Inside Hoops – Page 2460 – NBA Blog

Spurs hack-a-Shaq 5 seconds into game

The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: With Shaquille O’Neal’s “coward” comment still ringing in the ears of Spurs fans before Wednesday’s game, a reporter asked San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich if he would consider a mock “Hack-a-Shaq” on the first possession of the game to jokingly prove that he wasn’t backing down from his strategy in last year’s playoffs. Popovich stopped. He ran his fingers through his new white beard. And then he started to grin. “You know, that’s not a bad idea now that I think about it. It’s a better suggestion than any of our (assistant) coaches have had all summer,” Popovich said. “I could get a couple of guys in front of me and act like they were holding me back … a typical NBA fight.” Funny guy. He was just kidding, of course. Right? Sure enough, the Suns won the tip and ex-Sun Michael Finley wrapped his arms around O’Neal to stop play five seconds into the game — a nonshooting foul. O’Neal quickly looked over at Popovich, who gave him two thumbs-up and the two shared a laugh. “Classic Pop. I loved it,” Steve Nash said. “It would have been a fine if he didn’t do it.”

2010 All-Star game to be at new Dallas Cowboys stadium

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Dirk Nowitzki is a big fan of bringing NBA All-Star Weekend to North Texas. “I always thought that [Dallas Mavericks owner Mark] Cuban, at the beginning when he took over, he wasn’t going to do an All-Star Game, so I was always in that mind-set that we’re not going to have it,” Nowitzki said. “If it’s really going to happen, it’s going to be something special.” A joint effort by the Mavericks and Dallas Cowboys will produce the 2010 All-Star Game at the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington, with the related festivities such as the slam dunk competition at American Airlines Center and the NBA Fan Jam at another Dallas venue. The NBA isn’t commenting, but multiple sources have confirmed that the official announcement is set for 4 p.m. today at Victory Plaza outside AAC.

Eddy Curry out of Knicks rotation

The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: Mike D’Antoni would not back down from his decision to remove Eddy Curry from the rotation, announcing early Wednesday that the incumbent starting center isn’t physically ready and that the Knicks now have “standards” that Curry has not met. “This is not going to be easy where we’re all having lollipops and thinking we can turn this around,” D’Antoni said hours before the Knicks beat Miami, 120-115, in their season opener. Curry did not play, and had company on the bench in the form of Stephon Marbury. “There are going to be a lot of tears, yelling and screaming. There are going to be certain standards. It’s easy for me to go, ‘Yeah, OK let’s just do it the same way it’s always been done so no one will get mad.’ Now, we have standards.”

Jerry Sloan OK with wild player intros

The Salt Lake Tribune (Ross Siler) reports: As old school as he can be, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he had no issue with the team¹s new player introductions, complete with glowsticks, fireworks and streamers: “Whatever entertains the fans, I don¹t have any problem with that.” Sloan was asked about some of the outlandish introductions he¹s seen around the league with flames and smoke. “I think that¹s happened here a time or two,” Sloan said. “They had a fire here one time they had to try to put out, so that¹s what worries me.”

Oct 29: Hornets 108, Warriors 103

The AP reports: Chris Paul drove for the go-ahead layup with 19.4 seconds left and finished with 21 points and 11 assists in the Hornets’ perilous 108-103 victory Wednesday night… After going 7-0 in the NBA’s first unbeaten preseason in six years, New Orleans stayed perfect despite falling apart down the stretch against Golden State. After Paul’s jumper gave the Hornets a six-point lead with 5:47 left, they went nearly four minutes without scoring—including two open jumpers missed by Paul—while the Warriors took a 101-100 lead on a jumper by Corey Maggette, who had 27 points in his Golden State debut… David West led New Orleans with 24 points, while Peja Stojakovic added 16. Stephen Jackson scored 26 points and Kelenna Azubuike added 17 for the Warriors, who blew numerous opportunities to take charge late in their third straight season-opening loss, but still came out encouraged simply by hanging with the Hornets.

Oct 29: Lakers 117, Clippers 79

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant had 16 points and eight rebounds, Andrew Bynum added 12 points and nine rebounds, and the Lakers spoiled the Clippers season opener with a 117-79 rout Wednesday night… Derek Fisher scored 15 in the victory, including going 3-of-6 as the Lakers finished 10-of-19 from 3-point range. Pau Gasol added 13 points, Jordan Farmar 15, and Trevor Ariza had 11 points and six rebounds. Chris Mims scored most of his 10 points during mop-up time… Baron Davis had 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting in his Clippers’ debut, with seven assists. Al Thornton scored 16, and Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas each had 11.

Oct 29: Jazz 98, Nuggets 94

The AP reports: Carlos Boozer had 25 points and 14 rebounds and Andrei Kirilenko added 16 points in his new reserve role and the Utah Jazz opened the season with a 98-94 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. Mehmet Okur had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Ronnie Price finished with five assists starting in place of Deron Williams, who is out with a sprained ankle… Allen Iverson had 18 points and eight assists to lead the Nuggets, who were missing star Carmelo Anthony while he served the first of a two-game suspension from a DUI arrest over the summer. Kenyon Martin added 18 points for Denver, which had a chance to tie it but missed a 3-pointer and Utah’s Ronnie Brewer got the rebound and made a free throw with four-tenths of a second left. Brewer finished with 15 points and Kyle Korver added 11 for Utah.

Oct 29: Rockets 82, Grizzlies 71

The AP reports: Yao Ming had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Artest added 16 in his Houston debut, and the Rockets overcame poor shooting to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 82-71 on Wednesday night. Luis Scola had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who were 28-for-76 (36.8 percent) from the field. They also went 5-for-16 from 3-point range and were outrebounded 49-44… Rudy Gay scored 20 and Darrell Arthur had 11 points and 15 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who’ve lost all eight season openers since moving to Memphis in 2001… Tracy McGrady, wearing a brace on his left shoulder and a wrap below his left knee, had 16 points and five assists, but went 7-for-18 from the field.

Oct 29: Bucks 98, Thunder 87

The AP reports: Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva each scored 20 points and the Milwaukee Bucks gave Oklahoma City’s sellout crowd little hope about by spoiling the Thunder’s debut with a 98-87 win on Wednesday night… Oklahoma City started 2-for-12 from the field and never led, falling behind 20-9 and then watching Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant come out of the game with early foul trouble… Andrew Bogut added 14 points and Bell scored 11 for Milwaukee. Villanueva also had 12 rebounds. Chris Wilcox led Oklahoma City with 15 points off the bench, first-round pick Russell Westbrook scored 13 in his debut and Durant finished with 12 on 5-for-14 shooting.

Oct 29: Suns 103, Spurs 98

The AP reports: Amare Stoudemire scored 22 points—11 coming on 5-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter—and four other Phoenix players scored in double figures to help the Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs 103-98 in the regular-season opener for both teams Wednesday night… Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 32 points for the Spurs, who were playing without guard Manu Ginobili who is out until December after ankle surgery. Nash added 13 points and 13 assists for the Suns. Leandro Barbosa had 18 points, Shaquille O’Neal 15, and Grant Hill 13.