June 2013 – Page 22 – NBA Blog

Heat beat Pacers 99-76 in Game 7, advance to NBA Finals

Their season, their legacy, their reign atop the NBA was all at stake, and the Miami Heat responded in a manner befitting defending champions – with a blowout.

LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, ailing Dwyane Wade matched his postseason high with 21 points, and the Heat ran away from the Indiana Pacers 99-76 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference series on Monday night.

In the NBA Finals for the third straight year, the Heat will play the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 on Thursday in Miami.

”They’re just an amazing group of guys,” Heat managing general partner Micky Arison said after handing the East trophy to Chris Andersen. ”They’ve given us an incredible season so far, but it’s a long way from over.”

It could have ended on Monday, of course. The Heat had alternated wins and losses with the Pacers in the first six games of the series, and were coming off their worst offensive outing of the year in Game 6.

They responded with a rout, despite shooting just under 40 percent, well below their norm.

”By any means necessary … we took care of business,” James said…

Roy Hibbert scored 18 points for the Pacers, who got 14 from David West, 13 from George Hill and 10 from Lance Stephenson. All-Star Paul George was held to seven points on 2-for-9 shooting and fouled out early in the fourth quarter…

By halftime, it was 52-37, with James scoring 18 points, Bosh and Wade combining for 17 and Allen adding 10 more. And what had to be most troubling to the Pacers at halftime was their 15 turnovers, a number Vogel said earlier Monday would spell trouble if his team committed that many in the entire game…

Miami’s Norris Cole and Indiana’s Jeff Pendergraph were ejected with 2:17 left after exchanging some heated words.

Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

2013 NBA Finals schedule

2013 NBA Finals Schedule:

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals schedule

Game 1 – Thu June 6 San Antonio at Miami 9:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 2 – Sun June 9 San Antonio at Miami 8:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 3 – Tue June 11 Miami at San Antonio 9:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 4 – Thu June 13 Miami at San Antonio 9:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 5 * Sun June 16 Miami at San Antonio 8:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 6 * Tue June 18 San Antonio at Miami 9:00PM ET ABC/R
Game 7 * Thu June 20 San Antonio at Miami 9:00PM ET ABC/R

*If necessary

R – ESPN Radio

Danilo Gallinari to have surgery, hopes to return for Nuggets in February

Danilo Gallinari says he will undergo surgery to repair the ACL on his left knee next week and is hoping to be back on the court for the Denver Nuggets around February.

The Italian forward has been rehabbing in the team’s weight room since an operation in late April to fix the meniscus in a knee he hurt April 4 against Dallas. He arrived Monday at Pepsi Center using crutches.

On this day, the Nuggets hosted a dozen players for a pre-draft workout, including Colorado State center Colton Iverson.

Reported by the Associated Press

Sacramento Kings officially name Mike Malone new head coach

The Sacramento Kings today named Michael Malone as the team’s 25th Head Coach (14th of the Sacramento era), according to team owner Vivek Ranadivé. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“Michael Malone is one of the best and most talented coaches in the game,” said Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé. “As Vice Chairman of the Warriors, I developed a great relationship with Coach Malone and witnessed first-hand how instrumental he was to the success of the team. His work ethic, passion, and vision for the game will create an entirely new culture and style of play. Hiring Coach Malone is our first step in giving the best fans in sports the excellence they deserve.”

Malone brings 12 years of NBA coaching experience to Sacramento, having most recently served as the lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors under Mark Jackson the past two seasons. Malone helped pilot the Warriors to a 47-35 record and a trip to the 2013 NBA playoffs, where they upset the Denver Nuggets in the first round as the sixth seed and took the eventual Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs to a hotly-contested six games in the semi finals.

The Warriors were one of the most improved defensive teams in the NBA under Malone’s tutelage last season, as evidenced by huge statistical jumps in rebounding (from 28th to 3rd), defensive rebounding (24th to 1st), opponent field goal percentage (20th to 3rd) and opponent three-point field goal percentage (28th to 7th). The Warriors had not finished in the top half of the league in opponent field goal percentage since ranking seventh in 1998-99.

Prior to Golden State, Malone worked as the lead assistant in New Orleans and helped the Hornets achieve a 46-36 record and a trip to the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The Hornets were the most improved defensive team in the NBA in 2011, allowing a league-best 8.7 fewer points per game than in the previous campaign (94.0 ppg, after giving up 102.7 ppg in 2009-10). Additionally, the Hornets limited their opponents to 45.7 FG% in 2010-11 compared to 48.3 FG% the previous season.

Malone also served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons, during which the Cavs posted a 272-138 (.663) record, third-best mark in the NBA over that span. The Cavaliers made five consecutive playoff appearances during Malone’s time on the bench, reaching the NBA Finals in 2007 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. In 2008-09, the Cavs notched a franchise record and NBA-best 66 wins.

Malone’s NBA coaching career began with a four-season stint with the New York Knicks, where he originally joined the team as a coaching associate in the summer of 2001, and was promoted to assistant coach in May 2003. Prior to joining the Knicks, Malone spent seven years coaching in the college ranks.

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: The Kings have a lot of roster work to do before any head coach, no matter how talented, can turn this team into a winner.

Chris Bosh apologized to Heat after Game 6

Struggling through his worst scoring stretch in almost a decade, Miami Heat center Chris Bosh said he apologized to his teammates after Game 6 and hopes to be more assertive in Monday’s Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers.

Bosh has failed to score in double digits in three consecutive games for the first time since his rookie season in 2003-04. Bosh said he hopes to have a better Game 7 after “not being aggressive and not playing my best ball.”

Bosh has been largely outplayed by Pacers big men David West and Roy Hibbert. Bosh has averaged just 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks on 41.1 percent shooting in the series.

“It’s hard, it’s difficult,” Bosh said. “Everything you’re going to do in the postseason is difficult. And you’re going to be put in situations you don’t want to be in and you’re going to have to do things that you don’t want to do. It’s part of it, so you might as well get used to it, being miserable and really loving it.”

Bosh has found himself more on the perimeter in this series. He has averaged 2.3 3-point attempts in this series, which is up from his regular-season rate of one per game. The 6-foot-11 center has shot the ball well, making 50 percent of his tries from downtown, but it has pulled him away from the paint.

Reported by Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: With Roy Hibbert and David West patrolling the paint, it makes sense that Chris Bosh is taking more outside shots than usual. But if they aren’t going in, then there’s a problem.

Lionel Hollins hopes to continue coaching the Memphis Grizzlies

Lionel Hollins doesn’t want to talk to any other NBA teams and wants to continue coaching the Memphis Grizzlies.

Hollins said Monday on Sports 56 WHBQ-AM in Memphis he thought everything was good after a meeting with team owner Robert Pera and chief executive officer Jason Levien a few days ago, but then heard the Grizzlies had given him permission to talk to other teams.

”People need to know from my perspective that I don’t want to talk to any other teams,” Hollins said. ”I want to be here. I told … the media after our exit interviews that if the team offered me a contract that I felt was fair, I’d sign it the next day.”

The Grizzlies declined to comment.

Hollins’ contract is up June 30. He addressed a variety of topics in a 28-minute interview but spent most of his time publicly defending his case to remain in Memphis. He has been with this franchise since the start as an expansion team in Vancouver in 1995 and made the move to Memphis with his only absence a stint in 2008 and part of 2009 as an assistant with Milwaukee.

Reported by the Associated Press

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: Although the Grizzlies were swept in the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs, in general Hollins did a great job coaching the team this season. It’ll be a shame if the two sides part ways.

Jason Kidd retires from basketball

One of the greatest, most fun-to-watch point guards in this era of professional basketball is saying goodbye and moving on to greener pastures.

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that 10-time NBA All-Star guard Jason Kidd has retired from playing professional basketball.

“Jason’s value to the Knicks and the National Basketball Association cannot be quantified by statistics alone,” Grunwald said. “Everyone here in New York saw firsthand what a tremendous competitor he is and why Jason is considered to be one of the best point guards, and leaders, the game has ever seen.”

