Month: May 2014

Kevin Durant wins 2013-14 NBA MVP Award

Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the 2013-14 NBA Most Valuable Player, the NBA announced today. It is the first MVP award for Durant, who captured his fourth scoring title in five seasons, joining Wilt Chamberlain, George Gervin and Michael Jordan as the only players to accomplish this feat. Despite teammate Russell Westbrook appearing in only 46 games, Durant guided the Thunder to the NBA’s second-best record at 59-23.

Durant totaled 1,232 points, including 119 first-place votes, from a panel of 124 voters that consisted of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada as well as an NBA.com MVP fan vote, making for 125 total ballots. For the fifth consecutive season, the NBA gave fans the opportunity to submit their votes by ranking their top five choices through a dedicated Web page on NBA.com. The fan vote counted as one vote and was compiled with the 124 media votes to determine the winner. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for each third-place vote, three for each fourth-place vote and one for each fifth-place vote received.

Rounding out the top five in voting are Miami’s LeBron James (891 points, six first-place votes), the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (434 points), the Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah (322 points), and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden (85 points).

Durant averaged a career-best 32.0 points to go with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, also a career high. In capturing his fourth scoring title, he joined Jordan (10), Chamberlain (seven), Gervin (four), and Allen Iverson (four) as the only players in league annals to win at least four scoring titles. He shot .503 from the field, .391 from three-point range, and .873 from the free throw line, leading all players in free throws made (703) and attempted (805). Durant authored two 50-point games, topped the 40-point mark on 14 occasions, and turned in 17 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Durant’s consistency was highlighted by his streak of 41 consecutive games scoring at least 25 points, which ran from Jan. 7 through April 6, and was the longest streak since Michael Jordan did it in 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season. It’s the third-longest streak (single season) in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain, who did it in all 80 games during the 1961-62 season, and Oscar Robertson, who went for 25-plus in 46 straight games during the 1963-64 season. Chamberlain did it for 106 straight games over the course of the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons.

The winner of four NBA Player of the Month honors in 2013-14 (October-November, December, January and March), Durant was also named Player of the Week six times (Dec. 2, Dec. 30, Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and March 24).

The NBA MVP trophy is named in honor of the late Maurice Podoloff, the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1963.

Donald Sterling reportedly building legal team to fight NBA ban

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the latest in the Donald Sterling saga:

Donald Sterling is reportedly shopping for lawyers to swat back at the NBA.

The embattled bigot has reached out to several law firms, including Los Angeles-based Glaser Weil, to build a legal bench that can rush to court and cry foul over his lifetime ban and league efforts to force a Clippers sale, TMZ Sports reported Monday.

Sterling did not return calls seeking confirmation.

“Sorry, he’s sound asleep,” a man who picked up on one of Sterling’s personal numbers told the Daily News Monday.

Glaser Weil partner Patty Glaser is a Hollywood super lawyer who has repped other big-name clients, including Conan O’Brian in his exit from NBC and Keith Olbermann in his fight with Current TV.

Her firm recently helped defend Paula Deen in a racially charged employment discrimination case in which the culinary queen admitted she used the “N” word.

Chris Paul barely misses in Game 1 vs OKC

Here’s the Los Angeles Times on Clippers point guard CP3 and the great things he did last night:

Chris Paul

Tired from a grueling seven-game first-round playoff series?

Not Chris Paul and the Clippers.

Exhausted from the dark cloud that enveloped them at every turn?

Not Paul and the Clippers.

Paul orchestrated an impressive show of force Monday night that carried the Clippers to 122-105 demolition of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of a Western Conference second-round playoff series.

His 32 points in only 27 minutes 44 seconds propelled the Clippers to a resounding win in the opener of the best-of-seven series at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Even more impressive was his shooting. Paul made his first eight three-point attempts and finished eight for nine, and hit 12 for 14 shots overall as the Clippers snatched the home-court advantage away from the Thunder.

Chris Paul goes wild in Clippers Game 1 win vs Thunder

Here’s the Los Angeles Times on Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who put up a monster performance Monday night in a Game 1 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder:

He’s spent three seasons as Los Angeles’ most unappreciated star, loved by Clippers fans but scorned everywhere else, even booed at Dodger Stadium by Lakers fans who — and this is starting to get a little silly — have little respect for greatness that isn’t wearing their uniform.

Chris Paul entered this postseason famous for a ring he doesn’t have, a city he doesn’t own, and a television commercial featuring a twin brother who doesn’t exist.

Maybe that’s why, on a wind-stopping Monday night in Oklahoma City, he spent three hours shouting, “Enough.”

Enough of the talk that he’s too injured and weary to lead the Clippers to NBA greatness, as the smallest starter ducked his head and shouldered them to a stunning 122-105 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opener of their second-round series.

Enough of the idea that his sore hamstring and thumb limit him offensively, as he missed just two of 14 shots and just one of nine three-point attempts, scoring 32 points in the best pure shooting postseason game of his career.

Enough of the talk that he’s too slow defensively, as he led a swarming Clippers defense that deadened the dazzling Thunder offense into 18 turnovers, resulting in 23 points.

