June 2013 – Page 16 – NBA Blog

Doc Rivers still undecided on future

The shroud of mystery surrounding Doc Rivers continues to leave many unsure, the Celtics included, as to what his plans are for the future.

ESPN reported on Wednesday that Rivers believes “it may be time for a change” in his status as Celtics head coach.

But a league source contacted by CSNNE.com on Wednesday indicated that Rivers continues to mull over whether he will return to Boston, and he hasn’t made a decision one way or the other.

“He’s really torn up about this,” the source said.

Reported by A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE (Blog)

Bucks assistants out as Larry Drew forming own staff

Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Joe Wolf, Sidney Moncrief, Chris Gilmartin, Bill Peterson and Anthony Goldwire will not have their contracts renewed, club officials confirmed Wednesday.

New Bucks coach Larry Drew is in the process of putting together his own staff. Although nothing has been announced yet, two of his former assistants in Atlanta, Bob Bender and Nick Van Exel, helped Drew run the team’s draft workout Wednesday.

Moncrief, the Bucks legend and five-time all-star, served as an assistant the past two seasons under Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan. Moncrief was named to replace Kelvin Sampson when he left the staff to become the lead assistant in Houston under Kevin McHale.

Wolf spent five seasons on Milwaukee’s coaching staff, being hired in Skiles’ first season with the Bucks in 2008-’09. Wolf, from Kohler, Wis., became the lead assistant when Boylan took over as interim head coach.

Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Blog)

No-names controlling the NBA Finals so far

The NBA Finals opened as such a juicy matchup of A-list stars.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for the defending champion Miami Heat against Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili for the old guard San Antonio Spurs making one last run at one more championship.

Big 3 vs. Big 3. Winner take all.

Once the series actually started, a group of D-listers crashed the party.

Gary Neal and Danny Green combined for 51 points and 13 3-pointers in San Antonio’s Game 3 victory over Miami on Tuesday night, carrying the Spurs to a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven series that has been controlled by no-names, not big names.

”We don’t expect a performance like this from those kind of guys, but they were great,” Duncan said after San Antonio routed Miami 113-77. ”They did it. They found their spots and knocked them out.”

Been that way all series. On both sides.

Green, who was twice cut by San Antonio and spent a summer in Slovenia, may be the early leader for Finals MVP after scoring 27 points in Game 3. He also hit four big 3-pointers in the Spurs’ Game 1 victory in Miami and was a perfect 6 for 6 from long range in Game 2, outshining the four-time MVP James every step of the way.

”Never thought in a million years that would happen,” Green said.

Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Spurs rout Heat 113-77 in Game 3 of NBA Finals

Danny Green and Gary Neal aren’t NBA royalty like LeBron James.

Either undrafted or unwanted, they were once more likely to be found playing in summer league or some other country than against the mighty Miami Heat.

On Tuesday, they led the San Antonio Spurs to one of the best-shooting, biggest blowouts in NBA Finals history.

Green made seven of the Spurs’ finals-record 16 3-pointers, Tim Duncan had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and the Spurs clobbered the Heat 113-77 on Tuesday night to take 2-1 lead in the series.

Green scored 27 points and Gary Neal made six 3-pointers while scoring 24 as San Antonio went 16 of 32 from behind the arc, rolling to the third-biggest victory in finals history.

”Those guys shot incredibly,” Duncan said. ”Gave us the breathing room when we needed it.”

Neal could be even more important going forward, after starting point guard Tony Parker revealed fresh concerns about his sore hamstring. He plans to get an MRI on Wednesday…

James finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, but missed 11 of his first 13 shots against the excellent defense of Kawhi Leonard, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds…

Duncan shot 3 of 13 for nine points, his worst performance ever in his 25 NBA Finals games, in the Heat’s 103-84 victory Sunday. Parker wasn’t much better, shooting 5 of 14 and committing five turnovers, and Manu Ginobili admitted afterward the veteran trio had to play well for the Spurs to win…

Mike Miller made all five 3-pointers and scored 15 points for the Heat, who broke open Sunday’s game and seized momentum in the series with a 33-5 run in the second half.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Heat at Spurs NBA Finals Game 3 tonight

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili sat in mostly stunned silence, all that playoff experience not preparing them for how they felt after two games.

They were satisfied, yet shaken.

The San Antonio Spurs had taken home-court advantage away from the Miami Heat, but then the reigning champions took them apart.

