NBA News Blog – Page 1262 – NBA Blog

Carlos Boozer says Heat have two great players

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

“Day by day, I’m getting better. I felt great,’’ Boozer said, sounding like a guy who was getting close to 100 percent on the health front. “The 15-, 17-footer was there and I just shot it.’’

As far as the Big Three facing off against the Big Two, Boozer wasn’t getting caught up in that.

“All of us have to do our jobs,’’ Boozer said. “We’ve been a team all year long. It’s not a one-man show, but our one man [Rose] is pretty good. We rely on everybody.’’

Give Boozer credit. Even with the game, over he did have one more shot to take, and it wasn’t with a ball in his hand.

Asked about facing Miami’s Big Three, he responded, “They have two great players in D. Wade and LeBron. We look forward to the challenge.’’

No mention of Bosh?

There it was, one more body blow.

Warriors reach out to Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw

Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area reports:

Warriors reach out to Lakers assistant Brian Shaw

The Warriors have officially reached out to Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw about their head coaching opening, CSN Bay Area has learned.

According to two league sources, the Warriors called Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak earlier this week and asked for permission to talk to Shaw, the lead assistant to Phil Jackson.

Shaw, an Oakland native, is considered a leading candidate to succeed Jackson, who retired this week after the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference semifinals by Dallas.

At the same time, the Lakers’ front office has indicated it will interview other candidates, too. Shaw is under contract with the Lakers until June 30, but they have given him the OK to interview with other NBA teams.

Shaw interviewed last offseason with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but decided to return to the Lakers. He also interviewed for the Chicago Bulls’ heading coaching position in 2008, a job that went to Vinny Del Negro.

Shaw is considered among the best of an assistant coaching crop that also includes: San Antonio’s Mike Budenholzer, Dallas’ Dwane Casey, Boston’s Lawrence Frank and New Orleans’ Mike Malone.

Pacers increase season ticket prices

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

The Indiana Pacers are increasing their ticket prices for the first time in five years.

The Pacers are offering full- and half-season packages and taking deposits on 11-game packages for the 2011-12 season at rates that are about 9 percent higher than this season.

Single-game ticket prices have yet to be determined.

“The ticket packages we’re selling today are higher than last year’s packages, but they’re still less than what they were five years ago,” said Rick Fuson, Pacers Sports & Entertainment chief operations officer.

Yao Ming sues Chinese sportswear maker

Reuters reports:

China’s NBA all-star Yao Ming has sued a Chinese sportswear maker over alleged name and image infringements, local media reported Friday.

The towering Houston Rockets center has filed a lawsuit against the company for using the label “Yao Ming Era” on its shoes without his consent, Yao’s management said.

Lu Hao claimed the sports maker also used Yao’s signature and portrait on their products while promoting them across the country.

Bulls eliminate Hawks in six games

The AP reports:

Carlos Boozer scored 23 points, Derrick Rose doled out 12 assists in more of a supporting role and the Bulls cruised past the Atlanta Hawks 93-73 on Thursday night, wrapping up the East semifinal in six games…

As if to prove his point, Rose took a playoff-low 14 shots and finished with 19 points, his second-lowest total of the postseason. This was a textbook performance by the guys around him, each of them comfortable in a supporting role, each of them willing to do the dirty work at the defensive end.

The most impressive number: Chicago had assists on all but seven of its 41 baskets. Or, come to think of it, maybe it was this stat: The Hawks shot just 37 percent (27 of 74) and rarely got an open look…

Luol Deng hit some big baskets early and finished with 13 points, plus five steals. Joakim Noah scored 11 and stifled the Hawks with three blocks. Omer Asik chipped in with two swats of his own. Keith Bogans made only one basket, but it was a big 3-pointer as the Bulls put it away in the third quarter…

“What goes underrated about them is the depth of their team,” said Atlanta’s Al Horford, who had a miserable night and a tough series overall. “They just wear on you. They just kept coming, kept coming every game. It seemed like their starters were fresh.” …

Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 19 points. Josh Smith was the only other player in double figures with 18. The Hawks went 1-of-11 from beyond the 3-point arc.

InsideHoops.com notes: Jeff Teague hurt his wrist and finished the game with just four points (2-of-6 shooting) and three assists… Al Horford, playing power forward, was awful and shot 2-of-10 for seven points and four rebounds in 37 minutes… The Bulls dished 34 assists. The Hawks had just 14… Like the Hawks, the Bulls were lousy from three-point range. But Chicago shot 53.2% overall from the field, while the Hawks hit just 36.5% of their shots… The Bulls barely went to the free throw line, hitting 8-of-10.

Live fan discussion of the game took place in this forum topic.

2011 NBA Eastern Conference Finals is Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls

Thursday night in Atlanta the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Hawks in six games. Winners of an NBA-best 62 regular season games, the Bulls now advance to the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals where they will face the Miami Heat (who won 58 regular season games).

To reach the Conference Finals, the Heat eliminated the Boston Celtics in five games.

Here is the complete series schedule (all times Eastern / ET)

Game 1 – Sun May 15 Miami at Chicago 8:00PM TNT/R
Game 2 – Wed May 18 Miami at Chicago 8:30PM TNT/R
Game 3 – Sun May 22 Chicago at Miami 8:30PM TNT/R
Game 4 – Tue May 24 Chicago at Miami 8:30PM TNT/R
Game 5 * Thu May 26 Miami at Chicago 8:30PM TNT/R
Game 6 * Sat May 28 Chicago at Miami 8:30PM TNT/R
Game 7 * Mon May 30 Miami at Chicago 8:30PM TNT/R

Discuss the upcoming Heat vs Bulls series in this forum topic.

Chicago NBC sports anchor Daryl Hawks found dead in Atlanta

A tragedy in the Chicago sports media world has developed.

WGN News reports:

A sportscaster for NBC 5 Chicago was found dead in a hotel room this morning in Atlanta.

Daryl Hawks was covering the NBA playoff game between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta.

NBC Chicago reports:

“We are all stunned right now. Daryl was a great member of our sports team, and was so excited about covering the Bulls during this playoff run,” said Frank Whittaker, Station Manager and Vice President of News.

Hawks was 38 years old. He was a three-time Emmy Winner and former Marine.

We’re sorry for Daryl’s friends, family as well as his station and co-workers.

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

2010-11 All-NBA Teams named

Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, the 2010-11 NBA Most Valuable Player, and LeBron James of the Miami Heat, winner of the two previous MVP awards, highlight the 2010-11 All-NBA First Team. James was the lone unanimous choice, receiving all 119 first-place votes. Joining James and Rose on the First Team are Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic.

Earning his first All-NBA team selection, Rose led the Bulls to an NBA-best 62-20 mark. He averaged team highs of 25.0 points and 7.7 assists to go along with 4.1 rebounds, becoming only the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 25.0 points, 7.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Rose was the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in scoring (seventh) and assists (10th).

James, who earns First Team honors for the fourth straight season and fifth time overall, was second in the NBA in scoring (26.7 ppg), and averaged team highs in assists (7.0 apg) and steals (1.57 spg) to go along with 7.5 rpg. James became the first player in history to surpass the 2,000-point, 500-rebound, 500-assist and 100-steal marks in four consecutive seasons.

Howard, an All-NBA First Team selection for the fourth consecutive season, earned the 2010-11 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first player to win the award three straight seasons. He led the league with 66 double-doubles, while ranking second in rebounds (14.1 rpg) and fourth in blocks (2.38 bpg). Howard also averaged a career-high 22.9 points.

Bryant, an All-NBA First Team selection for the sixth straight season and ninth time in his career, finished fifth in the league in scoring (25.3 ppg), while averaging 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. Among active players, Bryant is tied with the San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan for most First Team selections.

