him with a second defender on every possession, allowing Anthony’s teammates to make runs at the rim and grab countless offensive rebounds.

Neither strategy is sustainable for more than a quarter, let alone a seven-game series. Whether Stoudemire is 100 percent for Game 3 or not, the Celtics need to find a better way to slow down the Knicks’ stars.

The Celtics’ also need to get more production out of their bench, which has been dreadful. Boston led by 10 points near the end of the first quarter on Tuesday, but with the bench playing, the Celtics allowed Anthony to lead the Knicks on a 13-1 run. Poor bench play was largely responsible for the Celtics’ late-season funk, and poor bench play has kept the Knicks in Games 1 and 2.

As the series moves to New York, the Celtics can be happy about two things, other than the two wins. The first is their offensive execution down the stretch. In each game, they scored on four of their final five possessions, including four buckets that either tied the score or gave them a lead.

The second is Rajon Rondo’s aggressiveness in Game 2. With the Knicks failing to get back in transition and playing him soft in the Celtics’ half-court offense, Rondo attacked the basket and finished strong at the rim. He scored a season-high (and playoff career-high) 30 points, playing with a confidence that has seemingly been missing for the last two months.

Game 3 is in Madison Square Garden Friday. For a good time, blast your television, because the crowd energy is going to be insane.

Thunder recall Robert Vaden from D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled guard/forward Robert Vaden from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Vaden, who helped lead the 66ers to the D-League semifinals, averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 32.3 minutes in four postseason games for the 66ers. During the regular season, he averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 28.0 minutes in 45 games (17 starts).

He will join the Thunder for tonight’s first round playoff game against the Denver Nuggets. Game two will be played tonight at 7 P.M. inside the Oklahoma City Arena.