So as they prepared to bring the NBA Finals back home for the first time in seven years, the veterans struggled with how they were supposed to sum up their situation.

Getting one in South Florida was an accomplishment, but nothing that provided them any momentum after the Heat’s 103-84 victory Sunday in Game 2.

”Not after tonight. I think they regained that,” Duncan said. ”Obviously we were glad to win a game here in Game 1. Our goal was to get two. But they got the one tonight. We get to go back home. We got a game here. We have three at home, so we’re excited about that. But if we play like we did tonight, that’s not going to matter.”

The teams took Monday off, with the series resuming Tuesday night. The Spurs will also host Game 4 on Thursday and Game 5 on Sunday.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Larry Bird not looking to become general manager of Kings

Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird, who discussed the Kings’ general manager vacancy with new owner Vivek Ranadive and was said to be at least mildly intrigued, told team officials he is no longer interested.

Bird sat out the 2012-13 season and is considering a return to the Indiana Pacers – where he has an open invitation to resume his role as the team’s top basketball executive – or to extend his sabbatical for personal and health reasons.

Bird, 56, was the highest-profile candidate on Ranadive’s wish list. Ranadive is continuing to speak with a number of people about the team’s most important front-office position. He has already interviewed Chris Wallace, Travis Schlenk, David Morway, Mike Dunleavy and Chris Mullin, among others.

Reported by Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee

Ranadive group gets OK to buy another 7 percent of Kings

Consolidating their control of the Sacramento Kings, new majority owner Vivek Ranadive and his partners on Monday secured a bankruptcy judge’s approval to buy another 7 percent share of the team.

The judge turned aside a last-minute purchase offer from former limited partner Bob Cook, who lost the 7 percent share when his real estate empire crumbled. The stake has been under the control of a court-appointed trustee since shortly after Cook went bankrupt in 2011.

Buying Cook’s share will increase the Ranadive group’s ownership stake to 72 percent. NBA Commissioner David Stern’s office has already approved the latest deal, said NBA lawyer Martin Zohn, and the purchase could close Wednesday.

Ranadive is buying the share for $15.1 million – the same amount Seattle investor Chris Hansen was planning to pay.

Reported by Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

Nuggets assistant Melvin Hunt interests the Sixers

The 76ers are considering talking to Denver assistant Melvin Hunt about their coaching job, but they might have to fend off the Nuggets.

Denver is believed to be interested in promoting Hunt to replace George Karl, who was fired last week, league sources said Monday.

“The Sixers have not formally made contact to begin the process, but there has been some talk through the back channels,” a source said.

The Sixers have not sought permission from the Nuggets to speak with Hunt, according to the source.

Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Tim Duncan must step up for Spurs in NBA Finals

On a day of rest at the NBA Finals, Tim Duncan had work to do.

Not only was he admittedly awful in Game 2, he had never been so bad on this stage. He shot 3 for 13 from the field for nine points, posting finals career lows in scoring, field goal percentage and field goals made, according to STATS.

The three-time finals MVP made only 11 of 32 shots in Miami and knows he must be better if the San Antonio Spurs are going to win their fifth title in five finals appearances.

”Obviously, they’re contested shots, but they’re the shots I feel I can make,” Duncan said after the Heat’s 103-84 victory Sunday. ”So whether it be them or me or whatever it may be, I’m going to get back in the gym tomorrow and hopefully come out with a better stroke,” he said. ”But I’m getting the shots I want. I just have to knock them down.”

The teams took Monday off, with the series resuming Tuesday night. The Spurs also will host Game 4 on Thursday and Game 5 on Sunday.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Mookie Blaylock turns himself in to police

Former NBA player Mookie Blaylock, using a walker, turned himself in Monday to the Jonesboro Police Department to face charges in a fatal head-on collision.

The question of when and if the former Atlanta Hawk, whose legal first name is Daron, will be released on bond will be answered Tuesday in his first court appearance.

Blaylock, 46, is being charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, driving on a suspended license, failure to maintain lane and crossing a center median in the wreck that killed Monica Murphy, a 40-year-old mother of five.

Blaylock and Murphy’s husband, Frankie, were also injured. Blaylock was placed on life support but eventually recovered after spending more than a week in the Atlanta Medical Center. While Frankie Murphy suffered only a broken ankle, he is left to mourn his wife along with her children.

Reported by Marcus K. Garner of the Atlanta Journal Constitution