“My time in professional basketball has been an incredible journey, but one that must come to an end after 19 years,” Kidd said. “As I reflect on my time with the four teams I represented in the NBA, I look back fondly at every season and thank each every one of my teammates and coaches that joined me on the court.”

“Veteran leadership on and off the court was a huge factor for our team that recorded 54 victories and an Atlantic Division crown,” Head Coach Mike Woodson said. “Jason provided an incredible voice inside our lockerroom and I considered it an honor to say I coached him.”

Kidd, 6-4, 220-pounds, holds averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 assists. 6.3 rebounds and 1.93 steals with Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and New York. These Springfield-caliber career numbers have solidified his place among the greatest of the great in NBA history. On the League’s all-time leaders lists he ranks: second in season-appearances (19), sixth in games played (1,391), third in minutes (50,111), second in assists (12,091), second in steals (2,684), third in three-point field goals (1,988), 50th overall in rebounds and first overall amongst guards (8,725), 71st in points scored (17,529) and third in triple-doubles (107).

He appeared in 158 postseason games, averaging 12.9 points, 7.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.91 steals and led the Dallas Mavericks, along with current Knicks All-Star center Tyson Chandler, to the 2011 NBA Championship. He also is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, leading Team USA in 2000 at Sydney and in 2008 in Beijing. As a member of the New Jersey Nets, Kidd appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

Kidd is a 10-time NBA All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000-04, 2007-08, 2010), a five-time All-NBA First-Team selection (1999-02, 2004) and earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2003. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team four times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2006) and Second Team five times (2000, 2003-05, 2007) and was the 1995 Co-Rookie of the Year. On Apr. 30, Kidd became the first-ever back-to-back recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2012-13 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, an honor voted-on by all current players.

In his first and only season with the Knicks, Kidd provided trademark backcourt leadership and stability both as a starter and off the bench. Recording averages of 6.0 points, 3.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.64 steals in 76 games, the San Francisco, CA native became just the third Knicks player to celebrate his 40th birthday in the orange and blue (joining Kurt Thomas and Herb Williams).

Read NBA fan reaction and share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: The immediate guess is that J-Kidd, assuming he still wants to earn a paycheck going forward, may dive into coaching. I won’t be surprised if he’s an assistant coach somewhere next season.

Heat vs Pacers Game 7 preview

Heat vs Pacers Game 7 is Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET

As the final horn in a Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers was sounding, LeBron James walked toward several of his Miami Heat teammates to shake some hands and share a couple of quick words.

His message was clear: Get ready for Game 7.

Here comes the ultimate game. To the winner, a trip to the NBA Finals. To the loser, an offseason loaded with regret. It’s that simple now for the champion Heat and the confident Pacers, who meet in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night in Miami—a perk the Heat earned by finishing with the league’s best record this season.

“Each and every year there are 30 teams that would love to be a part of this, to have one game to advance to the NBA Finals,” James said. “And there’s two teams that’s in this position. And it’s something that you can’t substitute, this feeling. You can’t substitute the atmosphere that we’re going to be in on Monday night for both teams. We should all cherish this moment.”

When it’s over Monday, only one club will be cherishing the outcome.

For the Heat, it’s a chance to move into the finals for the third straight year and keep hope alive of winning a second straight title. For the Pacers, it’s a chance to cap what would surely go into the books as one of the biggest upsets in NBA playoff history, considering that they finished 16 1/2 games behind the Heat in the regular season.

None of that matters much now. The Pacers have beaten Miami five of nine times this season. They need a sixth, or else it was all for naught.

“It is a closeout game and an elimination game,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “Our approach right now is not if we lose we’re out—our approach is if we win, we get to the finals. And that’s what we’re going for. We’re going to give our best shot and try to win the Eastern Conference championship.”

Monday’s winner will open the NBA Finals on Thursday against San Antonio.

Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

On the court, though, Hibbert has had nothing to apologize for, dominating play inside while the Heat are struggling in countless ways.

