Inside Hoops – Page 1942 – NBA Blog

Knicks season ticket prices will increase by average of 49% for 2011-12 season

The New York Knickerbockers and New York Rangers today released season ticket information for the 2011-12 seasons when Madison Square Garden will debut the first phase of the building’s top-to-bottom Transformation. The company also announced that it will not institute Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) in the transformed Arena.

For the 2011-12 season Knicks season ticket prices will increase an average of 49%, and Rangers will increase an average of 23%. Knicks tickets have only been raised once in the last ten seasons, including staying flat for the past six, and Rangers ticket prices did not increase for the 2010-11 season. Knicks and Rangers season ticket holders will be contacted directly by their personal relationship manager with specific information on their account.

“Our top priority is to create a world class experience for every person that visits Madison Square Garden. The Garden Transformation will provide our fans with best in class service, new amenities, and outstanding food and beverage offerings. This will be a new state-of-the-art arena with wider concourses, new seats, better sightlines, and improved social settings,” said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. “Our commitment is for Madison Square Garden to not only be recognized as The World’s Most Famous Arena, but the world’s most spectacular one as well – something our fans, partners and all New Yorkers deserve. While ticket prices for Knicks and Rangers will be increasing, we will continue to offer a variety of price points for our fans and will not be instituting PSLs.”

As a result of the Transformation, the seating configuration in the lower bowl of the Arena will completely change beginning next season, the upper bowl is expected to follow in the 2012-13 season. Season ticket holders will be relocated to new seats accordingly.

“The seating configuration and layout of The Garden will change with the Transformation, and we have been planning for several years with our customers in mind,” said O’Neil. “We have the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in the world and it’s our intent and plan to manage a transparent and smooth seat relocation process – maintaining similar sightlines and upgrading experiences. We have a process in place and dedicated staff to work directly with our customers to ensure that everything is seamless and meets their expectations.”

Bucks sign Earl Barron to second 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed center Earl Barron (7-0, 245) to a second 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Barron was signed to his initial 10-day contract on March 1.

Barron has appeared in three games with the Bucks and has averaged 4.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 11.0 minutes. In his Bucks debut, Barron contributed four points and a season-high nine rebounds on March 1 in a win over Detroit.

Barron, 29, appeared in 12 games (six starts) earlier this season with the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.3 minutes.

The Bucks roster remains at 15 players.

Trail Blazers sign Jarron Collins to second 10-day contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Jarron Collins to a second 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

Portland signed Collins to a 10-day contract on March 1. He has appeared in three games for the Trail Blazers, totaling six rebounds and one assists.

Collins, 32, holds career averages of 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.8 minutes in 540 games (216 starts) with Utah, Phoenix, L.A. Clippers and Portland.

A 10-year NBA veteran who played collegiately at Stanford, Collins (6-11, 249) also spent the 2009 preseason with the Trail Blazers, averaging 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in four games.

Atlanta club drops lawsuit against LeBron James over planned appearance

The AP reports:

An Atlanta nightclub has dismissed a lawsuit against Miami Heat star LeBron James.

The Opera nightclub had filed a complaint Monday in Fulton County Superior Court accusing James of canceling a March 17 appearance for which he was supposed to be paid $25,000. It also accused the owners of the rival Gold Room nightclub in Atlanta of instead arranging a visit there.

Carlos Boozer day-to-day with ankle sprain

The AP reports:

Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer is day-to-day with a sprained left ankle and could be out for as much as a week.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday that the power forward could be out “anywhere from a couple days to a week” after he was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s 101-84 win at Charlotte.

Boozer was going for a layup when he was knocked to the floor on a flagrant foul by Kwame Brown. His leg bent awkwardly, his ankle twisting, and he limped off the court.

X-rays and an MRI confirmed the extent of the injury.

“It was a hard foul, but that’s part of it,” Thibodeau said. “You just have to move on, get ready for the next game.”

Marco Belinelli fined for foul on Shawn Marion

Marco Belinelli of the New Orleans Hornets has been fined $10,000 for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Belinelli was initially called for a Flagrant Foul, Penalty One against Shawn Marion of the Dallas Mavericks. The league office has upgraded the call to a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two.

The incident occurred with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter of the Hornets 93-92 win over the Mavericks at New Orleans Arena on Wednesday, March 9.

Thunder assign Byron Mullens to D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has assigned center Byron Mullens to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

During his two previous assignments in Tulsa this season, Mullens appeared in six games (six starts) and averaged 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 31.7 minutes.

Mullens will be in uniform tomorrow night when the 66ers take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce at the Tulsa Convention Center.

Hornets hire Ed Lang as CFO

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have hired Ed Lang as the Chief Financial Officer for the team. Lang comes to New Orleans following 13 years with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Lang will oversee financial operations, human resources, information technology, facility operations, and administrative components for the Hornets, including serving as the primary contact for the NBA in related matters.

“We’re excited to have Ed join our family as he brings a wealth of business knowledge from both the sports and non-sports industries,” said Hornets President Hugh Weber. “He has an extensive background in finance and business functions, and we know he will be a tremendous asset to our team.”

Lang joined the Nashville Predators in 1997 as one of the team’s first employees, after having been instrumental in assisting former team owner Craig Leipold in securing the expansion franchise. He began as the organization’s Vice President/CFO and was named Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO in 2005. In 2007, he became President of Business Operations for the Predators taking on the responsibilities for the franchise’s business operations, which included ticket operations, sales, sponsorship sales, broadcasting, marketing, communications and development, administration and finances.

“This is a great opportunity to be a part of the Hornets family, and I am more than thrilled to now call New Orleans home,” said Lang. “This team has such a bright future ahead, and I’m excited to help lead the charge in our business operations side.”

Prior to joining the Predators, Lang worked for S.C. Johnson and Son in Racine, Wis. for 12 years. He served in a variety of business and financial capacities, including venture manager for the office of the chairman, financial support manager, North America professional markets; and financial project manager, corporate financial analysis.

A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Lang is a 1985 Indiana University graduate with a B.S. in finance and received his MBA from Marquette University in 1992. He and his wife, Rita, have two sons, Eddie and Andrew. Lang is an outdoor enthusiast and has competed in numerous triathlons, marathons and cycling events and also enjoys skiing and mountain climbing.

Michael Jordan thinks Derrick Rose deserves 2010-11 NBA MVP

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Michael Jordan receives massive standing ovations whenever he returns to the United Center, as he will Saturday night for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Bulls’ first NBA championship in a ceremony with former broadcaster Jim Durham as host.

But there might be a few extra decibels involved given what His Airness said about Derrick Rose in a rare interview Wednesday night.

“MVP of the season,” the Bobcats owner said Wednesday night after the Bulls downed his team 101-84. “He deserves it. He’s playing that well, without a doubt.”

Then Jordan offered that sly smile.

“And if he doesn’t get it, now he will see how I felt a lot of those years,” the Bulls’ Hall of Famer said…

“I wish man,” Rose said. “It’s great that he said that. It’s an honor. I’m speechless. But I’m just trying to keep winning. The award will come if we keep winning. I’m just trying to play hard and aggressive and with an edge.”

Kevin Love passes Moses Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The AP reports:

Kevin Love passes Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The hardest part of what turned out to be a historic night for Kevin Love was deciding whether he was going to play at all.

With a bulky brace wrapped around his bruised and swollen left knee, the Minnesota Timberwolves star didn’t decide to give it a go until about 20 minutes before tipoff. Once he did, he made extending the longest double-double streak in 37 years look too easy.

Love recorded his 52nd double-double in a row to surpass Moses Malone for the longest such streak since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976 in the Timberwolves’ 101-75 over the free-falling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Love put up 16 points and 21 rebounds in just 27 minutes to help the Timberwolves win for just the 16th time this season. Love didn’t waste any time extending the streak, reaching double figures in points and rebounds with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.