Iman Shumpert aims for January return

Iman Shumpert

Iman Shumpert is back on his feet, but he is a long way from getting back on the basketball court.

The Knicks guard, who made an appearance yesterday at a Sprint NBA Nation event at South Street Seaport, is back walking under his own power after surgery early last month to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. But he is still expecting to miss the first two months of the season.

“The target date [for my return] is January,” Shumpert told The Post.

That means Shumpert is expecting his return to be closer to eight months, the long end of the six-to-eight-month initial projection for his recovery from the surgery.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

Tim Donaghy wins $1.3 million civil suit against book publisher

Remember Tim Donaghy?

Delco native. Ex-referee in the NBA. Recovering gambling addict. Felon.

Yeah, that guy. A Florida jury wants to make him a millionaire.

After 5 rough years that included banishment from the NBA, gambling and wire-fraud convictions for betting on basketball games, and even 2 weeks spent in solitary confinement “like Charles Manson” while serving a 15-month prison term, Donaghy can finally put one in the win column.

According to Donaghy and his lawyer, a St. Petersburg jury on Friday awarded Donaghy $1.3 million in his civil suit against Shawna Vercher and her now-defunct company VTi Group, which published Donaghy’s tell-all book about the NBA and its referees.

“The lady made my life a living hell and basically tortured me through the press by putting fictitious stories out there,” Donaghy said Sunday. “I knew, at some point, my time would come. And my time was Friday.”

— Reported by William Bender of the Philadelphia Daily News

Atlanta Hawks promote three within organization

The Atlanta Hawks announced today the promotion of three current team members. Phil Ebinger and Scott Wilkinson have each been promoted to Executive Vice President while Ailey Penningroth will now serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the organization. The promotions are effective immediately.

“The Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena are fortunate to have three team members who have dedicated their time and talent to enriching our corporate strategy, and enhancing the experience of our guests and presence of our brands,” said Bob Williams, Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena president. “I look forward to our future with excitement about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to grow as an organization.”

Ebinger who has been with the organization since 2004 and previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will continue to oversee the finance and accounting related to the Hawks, Philips Arena and the Atlanta Hawks Foundation, in addition to now leading the organization’s Human Resources function. Prior to his role with the Hawks and Philips Arena, Ebinger held controllership positions at The Coca-Cola Company and served as Chief Financial Officer of Fitzgerald & Co, an Atlanta advertising agency that is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. While at Coca-Cola, Ebinger was responsible for all financial matters relating to sports and entertainment marketing, advertising and media spending for the North America division.

Wilkinson, who formerly served as Senior Vice President/ Chief Legal Officer and Atlanta Hawks Assistant General Manager, will maintain responsibility of negotiation and drafting of contracts for players, coaches and other staff; trade research; salary cap management; collective bargaining agreement issues; insurance/risk management; and scheduling of the club’s preseason games. He will also continue to manage all legal matters for the Atlanta Hawks, HTPA Holding Company and the Atlanta Hawks Foundation. Wilkinson was previously Assistant General Counsel for Turner Sports, Inc., providing legal support to all Turner Sports properties, including the Hawks, the Atlanta Braves, World Championship Wrestling and The Goodwill Games.  Prior to that, he was a litigation attorney at Moore & Van Allen, PLLC; a founding partner and sports agent with the Buoniconti Sports Management Group and began his career as a defense counsel in the U. S. Marine Corps.

In her new role as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Penningroth will oversee all marketing, advertising and brand strategy as well as corporate communications. Before joining the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena in 2004, Penningroth served in various roles for the National Basketball Association for seven years.

Jason Terry hopes to stay with Mavericks

jason terry

At a festive, daddy-daughter bash on Father’s Day, Jason Terry delivered some tough news for Mavericks fans to hear.

If the 2011 NBA champions elect to rebuild their team with one-year contract “rentals,” Terry will be playing elsewhere next season.

Terry, whose six-year, $57 million contract ends on July 1, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, said Sunday he wants to sign another multiyear deal, preferably with the Mavericks. But as the Mavericks’ free-agent possibilities start to take shape, it won’t happen for one year.

“It’s a tough situation,” Terry said. “I’m finally in a position where I can kind of predict my own future, so to speak. I want to stay here in Dallas. That’s always been my goal. But it needs to be long-term. If they’re not ready to step up and do that, then I’ll have to make my home elsewhere.”

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Heat use free-throws to grab control of Finals

The Heat had struggled at the free-throw line at times during the first three rounds of the playoffs.

But in the NBA Finals, shots from the stripe haven’t been much of a problem.

On Sunday night, Miami’s proficiency from the line might have been its salvation.

Miami was in danger of watching the visiting Thunder take control during the third quarter, yet 13 free-throw makes for the Heat kept the visitors at bay.

Miami then made 9 of 10 in the fourth, as it took its first lead in the Finals with a 91-85 victory in Game 3.

Game 4 is back in Miami on Tuesday night.

The Heat was an impressive 22 of 24 from the line in the second half and scored 31 of its 91 points via the free shot. Oklahoma City, however, hit on just 63 percent of its free throws (15 of 24).

— Reported by George Richards of the Miami Herald

InsideHoops.com note: The Heat finished Game 3 hitting 31-of-35 from the line.

LeBron scores 29, Heat take 2-1 NBA Finals lead

lebron james

Halfway to a title, LeBron James shows no sign of letting this one get away.

James had 29 points and 14 rebounds, and the Miami Heat took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals with a 91-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

Dwyane Wade had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who were in this same position through three games last year, then didn’t win again against the Dallas Mavericks.

James’ poor performance was part of the problem then, but he seems on top of his game this time. His 3-pointer sent the Heat to the fourth quarter with the lead, and he scored five straight Miami points when the Heat were building just enough cushion to hold off another late flurry by the Thunder.

