Month: March 2014

Thibodeau calls LeBron an all-time great

Everybody knows that LeBron James is an NBA great. But it’s always fun hearing top basketball minds describe LeBron in their own particular words. Here’s ESPN Chicago quoting Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau:

Tom Thibodeau has been around professional basketball for well more than two decades. He has a passion for the game and the intricacies that separate the good players from the great ones. He studies compulsively to try to make sure his Chicago Bulls team always has an advantage when it steps onto the floor. That’s why his praise of Miami Heat superstar LeBron James is so telling. When asked Saturday to compare James to another player he’s watched or coached against in years past, Thibodeau didn’t hesitate.

“Nobody,” Thibodeau said.

“Because you’re combining the speed, the power, the skills, the passing, the vision. I can’t recall anyone that I’ve coached against that’s like that. There’s nothing that he doesn’t do. He’s great with the ball, great without the ball, can post, can drive, can shoot, can really pass. If you overcommit to him he’s going to make you really pay. And he keeps getting better every year. So he’s an all-time great.”

Will Phil Jackson join Knicks front office?

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Knicks, who if things go their way will eventually be led by the Zen Master, Phil Jackson:

phil jackson

When Phil Jackson is standing in front of a top-tier free agent, the Knicks want him to begin his recruiting pitch with an old Pat Riley trick; throw all of his rings on the table.

All 13, in fact.

An NBA source says that a big part of the Knicks’ thinking behind pursuing Jackson is to recruit free agents to New York, starting with re-signing Carmelo Anthony, who can opt out of his contract on July 1.

Nearly four years after the Knicks’ recruiting pitch to LeBron James came up woefully short, Garden chairman James Dolan is counting on Jackson to become the organization’s closer.

“Can’t talk about it,” Knicks president and GM Steve Mills, who hasn’t addressed the media since training camp, said as he walked past reporters before Saturday night’s game against the Cavaliers.

Sixers losing streak now at 16 games

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the Sixers, who are steadily mastering the art of losing basketball games:

The 76ers hadn’t won a game since Jan. 29 at Boston.

Saturday’s tilt against the struggling Utah Jazz provided their best opportunity to get back into the win column. Utah headed into the Wachovia Center losers of the first five games of their six-game road trip. In all, they had lost eight of 10 contests.

But instead of getting the much-needed victory, the Sixers were handed another reminder of their incompetence. This one was a 104-92 setback despite Tony Wroten’s career-high 30 points.

The Sixers (15-47) have set the franchise record for single-season consecutive home losses at 13. They have also lost 16 consecutive games home and away. That puts them four losses away from the franchise-record 20 straight defeats rung up by the infamous 1972-73 team.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade make side trips before Bulls game

Here’s the Miami Herald with insight on some beyond-the-norm LeBron and D-Wade activities:

Amid one of the Heat’s worst two-game stretches of the season, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James took some time to celebrate Saturday.

Following an intense practice session in suburban Chicago, James boarded a private jet bound for Cleveland and Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ jersey retirement ceremony. Wade said he had plans to attend his sister’s wedding. Throw in one less hour for the overnight time change and Sunday’s noon tipoff (local time) at United Center, and the Heat’s road-trip finale against the Chicago Bulls has all the makings for another sluggish start.

The Heat allowed 39 points in the first quarter of Tuesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets. On Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs scored 37 first-quarter points against the Heat. Poor defensive effort in the first quarters of those games was a point of emphasis by coach Erik Spoelstra.

Knicks beat Cavs for third win in a row

The Knicks are showing life lately. Here’s the New York Post reporting on the team taking their third win in a row:

The Knicks have found a starting lineup, found a way not to panic in the fourth quarter and have found their way back into the playoff race.

With Carmelo Anthony thriving in the new Big 3 alignment, he reversed his trend of stinking out Cleveland, shaking off a bad first quarter to post 26 points as the Knicks topped the Cavaliers, 107-97 at Quicken Loans Arena for their third straight win.

Amar’e Stoudemire scored 17 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks as the new starting power forward and Tyson Chandler notched 15 points and 11 rebounds. The expensive trio combined for six blocks.

Yeah, it’s working as the Knicks had a chance to move within 3 ½ games of the eighth seed with collapsing Atlanta playing a late game at the Clippers.

Hakeem Olajuwon helping Rockets frontcourt with post moves

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets:

The Rockets had a familiar face on the practice court on Saturday afternoon.

Hakeem Olajuwon was in the gym working with several players. He spent a lot of time with Omer Asik, Terrence Jones and Dwight Howard.

“Its a great learning experience – a Hall of Famer, one of the best bigs to ever play this game and he has so much knowledge and experience,” Jones said. “It’s so much to take in.”

Jones said he and Olajuwon worked specifically on post moves.

Heat sign DeAndre Liggins to second 10-day contract

Heat sign DeAndre Liggins to second 10-day contract

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard DeAndre Liggins to a second 10-day contract. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Liggins, who was signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on February 25, appeared in one game with Miami totaling two points and one rebound in 1:24 minutes while shooting 1-of-1 from the field in a, 124-107, win against Charlotte on March 3.

Liggins, a 2014 NBA Development League All-Star, appeared in 35 games (34 starts) with the HEAT’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, earlier this season and averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.54 steals and 40.3 minutes while shooting 39.8 percent from the field.

Kings forward Carl Landry out for season with knee injury

carl landry

Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry will miss the remainder of the season after a recent MRI taken at Kaiser Permanente revealed a medial meniscus tear in his right knee. Surgery will be scheduled in the near future.

A six-year NBA veteran in his second stint with the Kings, Landry averaged 4.2 points (.517 FG%, .824 FT%), 3.2 rebounds and 12.9 minutes per game in 18 games (started 1) this season.