Enough, enough, enough of the idea that Donald Sterling has anything to do with this anymore.

Michael Carter-Williams wins 2013-14 NBA Rookie of Year

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced that Michael Carter-Williams has been named 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year. He joins Allen Iverson (1996-97) as the only players to win the award in franchise history. Carter-Williams earned 104 of a possible 124 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters selected by the NBA.

“Michael made an immediate impact on the court this season, but his dedication, professionalism and contributions to both the organization and the Philadelphia community make him all the more deserving of this 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year award,” said Sixers Managing Owner Josh Harris. “This is an incredibly proud moment for the 76ers and one we are thrilled to share with him, the city and our fans.”

“Michael performed and represented the Sixers organization this past season in a manner befitting of the 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year,” said co-Managing Owner David Blitzer. “He never stopped working – from the moment he burst onto the national scene in our home opener through the final horn at last game of the season – and we are proud to congratulate him on this well-deserved award.”

Carter-Williams was the 11th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2013 NBA Draft. The last “double-digit” draft pick to be named Rookie of the Year was Mark Jackson, who was the 18th overall pick by New York in 1987. The only other players who were drafted 10th or later and went onto win Rookie of the Year are Jamaal Wilkes (1974), Woody Sauldsberry (1957) and Don Meineke (1953).

“By opening night, it was clear to us that Michael belonged. This award marks a lifetime of hard work, from Hamilton to St. Andrew’s, and Syracuse to the Sixers,” said Sixers President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Sam Hinkie from an international scouting trip. “We congratulate him on this unique achievement and look forward to helping him put in the work necessary to garner even greater success in the future.”

In his NBA debut against Miami on October 30, 2013, Carter-Williams had 22 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and nine steals. He became just the third player in NBA history to reach those stats in a single game. The nine steals tied the franchise record and were the most by a player in his NBA debut.

Carter-Williams went onto be named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played from October 29 through November 3. Shaquille O’Neal is the only other rookie to be named Player of the Week to start his career. Carter-Williams was also named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the combined months of October and November, as well as January, March and April.

For the season, Carter-Williams averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists (tied for 11th in NBA), 6.2 rebounds and 1.86 steals (sixth in NBA). He became just the third player dating back to 1950-51 to lead rookies in points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game, joining Oscar Robertson (1960-61) and Alvan Adams (1975-76).

Carter-Williams joined Robertson and Magic Johnson (1979-80) as the only players to average at least 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in their rookie season.

Stephen Curry sticks up for Warriors coach Mark Jackson

Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting on the Golden State Warriors, who lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2014 NBA playoffs:

In the moments after the Game 7 loss, Stephen Curry wouldn’t go as far as to call the Warriors’ season a success.

But Curry, whose All-Star season lifted the Warriors to a 51-win regular season, was clear in saying that he believed Mark Jackson “deserves to be our coach” and return next season.

“I love Coach more than anybody, and I think for him to be in a situation where his job is under scrutiny and under question is totally unfair,” Curry said. “And it would definitely be a shock to me if anything like that were to happen.

“I’m going to voice my support for Coach, if you’ve got anybody that asks me about it all summer.”

And so began what could be an offseason of change for the Warriors, who have a decision to make on Jackson as he enters the final year of his contract.

Heat and Nets set to begin 2nd round battle

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on the Nets and Heat:

The droning chant will have to wait until the series moves to Barclays Center for Saturday’s Game 3.

But an argument could be made it has been ringing in the Miami Heat’s ears for months.

“Brooookl-lyn! Brooook-lyn! Brooook-lyn!”

An early-round matchup the Heat thought they had avoided with their No. 2 East playoff seed, until some late manipulation by the Brooklyn Nets, is at hand, the best-of-seven conference semifinal series starting Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

No team this season, at least when it came to wins and losses, had the Heat’s number like Brooklyn, sweeping the four-game season series, as well as winning both preseason matchups.

And, yes, it means Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are back as playoff rivals, this time in Brooklyn black instead of Boston green, complete with the enduring playoff respect and contempt that long has heightened these postseason matchups against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

“It will always be there,” Wade said after Sunday’s practice, a session completed before the Nets defeated the Raptors 104-103 at Air Canada Centre in Game 7 of that series. “I don’t think there will be a moment where it won’t, just the competitive nature of those guys.”

Terrence Jones emerged nicely for Houston Rockets this season

Here’s the Houston Chronicle Blog reporting on Rockets forward Terrence Jones:

michael redd

By the end of the season, Rockets forward Terrence Jones had his routine down.

Before every game, he would take a few shots on the court, then headed to the dining room to get a plate of his favorite pasta. He sat at his locker, watching video of that night’s opponent on a large screen in the locker room while eating dinner and listening to music in his headphones. Under his practice shirt, though, his heart was pounding.

Jones was calm like a seasoned veteran before every game, but he was also eager like the 22-year old second-year NBA player that he is.

At the start of the season, Jones was one of the players on the list of forwards who would have to step up and fill a role for the Rockets this season. At the end, he was the Rockets’ regular starter and a reliable piece of the puzzle they have been trying to build.