Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 69 – NBA Blog

WNBA teams selling advertising on their uniforms

The New York Times reports: The Phoenix Mercury’s new uniform no longer has the words Phoenix or Mercury. Instead, the W.N.B.A.’s Mercury appears to have been renamed LifeLock, with the 10-inch-by-4-inch name of the identity-theft protection company stretching across the team’s jerseys. A small Mercury logo (the planet, with an M) appears like a badge on the upper left of the jersey. Taking a cue from international sports, where displaying corporate names on jerseys is standard, the Mercury on Monday will announce a three-year deal with Tempe, Ariz.-based LifeLock that is worth at least $1 million annually… During an off-season when one franchise, the Houston Comets, folded and the remaining 13 cut their rosters to 11 players from 13, the W.N.B.A. authorized its teams to let companies place their names on the players’ jerseys as part of broad sponsorship agreements. At least one other team is close to a similar deal.

InsideHoops.com editor says: There isn’t anything surprising or shocking about this, though it’ll still be interesting to see with my own eyes for the first time. Because, while viewing it, I’ll be pondering the obvious: Will NBA teams do this, eventually?

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

Suns, 76ers to play preseason game in Mexico

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that as part of the league’s ongoing commitment to growing the game in Mexico, preseason basketball will return to the country when the Phoenix Suns face the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 18 in Monterrey. This marks the NBA’s second visit to Monterrey and the 18th game in Mexico overall, the most NBA games held in any country outside the United States and Canada.

See more info on the NBA Mexico game.

Official 2009 All-NBA Teams

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 2008-09 Most Valuable Player, was a unanimous selection to the 2008-09 All-NBA First Team, the NBA announced today. Joining James on the First Team are Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat.

James, who earns First Team honors for the second straight season, ranked second in the NBA in scoring (28.4 ppg), eighth in steals (1.69 spg) and 10th in assists (7.2 apg) to go along with averages of 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. James guided the Cavaliers to a franchise-best 66-16 record overall and a 39-2 mark at home, both tops in the league. James was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month four times (November, January, March, April), tying Kevin Garnett (2003-04) as the only players to receive the award four times in one season since the NBA began voting for Eastern and Western Conference Player of the Month separately.

Bryant, the 2007-08 Most Valuable Player, finished third in the league in scoring (26.8 ppg), while averaging 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Bryant led the Lakers to a Western Conference-best 65-17 record. Bryant earns his fourth straight First Team selection and seventh overall. Among active players, only Tim Duncan (nine) and Shaquille O’Neal (eight) have more First Team selections.

Howard, an All-NBA First Team selection for the second consecutive season, led the NBA in rebounding (13.8 rpg) and blocks (2.9 bpg), becoming only the fourth player to pace the league in both categories since 1973-74, the first season where blocks were kept as an official statistic. Howard led the Magic in scoring (20.6 ppg), while shooting .572 from the field. His 63 double-doubles ranked second in the league (David Lee, New York, 65).

Earning his fourth First Team selection, Nowitzki was the league’s fourth-leading scorer (25.9 ppg), while also averaging 8.4 rebounds. His .890 free throw percentage ranked seventh overall. Nowitzki finished the season by scoring at least 20 points in 25 straight games, the longest such streak in the NBA this season.

Wade earns his first All-NBA First Team selection after ranking first in scoring (30.2 ppg), second in steals (1.7 spg) and eighth in assists (6.7 apg). He also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Wade became only the fifth player in league history to reach 2,000 points, 500 assists, and 150 steals in a single season, as well as the only player under 6-foot, 4-inches to register 100 blocks since they became an official stat in the 1973-74 season.

The All-NBA Second Team consists of New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Portland’s Brandon Roy at guard, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan and Boston’s Paul Pierce at forward, and Houston’s Yao Ming at center.

The All-NBA Third Team includes Denver’s Chauncey Billups and San Antonio’s Tony Parker at guard, Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol at forward, and Phoenix’s Shaquille O’Neal at center.

The All-NBA Teams were chosen by a panel of 122 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.