Game 4 is Tuesday night.

Kevin Durant had 25 points for the Thunder, but picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and had to go to the bench when they had seemed to have control of the game. Russell Westbrook finished with 19 points.

The Heat survived their own fourth-quarter sloppiness by getting enough big plays from their Big Three…

Chris Bosh had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, who can win a second title by winning the next two games at home…

Oklahoma City started to take control with a 14-2 run early in the third. Durant had the first four points, Westbrook fooled the Heat with a fake behind the back pass before in for a layup, then Durant leaped over James for a follow dunk before nailing a jumper for a 60-51 lead with 6:55 left in the period.

But it was barely a minute later when he drew his fourth foul, though he appeared to make little or no contract on Wade’s baseline drive, and had to go to the bench.

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

kendrick perkins

Raise your hand if you still believe Kendrick Perkins (10 points, 12 rebounds in Game 3) has no place in this series. Perk was only the Thunder’s most effective player with the ball in his hands. Granted, that says something about what else was going on, but still.

Perk was good in Game 3. He belongs, OK? So does the Thunder.

But can OKC win it all? Its 91-85 loss to the Heat Sunday night stirred some doubt, had to. And they wouldn’t be human if the men in Thunder uniforms didn’t at least wonder themselves.

“We put ourselves in position to win,” Durant said several times in the postgame, without a ton of conviction.

For the first time in this exhilarating four-year run from 23 wins to the NBA Finals, we saw signs that The Moment may actually be bigger than the Thunder. We saw it in its play, and in the players’ eyes.

— Reported by Mike Sherman of the Oklahoman

Miami nightlife can be distracting to visiting NBA teams

Games 3, 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals will be played at American Airlines Arena in Miami, a town that lures visitors to its nightlife.

During the 2006 Finals between Dallas and Miami, Mavericks coach Avery Johnson ordered his players to switch hotels after the Heat won Games 3 and 4 to tie the series.

Johnson said his players had developed a “vacation mentality” and moved them 25 miles north to Fort Lauderdale, away from family and friends who had been sharing the previous hotel. Miami went on to win four straight and claim the series 4-2.

In last year’s Finals against the Heat, which the Mavs won 4-2, Dallas players and coaches were booked into one hotel while family and friends stayed in neighboring hotels.

Asked if he was concerned about his players engaging in the Miami nightlife, Thunder coach Scott Brooks deadpanned, “What about the coaches?” before playfully revealing his wife was on the trip.

“I’ve never had any issues with our guys playing on the road,” Brooks said, not kidding. “They’ve always been focused. Miami is a great city, there’s no question. It’s a great environment, but we’re here to play basketball. There’s only 10 days, two weeks left of the season, then there’s plenty of time to vacation.”

— Reported by John Rohde of the Oklahoman

Tim Donaghy says his book publisher never paid him

Tim Donaghy rose to the top of his profession, earning $250,000 a year as an NBA referee and becoming “a courtside witness to the greatness of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal.”

In secret, he also rose in the world of illegal gambling by passing “inside information to wiseguys who were making millions of dollars on my picks and lining the pockets of Mafia heavyweights.”

But in a St. Petersburg courtroom on Tuesday, a world away from the first game of the NBA finals, Donaghy was essentially fighting for scraps.

After chronicling his downfall in a book — which includes the quotations above — Donaghy is now suing his Largo publisher, claiming she failed to turn over any of the estimated $200,000 in sales revenue from the book, Personal Foul.

— Reported by Curtis Krueger of the Tampa Bay Times

MarShon Brooks has no idea if Deron Williams will stay with Nets

deron williams

The Nets may not have a full team yet, but MarShon Brooks is working hard on improving his game this offseason.

While both Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace are expected to test the free-agent market this summer, Brooks is prepping for his second season with the Nets whether or not Williams and Wallace make the move to Brooklyn.

“We don’t really have a team right now,” Brooks told The Post. “I’m just working as hard as I possibly can to be ready for whatever role they give me. I’ve been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get stronger. I think that will help me with my defense, my long range shot.”

Brooks admitted he doesn’t have any inkling what the two All-Star free agents will do when the free-agent signing period begins July 1.

“I haven’t talked to Gerald in a while, but [Deron Williams] he’s still around lifting and things like that at the practice facility,” Brooks said at a Sprint NBA Nation event at South Street Seaport. “[Deron] is a tough guy to read. I really can’t control [whether or not they come back], that’s between them, their family and their agent.”

— Reported by Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of the New York Post

Sale of Memphis Grizzlies may be in trouble

The Memphis Grizzlies’ sale to Robert J. Pera, announced this past week, is already in serious trouble, according to league sources. Pera owns Ubiquiti Networks, a Silicon Valley communications technology company. When its stock bottomed out in the last two weeks, his net worth plummeted from $1 billion to $200 million, according to league insiders who say that unless he has some wealthy partners lined up to help him finance the sale, it will likely fall through. In that case, the Grizzlies will continue to be owned by Michael Heisley. Pera agreed to buy the team for $350 million, a figure that raised many eyebrows around the league.

— Reported by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News

UPDATE: SALE STILL ON TRACK

The New York Daily News reported Sunday that Pera, a communications technology magnate, has already created great skepticism because of his finances. Citing league insiders, the newspaper claimed Pera’s net worth is $200 million and not enough to complete the transaction unless he has “some wealthy partners” in line to help.

Not only is Pera alone in his bid to buy the Griz to date but he remains committed to join the NBA despite his company’s loss in momentum, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

Once estimated at being worth $1.5 billion by Forbes magazine, Pera is now said to be worth more than $800 million in large part because of shares in his company, Ubiquiti Networks.

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal