The Charlotte Observer (Rick Bonnell) reports: A part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats has been convicted of felony fraud in South Florida and sentenced to nine years in prison. Brothers Jorge and Carlos de Cespedes were given the maximum sentence, after an investigation of their pharmaceuticals company bilking Kendall Regional Medical Center. According to the Miami Herald, the hospital lost $5 million over 14 years because of this scheme… A source with knowledge of the Bobcats’ structure said the de Cespedes brothers originally paid $10 million to $12 million to purchase roughly 3 percent of the team. That percentage likely dissipated over time unless they participated in cash calls to cover revenue deficits.
Dwyane Wade All-Star fashion
The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Mary Schmitt Boyer) reports on 2009 NBA All-Star weekend: Miami’s Dwyane Wade sported an interesting look as the assistant coach of the rookie team. He wore a yellow V-neck sweater under a blue sport coat, with a bow tie and glasses. Oh, and there was that blue “Wade” band-aid over some stitches he recently took under his left eye. “It was a combination of a lot of different things,” Wade explained of the outfit. “It was a tribute to one of my assistant coaches in Miami — Keith Askins. He wears a bow tie. So I told him during the season, ‘I’m going to show you how to wear it.’ “Also, I just wanted to try something new, being conservative. I brought the glasses because I was a coach so I thought I would look smart.”
Danny Ainge on his later playing days
The Boston Globe (Marc J. Spears) reports: “I was fortunate enough to play in the heyday of the Celtics in the ’80s,” Danny Ainge said. “As things were going downhill, I was fortunate to play with Portland for two years and go to the Finals and also play for Phoenix for three and go to the Finals. Those experiences helped me and taught me there is more than one way to win and different personalities. “I feel fortunate that I had a chance to play with Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, Tom Chambers, and Charles Barkley. It was different than in Boston.” Ainge joined the Suns as a free agent before the 1992-93 season, as did Barkley, now a Hall of Famer. Phoenix had the league’s best record (62-20) that season and advanced to the Finals to play Michael Jordan and the Bulls. In Ainge’s sixth and last Finals appearance, the Suns lost the series in six games. The Suns were eliminated by Houston in the second round of the playoffs in 1994 and ’95.
Shaq Jabbawockeez dance at 2009 All-Star game introduction
Nate Robinson talks about winning the 2009 dunk contest
Nate Robinson beat Dwight Howard to win the 2009 NBA Slam dunk contest.
After the win, Nate talked about it. Here’s what he said.
Wade wants to rock MSG like Kobe and LeBron
The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: Over a spectacular 48-hour period two weeks ago, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James had the basketball world buzzing and their peers thinking: If they can do that in New York, why can’t I? “I wish I could have caught (the Knicks) right after that,” Dwayne Wade said. “I wish I could have been the third guy to go up in there because they were giving up so many points at that time. Maybe I could have snuck in and gotten 48, 49 or 50. I don’t know. You always want to play well at the Garden. I wish I had one more game there.” … “It was crazy,” he said. “As a fan of the game, once you saw Kobe score 61 points and you look and see that LeBron is coming to town it’s like, ‘Oh wow, I’ve got to be in front of the TV to watch that.’ To see him to come out and get, before they took the rebound away, a triple-double performance with the 52 points, that was some of the best basketball we’ve seen.”
Ray Allen talks about winning
Here’s what Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen said at 2009 NBA All-Star weekend about his legacy and how important it is to win games that matter:
Ray Allen: (Winning) does take you over the hump. People talk about great players in the league and you compare greatness with what you did on winning teams. Did you ever win the big game? I remember for the longest time that discussion, and that discussion still takes place today with Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, two guys we feel are two of the best players in the history of the game. That’s the one negative that people always talk about. Now I’m talking about it. It does take you to that next level. Then they start comparing you to other players that have won and are on that level caliber of player.
Danny Granger on how his jumpshot improved
Indiana Pacers swingman Danny Granger is an All-Star, and has made his strides in improving his shooting ability. Here’s what he said Friday at NBA All-Star weekend:
Question: How did you improve on your jump shot? It’s clearly gotten better.
Danny Granger: I had surgery on my shoulder in my junior year and I started altering my jump shots to make them more efficient. And my rookie year I changed them, just to fine‑tune, and it has been helping me.
Question: So you changed it twice in two years?
Danny Granger: Not dramatically. I don’t know if anyone else would be able to really tell other than myself, but I actually did change it.
Question: What did you change the second time?
Danny Granger: A lot of times I was shooting the ball with all my fingertips. Actually, I’m better shooting off my palm I found. I’m much more accurate with it.
Rashard Lewis talks about being an All-Star
Here’s what Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis said Friday at 2009 NBA All-Star weekend.
Question: Talk about this experience, of being an All-Star.
Rashard Lewis: I didn’t expect to be here. We knew Dwight would be here. When the coaches vote, you never know what could happen. There are a lot of guys not on the All‑Star Game that really, you know, have a chance on the All‑Star team.
Question: Talk about your role on Orlando and how it changed from your Seattle days.
Rashard Lewis: They got me playing the four now, pretty much banging with the bigger guys, trying to defend the bigger guys. It works. We try to spread the floor with Dwight Howard in the middle. You shoot a lot of three‑pointers. It helps opening it up for him as well as it opens up for us.
Question: How is this season different from last?
Rashard Lewis: I think this year we gelled a lot more and we connected with the coaches and that’s why we have been successful.
Question: Does the All‑Star selection make it so now people can talk about you as one of the tops in the game?
Rashard Lewis: Hopefully. This is my second All‑Star team and I’m most definitely happy to be here. But obviously fly under the radar a little bit. It kind of keeps the fire burning in the NBA. It keeps me playing at the level because there is always something you have to go out there and prove.
Dirk Nowitzki speaks on Mavs season
Here’s what Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki said Friday at NBA All-Star weekend about the team’s season so far:
Question: When you look at the first part of the season, why has it been such a roller coaster, with five wins in a row, then five losses in a row?
Nowitzki: Well, I think we just had to work and keep improving. We had a new coach. We tried to put a new system in that wasn’t really working the way we wanted. We had stuff from both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively. I think once we got comfortable with that, we started to be a little more consistent. We didn’t lose that many games anymore. It is all about a work in progress, getting all the players on the same page with the coach. It has been better here the last two, three weeks. We have beaten two, three teams. In the Western Conference, it is so tight. I think we are fifth or sixth now. We are setting ourselves up for these last 30 games we got and hopefully make a great run at the playoffs. We were struggling and it was a little up and down, but the good thing is other teams were too. If you look at New Orleans, lost some tough games. Utah, Boozer has been out for a couple months. They lost some games. Phoenix is struggling. There are a lot of teams that are up and down a little bit. And I think that’s what helps us. I still think we are in a great position to have a great playoff run.