Dwyane Wade’s sore right knee – which has been an issue for about three months now – is not getting better anytime soon, and he’s stopped even wanting to discuss how it’s affecting his game. Chris Bosh said he needed to get back in the gym Sunday and regain some lost rhythm. Wade is averaging 12 points on 32 percent shooting in his last three games, Bosh just 6.3 points on 24 percent shooting in that same span.

”Just got to come out and play to win,” Wade said. ”It’s one game for both teams.”

Said James, when asked about the other two parts of Miami’s Big Three: ”I mean, we can state the obvious. They’re both struggling.”

They’re hardly the only Heat players who picked the wrong time of year to go into a slide. Ray Allen is shooting 13 for 46 in this series, Shane Battier is at 2 for 16, and they’re a combined 9 for 39 from 3-point range against the Pacers.

Reported by the Associated Press

The Heat did not hold a formal practice on Sunday, but Bosh, who has scored just 19 point in his past three games, arrived early to AmericanAirlines Arena to study film and dissect any area of his game that might help him improve his rhythm, which is conceded on Saturday “just seems off.”

“It’s been like that the whole series,” Bosh said Saturday night. “And now I have to go find it. I’ve got 48 hours to do that.”

Bosh is shooting 23.8 percent (5 of 21) since Game 4. His counterpart, Pacers center Roy Hibbert, is shooting 72.5 percent in his past three games while averaging 23 points per game. Hibbert scored 11.9 points per game during the 2012-13 regular season.

“I have to get back in the gym and work on my game,” Bosh said. “That’s about the only thing that will help me now.”

Bosh has scored in single digits in each of his past three games (seven, seven, five). It’s something that hasn’t happened since his rookie season. On Sunday, Spoelstra took the blame for Bosh’s lack of offense.

“That’s on me,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve got to get him in spots where he can be comfortable and feel comfortable. One of the greatest strengths about all of us is we own it. The players and staff alike have been through situations where we’ve failed.

Reported by the Miami Herald

Tech-based ownership of Kings could benefit Sacramento

Sacramento’s long and often difficult quest to build a major high-tech industry could get a burst of energy from a most unlikely source: the city’s basketball team.

The new owners of the Sacramento Kings, hailing from all over California, represent some of the stars of the state’s tech sector. The lead owner, Vivek Ranadive, runs a software company that powers railroads, airlines and scores of other businesses. The vice chairman, Paul Jacobs, is responsible for the chips found in millions of cellphones. Limited partners include tech entrepreneurs and financiers.

What the group’s tech orientation means for Sacramento is uncertain. The new owners have pledged to bring the full force of technology to the franchise and how it engages its fans – from new mobile apps to a fully wired new arena proposed for Downtown Plaza.

“We’ll bring as much technology as we can,” said Jacobs, chairman and chief executive of San Diego’s Qualcomm Inc.

One tantalizing possibility for outfitting the arena: three-dimensional instant replay on the video screens. Jacobs said he recently visited an Israeli company, Replay Technologies, which is developing such technology. But he cautioned that it’s far too soon to determine whether the 3-D video is coming to the Sacramento arena.

Reported by Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

Underdog Pacers giving the Heat a true test

The Heat ought to be peaking as it weaves its way through the playoffs toward a third consecutive appointment in the climactic NBA Finals.

Instead, Miami is regressing.

The Heat looked like a team adrift for large portions of a 91-77 Game 6 loss Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Now the Heat faces the migraine of Game 7 in Miami on Monday as the San Antonio Spurs drum their fingers impatiently. Or, maybe they are licking their lips.

LeBron James was whistled for charging into Roy Hibbert in the closing minutes. He sprinted away from the official, spitting mad, looking like he would rip off his headband and tear it apart. Then he and assistant coach David Fizdale were assessed technical fouls for protesting too much. The sequence captured the harried state of a team under unaccustomed duress.

Miami will be favored to close it out back home by the bay. Still, the buts continue to outnumber the baskets.

Worrisome signs are not going away.

Foremost among them, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have turned into the Other Two in this series. They shot a combined 1 for 10 in the first half, were not factors when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter and finished with a total of 15 points, six rebounds, five turnovers and one assist.

Reported by Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald