Inside Hoops – Page 2154 – NBA Blog

Devin Harris thinks 75 percent of NBA players own weapons

NBA players are celebrities. The league is seen by much of the world. Everybody knows who the stars are. With 30 teams and at most 15 players on a roster, only 450 human beings on the planet can claim to be NBA players at any given time.

The select few dozen stars are household names.

And, these guys need to protest themselves.

Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports:

Harris estimates that “Seventy-five percent” of the players own weapons. He personally said he doesn’t have one, because, as he put it, “I have a pit bull.”

If Harris was referring to the human variety of pit bull (a bodyguard), who may in turn carry his own weapon, he didn’t say.

While the NBA wants its players to get over its obsession with firearms, most gun-owning players feel justified in carrying them because they are very tall and wealthy targets.

Sometimes, through no fault of their own whatsoever, violence finds them just because of what they drive.

Life can be complicated when random strangers passing by you all know who you are, but you don’t know them.

Nate Robinson scores 41 in return for Knicks

Nate Robinson finally back on court for Knicks

After not receiving even a minute of court time since December 1, New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson returned to action in dramatic fashion Friday, scoring 41 points in a 112-108 overtime road win against the Atlanta Hawks.

Entering the game in the first quarter, Robinson quickly became hot and never cooled off. He played over 38 minutes and shot 18-of-24 (3-of-5 three-pointers) for 41 points, six rebounds and eight assists (four turnovers).

Also for the Knicks, Wilson Chandler had 24 points and played big with 17 rebounds, plus four assists. Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington (just 5-of-16) each scored 13 points. David Lee (just 4-of-14) had a quiet night with 11 points and only seven rebounds.

For the Hawks, Joe Johnson (just 12-of-30) had 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Josh Smith had 24 points and 10 rebounds, with two blocks. Al Horford dominated the middle, shooting 11-of-14 for 22 points and 19 rebounds.

With a season average of 10.9 points and 3.2 assists in 22.0 minutes coming into this game, Robinson has been healthy, but coach D’Antoni simply didn’t want to use him.

Robinson was recently fined by the NBA for comments his agent made, who wanted the player traded if Nate wasn’t going to be used on the court. The penalty is being appealed.

Nate’s always been able to score. The problem D’Antoni has had with him is Nate’s defense and general decision-making on the court.

This was quite a statement in his return.

Speaking to MSG network after the game, Robinson thanked God, Allan Houston and Malik Rose for keeping him ready. He also shouted out Twitter and various friends and family.

“I’m here to stay. I want to play. I want to help this team win. Everything is in the past. 2010, it’s a fresh start,” said Robinson.

Did Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton draw guns on each other?

Wow. I’m not even sure how to react to this latest report. Get ready for some wild stuff.

It had recently been reported by several media outlets that Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas had (unloaded) guns in his locker, but nothing actually happened with them and the only investigation revolved around why they were there at all.

But things just got a lot more nasty and complicated.

Peter Vecsey and David K. Li of the New York Post report:

Guess they’re still the Bullets at heart.

NBA all-star Gilbert Arenas and his Washing ton Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other in the team’s locker room during a Christmas Eve dispute over a gambling debt, The Post has learned.

League sources say the pistol-packing point guards had heaters at the ready inside the Verizon Center, the Washington, DC home of the Wizards — whose name was changed from the Bullets over gun- violence concerns.

It was the three-time all-star Arenas, 27, who went for his gun first, sources said, drawing on the 22-year-old Crittenton, who quickly brandished a firearm as well.

It was not clear whether other teammates saw the shocking standoff, which happened on a practice day.

The duel in DC — unprecedented in sports history — was sparked when Crittenton became enraged at the veteran guard for refusing to make good on a gambling debt, a source said.

“I’m not your punk!” Crittenton shouted at Arenas, according to a league source close to the Wizards.

That prompted Arenas to draw on Crittenton, who then also grabbed for a gun, league security sources said.

To follow this story as it develops, read the InsideHoops.com NBA rumors page each day (as you should be doing anyway).

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Rockets will extend contract of coach Rick Adelman

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

With the Rockets ending the year surprisingly in the thick of playoff contention, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said Thursday he was going to extend the contract of Rockets coach Rick Adelman in the coming weeks.

Adelman, whose winning percentage with the Rockets is better than any coach in franchise history, had gone into his third season with the Rockets in the final guaranteed of year of his contract, with the Rockets intending to address his contract situation in the off-season.

“I’m going to pick up his option,” Alexander said. “We’re going to do it soon, relatively soon.

“I think he’s done a terrific job. He’s taken a team that has lost two key starters and he melded the team and he’s won. That’s what we want here. He’s very self-effacing. He only cares about — which I love — is the team and winning.”

Manu Ginobili regaining form

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

Nearly 24 hours after the fact, the Spurs still were buzzing about the way Manu Ginobili turned Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves into a personal time machine that transported him back to his days as one of the NBA’s most electrifying players.

Ginobili came to training camp after a summer of enforced inactivity designed to assure complete recovery from a stress fracture of the right ankle. He lately has been reintroducing bits and pieces of the unique game that made him one of the league’s best players.

Tuesday night’s near-triple double was the latest evidence he is getting closer to being the real Manu Ginobili.

Up next: The confidence that will allow him to attack the basket when he believes his legs have regained the explosiveness that once made him a human highlight reel.

LeBron unleashes 48-point massacre on Hawks

Wednesday in Cleveland the Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks, 106-101. In the win, Cavs forward LeBron James, who turned 25 years old today, shot 15-of-23 (4-of-6 three-pointers) and hit 14-of-16 free throws for 48 points. He also had 10 rebounds, six assists (three turnovers), two steals and two blocks in 43 minutes.

The AP reports:

With the score tied at 101 and the shot clock down to its final tick, Mo Williams passed the ball to Anderson Varejao on the left wing. The 6-foot-11 forward, who missed his first 18 career 3-pointers, stepped up and drilled his long shot just before the horn sounded.

When he ran to the other end of the floor, James rushed into his arms.

“I saw that Mo got kind of tied up and I just tried to get open,” Varejao said. “I just shot it.”

A birthday swish for James.

“That’s what I told him,” Varejao said. “Happy birthday.”

After a not-so-impressive start to the season, Cleveland has steadily come along and winning nonstop lately.

Blazers sign Shavlik Randolph

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Shavlik Randolph, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

Randolph, 26, rejoins the Trail Blazers after averaging 1.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.7 minutes in 10 games with Portland last season.

Portland was allowed to sign Randolph and bring its roster to 16 players after the NBA awarded the team its second hardship exemption of the season on Tuesday.

The Duke University product has career averages of 2.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 8.3 minutes in 91 games (seven starts) with Philadelphia, Portland and Miami.

Randolph (6-10, 240) appeared in two games for Miami this season, netting two points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 23 minutes before being waived on Dec. 14.

He will wear No. 42 with the Trail Blazers.

Knicks interested in Tracy McGrady

Marc Berman of the New York Post report:

Mike D’Antoni threw the Knicks’ hat into the ring in the Tracy McGrady sweepstakes.

D’Antoni acknowledged for the first time publicly the Knicks are interested in pursuing the former superstar, McGrady, saying the Rockets swingman has enough left in the tank to be a leading man and calling the issue “an intriguing thing that will be evaluated in-depth.”

“It’s a name Donnie [Walsh] I’m sure will analyze and look at and see if it makes sense,” D’Antoni said. “I think you always have to be intrigued with someone like McGrady and Allen Iverson. It’s up to Donnie to evaluate it and sit down and talk about it and see what the other side of the coin is. I don’t know what it entails. I’m sure the antennae goes up and there will be discussions.”

Wizards coach Flip Saunders frustrated by bad defense

Tuesday night in Washington, D.C. the Wizards lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-98.

The Thunder shot 54.4 percent from the field in the win, and nailed 10-of-18 from three-point range.

Wizards coach Flip Saunders is tired of his team’s inability to play defense.

Mike Jones of the Washington Times reports:

“This team needs a mindset change. This team for the last five years has been known as one of the worst defensive teams in the league, and until we make a commitment…” Saunders said, stopping himself short before hunkering down in front of the microphone. “We couldn’t stop anybody out there. We could’ve taken five guys out of this room and they would’ve had a chance. …

“[Oklahoma City] is playing a lot better, but that is not the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Lakers or one of those teams yet. Until they score on you and it hurts, we’re kidding ourselves.” …

The Wizards had primarily used a zone defense to slow the Thunder in the second quarter, but in the third Oklahoma City found a way around it to make 10 of its 19 field goal attempts – further stoking Saunders’ frustrations.

“Zone got us back in the game, and we did well playing some zone. And then guys want to come out of the zone and play man-to-man, but they can’t guard anybody!” the coach fumed. “I could go out there on that floor and take anyone on our team one-on-one at [54] years old and drive around them.”

It’s tough to say what Saunders can do. Other than Russell Westbrook, who was slightly off, virtually every member of the Thunder who played real minutes shot well last night.

It may be time for the Wizards to break up the Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison core.

What would the NBA fine be if…

NBA players must obey certain rules and often face fines if they do things they aren’t supposed to do.

So, just joking around here, but what would the fine be if a player:

1) Pulled a cellphone out while on the court during a game.

2) Started posting on his blog and on Twitter

3) Demanded a trade, while criticizing the refs

4) Then used his cellphone to strike another player