Month: May 2014

Oklahoman newspaper apologizes for referring to Kevin Durant as Mr. Unreliable

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on some drama in Oklahoma City:

A headline in The Oklahoman focusing on Kevin Durant’s struggles in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s series with the Memphis Grizzlies has caused a distraction before the team faces an elimination game Thursday night.

The headline, which read “Mr. Unreliable,” in part referred to Durant’s recent slump, which has him shooting just 40 percent in the series and 15-of-45 over the past two games. The headline generated strong reaction and led Oklahoman sports editor Mike Sherman to issue an apology, saying in a statement the “words were overstated and unduly harsh.”

He clarified that the headline was focused on Durant’s play against Memphis, rather than the NBA scoring champion’s body of work.

“I’m unreliable? Me, Mr. Unreliable?” Durant said Thursday morning.

NBA investigates Twitter threats sent to Wizards

NBA investigates Twitter threats sent to Wizards

The Wizards say the NBA has investigated a person who made threats to the team on Twitter during its first-round series against the Chicago Bulls.

Center Marcin Gortat said Thursday after practice that there was “one gentleman who really threatened us, actually made some terrorist threats to us.”

Gortat, who is from Poland, said that “he was saying there was a bomb on the plane and stuff, that my country’s going to get bombed and all my family’s going to die, just stuff like that.”

— Associated Press

President of NAACP L.A. chapter resigns over Donald Sterling honor

The president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP resigned Thursday, following scrutiny of his plan to give Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling an award for promoting civil rights.

Leon Jenkins was to present Sterling with a “lifetime achievement award” later this month. Jenkins rescinded that offer Monday after a recording surfaced over the weekend on which Sterling disparaged black men.

In a letter to the national leader of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, Jenkins wrote, “In order to separate the Los Angeles NAACP and the NAACP from the negative exposure I have caused the NAACP, I respectfully resign my position as President of the Los Angeles NAACP.”

— Associated Press

Frank Vogel not worried about suspensions after Game 6 scuffle

Frank Vogel not worried about suspensions after Game 6 scuffle

Indiana coach Frank Vogel says he doesn’t expect any discipline from the NBA after a scuffle late in the first half that prompted Pacers star Paul George to step off the bench.

Atlanta’s Mike Scott and Indiana guard George Hill got into it under the basket after a missed shot in Game 6 Thursday night, shoving each other in front of the Pacers bench. Replays showed George and a teammate taking a step onto the court, though they were quickly pushed back by the assistant coaches.

— Associated Press

Orlando Magic extend contracts of GM Rob Hennigan and coach Jacque Vaughn

The Orlando Magic have exercised their fourth-year team option and extended the contracts of General Manager Rob Hennigan and Head Coach Jacque Vaughn, Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins announced today. Both contracts have been extended through the 2015-16 season.

“Rob (Hennigan) and Jacque (Vaughn) have worked extremely hard in establishing a culture which embodies teamwork, hard work, hunger for success and humility,” said Martins. “With their strategic direction and leadership, we feel we are headed in the right direction, which will allow us to achieve our goals of contending in a long-term, sustainable fashion.”

Hennigan was named general manager of the Magic on June 20, 2012. He is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the team’s basketball operations, including day-to-day business, roster management and development, player acquisitions, salary cap management, analytical systems, and process development throughout the department. Hennigan spent the previous four seasons (2008-12) with Oklahoma City, including his last two seasons as the Thunder’s assistant general manager/player personnel.

Vaughn became the tenth head coach in Orlando Magic history on July 27, 2012. He is the second-youngest head coach in the NBA. Prior to joining the Magic, Vaughn spent two seasons (2010-12) as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. He played 12 years in the NBA from 1997-2009, including 80 games with Orlando in 2002-03. Vaughn was a member of the San Antonio Spurs 2006-07 NBA Championship team.

New Atlanta Hawks secondary team logo

It’s back!

The Atlanta Hawks have today unveiled the club’s new secondary logo, an evolved interpretation of the iconic and classic team mark that was used from 1972-95 and is recognizable by NBA fans around the world.

The new logo will make its worldwide debut tonight during the Hawks vs. Pacers First Round Game 6 contest at Philips Arena, as all fans in attendance will receive a red t-shirt featuring the logo.

While the team’s primary logo will remain unchanged, the secondary mark will appear on Hawks clothing, caps and other fan gear.

Nets rally but still lose Game 5 to Raptors

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets, who are now in trouble against the Toronto Raptors and must win Game 6 in Brooklyn tomorrow or they’ll be eliminated from the first round of the NBA playoffs:

The Nets traded their future for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to rise in these moments. They held press conferences and dedicated thousands of words to reiterate that these guys bring leadership, they bring the moxie that’s required during crunch time of pivotal playoff games.

The price for that luxury? Three first-round draft choices. As the team slogan indicates, the Nets were going “All In” on two aging future Hall of Famers.

But for an entire fourth quarter in the biggest game of the season Wednesday night, with the Nets staging a miraculous comeback behind Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Mirza Teletovic, Pierce and Garnett were just cheerleaders, bystanders.

When the Nets needed a big stop in the final minute, Jason Kidd never summoned Garnett. When they needed a big shot, Pierce never took off his warmup shirt. The result was a 115-113 loss in Game 5 for the Nets, in a roller-coaster of a game that ended when Andray Blatche threw a pass way off target for a turnover with one second remaining.

The Nets, the most expensive team in NBA history, plunged to the brink of elimination with that pass and with most of their playoff experience on the bench, falling into a 3-2 deficit in the first-round series heading into Friday’s Game 6 in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Nets Twitter account calls out their own fans

On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Nets visited the Toronto Raptors for Game 5 of their first round playoff series. Although the Nets went wild in the fourth quarter, scoring 44 points, it wasn’t enough, and Toronto won 115-113 to take a 3-2 series lead.

Raptors fans have been loud, wild and engaged during the series, and even gathering in massive crowds outside Toronto’s arena to enjoy the action. While Nets fans back in Brooklyn tend to be on the… quieter side. The Nets are still new in Brooklyn, and while attendance is great, and tons of fans are terrific, some others are on the casual side of things. It’s a great situation — all that’s missing is a bit more loudness from some in the crowd.

Anyway, during last night’s game, Nets team website reporter Lenn Robbins was running the official Nets Twitter account as a guest of sorts, and one of his tweets called out Nets fans. Check it out:

Bold move, calling out the fans. But if it works, that’s all that matters.