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first team votes in parentheses): Deron Williams, Utah, 105; Kevin Garnett, Boston, 72; Chris Bosh, Toronto, 56; Joe Johnson, Atlanta, 36, Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City, 34; Danny Granger, Indiana, 25; David West, New Orleans, 12; Mo Williams, Cleveland, 10; Al Jefferson, Minnesota, 8; Steve Nash, Phoenix, 7; Antawn Jamison, Washington, 7; Ray Allen, Boston, 6; Nene, Denver, 6; Devin Harris, New Jersey, 5; LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland, 4; David Lee, New York, 4; Rajon Rondo, Boston, 2; Vince Carter, New Jersey, 1; Paul Millsap, Utah, 1; O.J. Mayo, Memphis, 1; Mehmet Okur, Utah, 1; Jermaine O’Neal, Miami, 1; Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando, 1; Derrick Rose, Chicago, 1; Caron Butler, Washington, 1; Carlos Boozer, Utah, 1; Andre Miller, Philadelphia, 1; Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 1.

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

Phoenix Suns name Alvin Gentry head coach

The Phoenix Suns today announced that the club has reached an agreement with interim head coach Alvin Gentry to retain him as the 14th head coach in franchise history. Gentry and Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr will be available to the media on Tuesday, May 12.

“Alvin is the right man to lead our team into the future,” said Kerr. “Our players have great respect for him and the job he did last season, and he’ll provide the continuity we’ll need going into next year. I’m excited for Alvin and his family, and for our organization. This is a great fit.”

Originally promoted to the role of interim head coach on Feb. 16, Gentry’s 31-game tenure with the Suns in 2008-09 saw him compile the highest winning percentage of any interim coach in the NBA last season (.581). Gentry’s 18-13 record at the helm of the Suns included both the club’s longest overall win streak of the season (six games) and longest home win streak (nine games), despite playing without leading scorer and All-Star starter Amar’e Stoudemire for all but two of those games, and without Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa for a combined 10 games.

Gentry returned the Suns to the franchise’s high-scoring roots as Phoenix averaged an astounding 117.7 points following his promotion, raising its overall scoring average five full points in just 31 games to 109.4 points for the season, tops in the NBA. The Suns opened Gentry’s tenure with three-straight 140-point efforts, the first time the NBA had seen such prolific scoring since the 1990-91 campaign. Among the most impressive scoring feats achieved by Gentry’s Suns’ in his 31-game term: six scoring efforts of at least 130 points, more than any other NBA team managed in 82 games; and, a string of 10 consecutive 30-point quarters, the longest streak of its kind in 17 seasons.

Gentry helped lead the club to a 46-36 finish, the second-most victories for a non-playoff team in the 25-year history of the NBA’s 16-team playoff format. The Suns, which were 14-3 (.824) at home under Gentry, closed the season by winning nine-straight games at US Airways Center, registering wins over playoff teams Philadelphia, Denver, Utah and Houston.

A 30-year coaching veteran, Gentry originally joined the Suns’ staff as an assistant on June 1, 2004, and served in that position the last four-plus seasons before earning the midseason promotion in 2008-09. Gentry is at the helm of his fourth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000) and Miami Heat (1995). Gentry’s 1998-99 Pistons earned a playoff berth. In 2001-02, his second season with the Clippers, he guided Los Angeles to an improbable 39-43 (.476) record, the team’s highest win total in nearly 10 seasons, a season after leading the club to a 16-win improvement in 2000-01, his rookie campaign with the club.

In 21 seasons in the NBA, Gentry has worked alongside or under some of the game’s most respected coaches, including Larry Brown, Kevin Loughery and Doug Collins. The 54-year-old Gentry received his first assistant coaching job in the NBA under Brown with the San Antonio Spurs in 1988-89 after serving under Brown with the 1988 NCAA Champion Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team.

Rick Welts named president, CEO of Phoenix Suns

Rick Welts has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Phoenix Suns, as announced today by Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver. Welts joined the Suns in July 2002 as President and Chief Operating Officer.

“During Rick’s seven years with the Suns he has distinguished himself as one of professional sports best operators. Our creativity and success in areas such as marketing partnerships, technology, branding, customer service and this year’s NBA All-Star events have all been a result of Rick’s leadership,” said Sarver.

“I am very proud of what we have built here. Robert Sarver, Sam Garvin and our ownership partners have given this team the resources, confidence and support to be not just a good, but a great organization,” said Welts. “I have the best job in sports because of the extraordinary group of talented people I get to work with every day who are committed to being leaders in our industry and delivering our fans a great experience every time they visit US Airways Center.”

Welts’ NBA career started in 1969 as a ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics. He remained with the Sonics for 10 years in several different capacities, including director of public relations when the Sonics won their lone NBA Championship in 1979.

He joined the NBA league office in New York City in 1982, and when he departed in 1999, he was serving as the league’s executive vice president, chief marketing officer and president of NBA Properties. Welts helped guide the revitalization of the league and its image through strong marketing initiated by the NBA and is credited with the creation of the NBA All-Star Weekend concept in 1984. He was responsible for the 1992 Olympics “Dream Team” marketing program as the agent for USA Basketball. In 1998, Brandweek magazine named Welts “Marketer of the Year,” for his role in creating and launching the WNBA together with WNBA President Val Ackerman.

In addition to his Suns responsibilities, Welts oversees the club’s interests in the Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) and US Airways Center.

Steve Kerr doubts his team

The East Valley Tribune reports: After the Suns gathered for a team picture Tuesday — and a couple of wise guys wondered how many players in the photo would be around next year — the Suns’ general manager met with the media and reaffirmed what everyone has known for months. “I don’t know that this team, as constituted, can be a championship team,” Steve Kerr said. “I don’t think so, actually. We’re not good enough in certain areas.” And with that, the Suns’ offseason begins.

Suns hold off Grizzlies for 45th victory

The AP reports: After playing his reserves for the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Gentry substituted his first team back into the game. The result was a 119-110 victory, Phoenix’s eighth straight at home… O’Neal led Phoenix’s well-balanced attack with 19 points. Overall, the Suns had seven players in double figures. Steve Nash had 18 points and 12 assists. Jason Richardson collected 18 points, Grant Hill and rookie Robin Lopez had 14 apiece, Matt Barnes 12 and Leandro Barbosa 10. Lopez’s total tied his season high. Hakim Warrick, who hit his first 10 field goal attempts, tying a franchise record for one game, and Rudy Gay led Memphis with 26 points each. O.J. Mayo scored 20, Marc Gasol added 13 points and Mike Conley Jr. scored 12 and tied a franchise record with seven steals.

Hill, Suns cruise past Timberwolves 110-97

The AP reports: The Phoenix Suns’ season is all but over. Their playoff hopes were vanquished on Wednesday, rendering the final four games of the season virtually meaningless. You wouldn’t know that by watching Grant Hill play on Saturday night. The 14-year veteran gave his younger teammates a lesson in professionalism, scoring 19 points in 23 minutes to lead Phoenix to a 110-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves… Jared Dudley scored 16 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who gave heavy minutes to youngsters Robin Lopez, Goran Dragic and Louis Amundson. Sebastian Telfair had 21 points and shot 8-of-12 for Minnesota, but his teammates didn’t fare nearly as well in another slow start at Target Center.

Grizzlies end 10-game skid against listless Suns

The AP reports: Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo scored 20 points apiece, and the Grizzlies snapped a 10-game losing streak against Phoenix with a 106-89 victory. “We’re playing to get better,” said Memphis point guard Mike Conley, who scored 17 points… Hakim Warrick had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Marc Gasol finished with 14 points. Jason Richardson and Louis Amundson led the Suns with 13 points apiece, the only Phoenix players in double figures. Starters Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash and Matt Barnes finished with nine points.

Chris Paul rocks, but Suns beat Hornets 105-100

The AP reports: Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal will be playoff outsiders for the first time in a long time. Nash had 24 points and 13 assists, making six key free throws in the final 42 seconds, and Phoenix survived a late New Orleans rally to take a 105-100 victory on Wednesday night. But the victory wasn’t enough to keep Phoenix’s playoff hopes alive. The Suns were knocked out of the postseason for the first time since 2004, when Dallas beat Utah later Wednesday night… Chris Paul wound up with a game-high 29 points and 16 assists… David West had 28 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter but got as close as 100-97 on Stojakovic’s 3-pointer with 26 seconds to go.