May 2012 – Page 5 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Chris Bosh remains out indefinitely

When it came to an opponent for their Eastern Conference finals series that opens Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Miami Heat knew a definitive answer would be forthcoming in Saturday night’s Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers Game 7.

When it comes to the status of Chris Bosh, nothing is a given, with the All-Star power forward still listed as being out indefinitely with the lower-abdominal strain sustained in the first half of Game 1 of the Heat’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers.

Asked for clarity regarding Bosh, coach Erik Spoelstra was practically apologetic after Saturday’s practice.

“Not trying to be coy,” Spoelstra said, “he has to heal first, rehab.”

— Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

New Orleans Times-Picayune to limit printing to three days per week

Many daily newspapers have been moving away from paper for years, emphasizing digital news. Lately, some print dailies have been moving away from publishing daily, too.

To try to combat the industry’s decline — in readership, advertising and profits — a handful of newspapers are now cutting back their publishing schedules from seven days a week in print to just three.

The latest to go to three days a week: The storied New Orleans Times-Picayune, one of America’s oldest papers, which announced Thursday that it plans to limit its print schedule — beginning this fall — to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday editions. It will maintain 24/7 online reporting via its site, Nola.com.

This is a tactical trend for New York-based Advance Publications, which owns the Times-Picayune, as it pushes toward a limited print-digital model. Advance said Thursday that in addition to the Times-Picayune, it will also cut back the print frequency of its three papers in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville, Ala., to three days.

— Reported by Paul Farhi of the Washington Post

Danny Green living his basketball dream with Spurs

Green, 24, admits to pinching himself every now and again, and for different reasons. Sometimes he does it because he’s playing for Gregg Popovich and with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. (When he was growing up, Green said, he had a Duncan jersey.) Other times, it’s because his road here left Green thinking the NBA wasn’t in his future.

The Cavaliers drafted Green in the second round in 2009 and cut him before the start of the 2010-11 season. The Spurs picked him up and waived him two weeks later. He played for three D-League teams, and for Union Olimpija in Slovenia during the 2011 lockout.

“When I got cut from Cleveland, they weren’t one of the best teams in the NBA at the time, so I had some doubts,” Green said. “I didn’t think I was going to get back into the league. I wasn’t sure it was going to happen for me. When I was let go from here the first time, teams weren’t calling. I didn’t think it was going to ever happen then. I was home for two months and I didn’t know what was going on.”

Green might be the perfect embodiment of the Spurs. They’re a team that gets little publicity, is overlooked or underappreciated, and thrives through hard work, dedication and following the game plan.

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday

Charlotte Bobcats interview Jerry Sloan

Former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan interviewed in Utah for the Charlotte Bobcats coaching position on Friday, meeting with Michael Jordan and other front office staff members.

Asked what made him want to coach the seven-win Bobcats, Sloan dryly replied: “Work.”

He went on to say, “They’ve got a young team, and it will be interesting to see what happens.”

Sloan said he hadn’t been offered the job. “They might come back, they might not,” he said.

— Reported by Brad Rock of the Deseret News

Bucks guard Brandon Jennings eligible for contract extension this summer

Bucks guard Brandon Jennings is eligible for a contract extension this summer, as he enters the fourth and final year of his rookie-scale contract.

But the team’s leading scorer reiterated Friday that he’s not worried about his contract situation.

“I will let (agent) Bill Duffy handle that,” Jennings said from Los Angeles on Friday. “That’s what he does. I will leave it up to Bill Duffy and (Bucks general manager) John Hammond. It’s really not my department.”

Jennings recently returned from southern China where he participated in a league-sponsored event in Guangzhou. He and Toronto Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan served as coaches for celebrity teams and appeared along with former NBA stars Horace Grant and Gary Payton.

“They just go all out for the game of basketball,” Jennings said of the fans in China.

— Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Kyle Lowry has issues with Rockets coach Kevin McHale

Barely three weeks after surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn abductor muscles, Rockets guard Kyle Lowry returned to the Toyota Center weight rooms and went through shooting drills on the practice court.

But as he leaves town Saturday, he does not know if he’ll return to those familiar facilities or if he wants to be back.

Lowry does not believe he and Goran Dragic, his successor as the starting point guard this season, will both return to the roster next season. Lowry was even less confident he and Rockets coach Kevin McHale can successfully coexist.

“I don’t think so,” Lowry, 26, said. “I honestly think it would be tough. Things have to be addressed. The situation would have to be addressed.

“If things aren’t addressed coaching-wise, I guess I have to be moved.”

— Reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle Blog

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Heat might want 76ers to beat Celtics

But honestly, the Heat will not be rooting for the Celtics on Saturday. It may have less poetry and glamour, but the Heat most likely would much rather see the 76ers pull the upset.

It is true that the 76ers are younger, more athletic, deeper and healthier than the Celtics at this point. But the Heat have dominated Philadelphia like no other team in the East over the past two seasons; the two teams have played 12 times, including the first round of last year’s playoffs. Eleven times the Heat have won, including sweeping this season’s series 4-0.

The Heat haven’t beaten Boston since the first week of the season back in late December in their home opener. The Celtics are 3-0 against Miami since, though the last meeting was in the final week of the season and neither team played its full lineup. Boston beat the Heat twice in a two-week span in April as Rajon Rondo exploited them in both games. Even with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce limping and Avery Bradley out for the season, it’s not a comfortable matchup for the Heat.

Meanwhile, Miami used the 76ers like an elixir, beating them coming off losses all four times. The Heat held what proved to be a pivotal early-season team meeting on Philly’s own practice court. The last time the teams played, also in April, the Heat gave Wade the night off to rest ahead of a big game with Oklahoma City and won anyway.

— Reported by Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com

Knicks sign head coach Mike Woodson to contract extension

The New York Knicks announced today that Head Coach Mike Woodson has been given a multi-year contract extension.

“Mike took over the team under challenging circumstances and made it clear, starting on day one, that he was going to hold every player on our roster accountable,” said James Dolan,Executive Chairman,The Madison Square Garden Company. “We saw a significant improvement since Mike took over and believe our team will only keep improving under Mike’s direction.”

Woodson, who had served as New York’s interim head coach since Mar. 14, 2012, guided the Knicks to an 18-6 regular-season mark and the franchise’s second consecutive playoff berth. Over the last 24 games of the regular season, the Knicks posted the second-best record in the NBA and the team’s defense ranked fifth in the NBA in points allowed (91.8) and eighth in opponents’ field goal percentage (.440). Woodson became the first head coach in franchise history to win his first five games and posted the second-best winning percentage ever by an NBA coach who took over a team midseason.

“Mike has the respect of every person in this organization,” Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald said. “He and his staff led the team in an impressive push into the playoffs over the last 24 games and we believe he is the right man to lead the franchise as we move forward.”

“I’m very humbled and honored to continue coaching the franchise where I started my NBA career,” Woodson said. “Our goal is to build off the success we had at the end of last season and to continue our quest of bringing an NBA Championship to Madison Square Garden.”

Woodson joined the organization as an assistant coach on Aug. 29, 2011 after six seasons as the head coach of Atlanta (2004-05 through 2009-10). He improved the Hawks win-loss record in each of those seasons, leading the franchise to the postseason in each of his final three years. Previously, he served eight seasons as an assistant coach with Milwaukee (1996-97 through 1998-99), Cleveland (1999-2000 through 2000-01), Philadelphia (2001-02 through 2002-03) and the NBA Champion Detroit Pistons (2003-04).

He enjoyed an 11-year NBA playing career, averaging 14.0 points over 786 games with New York (1980-81), New Jersey (1981-82),Kansas City/Sacramento (1981-82 through 1985-86), L.A. Clippers (1986-87 through 1987-88), Houston (1988-89 through 1990-91) and Cleveland (1990-91). He was originally selected by the Knicks in the first round (12th overall) in the 1980 NBA Draft.

NBA fines Heat coach Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has been fined $25,000 for critical public comments about how the Miami/Indiana playoff series was being officiated, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Spoelstra’s comments were made to the media following Miami’s shootaround on Thursday, May 24.

Miami Heat happy for time to rest

Dwyane Wade has been battling knee soreness. LeBron James was hobbling after a falling into a courtside cameraman. Chris Bosh remains sidelined indefinitely with an abdominal strain. Mike Miller looks to be in agony whenever he moves.

An extra day of rest doesn’t sound like much, but it means plenty right now to the Miami Heat.

Now halfway to their goal of an NBA championship, the Heat took a welcomed — and needed — day off Friday after closing out their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the Indiana Pacers.

The East finals open Monday in Miami against either Philadelphia or Boston, teams that will settle their second-round series with a Game 7 on Saturday night.

“We can use it,” James said after the Heat ousted the Pacers with a Game 6 win in Indianapolis on Thursday. “Any team in the postseason, any extra day that you can get, it definitely helps us. So we’re going to take advantage of it.”

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press