Durant earns his second All-NBA First Team selection. Durant led the league in scoring (27.7 ppg) for the second consecutive year, to go along with 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Durant scored at least 40 in a league-high five games this season.

The All-NBA Second Team consists of guards Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, forwards Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, and center Amar’e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks.

The All-NBA Third Team includes the San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili and the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul at guard, the Portland Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge and the Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph at forward, and the Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford at center.

The All-NBA Teams were chosen by a panel of 119 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.

Below are the results of the voting for the 2010-11 All-NBA Teams, with First Team votes in parentheses:

2010-11 ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM

Position Player, Team (1st Team Votes) Points
Forward LeBron James, Miami (119) 595
Forward Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (69) 492
Center Dwight Howard, Orlando (118) 593
Guard Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (98) 551
Guard Derrick Rose, Chicago (118) 593

2010-11 ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM

Position Player, Team (1st Team Votes) Points
Forward Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers (2) 259
Forward Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (47) 437
Center Amar’e Stoudemire, New York (2) 258
Guard Dwyane Wade, Miami (24) 392
Guard Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City 184

2010-11 ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM

Position Player, Team (1st Team Votes) Points
Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland 135
Forward Zach Randolph, Memphis 67
Center Al Horford, Atlanta 62
Guard Manu Ginobili, San Antonio 106
Guard Chris Paul, New Orleans 157

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first team votes in parentheses): Rajon Rondo, Boston, 68; Paul Pierce, Boston, 55; Carmelo Anthony, Denver-New York, 53; Kevin Love, Minnesota, 48; Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 43; Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers, 36; Tony Parker, San Antonio, 27; Kevin Garnett, Boston, 22; Deron Williams, Utah-New Jersey 19; Steve Nash, Phoenix, 17; Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee, 13; Monta Ellis, Golden State, 11; Nene, Denver, 11; Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers, 9; Kevin Martin, Houston, 7; Tyson Chandler, Dallas, 7; Joakim Noah, Chicago, 5; Marc Gasol, Memphis, 3; Al Jefferson, Utah, 3; Kendrick Perkins, Boston-Oklahoma City, 3; Andrea Bargnani, Toronto, 2; Chris Bosh, Miami, 2; Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 1; Emeka Okafor, New Orleans, 1; Eric Gordon, L.A. Clippers, 1; Gerald Wallace, Charlotte-Portland, 1; Jason Kidd, Dallas, 1; Luis Scola, Houston, 1; Luol Deng, Chicago, 1; Ray Allen, Boston, 1.

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

Maloofs agree to show Kings financial data to arena task force

Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee reports:

Sacramento Kings co-owner George Maloof said Wednesday he has agreed to make team financial data available to a city-commissioned group studying ways to finance a new sports and entertainment facility.

That group, headed by national arena builder ICON Venue Group and downtown Sacramento developer David Taylor, is due to present an arena feasibility study to the City Council on May 26.

Team officials previously refused to provide business data for the study.

Hornets season ticket sales on rise

The AP reports:

Despite uncertainty about the Hornets’ ownership, how long they’ll be in New Orleans, or even if there’ll be an NBA season in 2011-12, support for the club appears to be building among fans and businesses in Louisiana.

The club has sold about 8,000 full-season tickets for 2011-12, up from about 6,300 when the 2010-11 season began.

“Being ahead of where we were last year is really a good sign considering that we’re at the beginning of May,” said Matt Biggers, the Hornets’ senior vice president of marketing. “We still have a lot of work to do because we want to get to 10,000 (season tickets), so we’re going to keep working hard all offseason to get to that number.” …

The Hornets have set their season ticket goal at 10,000 because that is about what they had in 2008-09, the last time the club turned a profit. Attendance averaged just under 17,000 that season, compared to just more than 14,700 this season, which ranked 26th in the NBA out of 30 clubs.