The Deseret Morning News (Tim Buckley) reports: Jazz starting center Mehmet Okur won’t play for his native Turkey when its national team plays France, Belgium and Ukraine in September qualifying games for the 2009 FIBA European championships. According to a Web report from the English-language Today’s Zaman Turkish newspaper, Okur was dropped from the team’s provisional roster due to injury. Okur played with an Achilles tendon injury late in the Jazz’s 2008 playoff run, and O’Connor on Wednesday suggested the 2007 NBA All-Star was more injured late in Utah’s second-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers than many people realize.
Bill Walton clowns on phone with son Luke
The Washington Post (Michael Lee) reports: Before the NBA Finals began last week, Los Angeles Lakers reserve Luke Walton got a message on his answering machine that said, “This is Paul Pierce, you’re a bum, all your teammates are bums.” Walton also received messages this postseason from “Carmelo Anthony” before the Lakers played Denver in the first round and “Carlos Boozer” before they played Utah in the second. Why is Walton so popular? The calls are actually from his father, Bill, the Hall of Fame center and ESPN analyst who has been trying to motivate Luke with imitations that sound — using Bill Walton’s classic description — horrible. “It’s his voice. He doesn’t change his voice at all,” Luke Walton said with a laugh.
NBA and D-League team affiliations list for next season
The National Basketball Association announced today the affiliation system for the 2008-09 NBA Development League season. Each NBA team has one NBA D-League affiliate to which it may assign players in their first or second NBA season.
Albuquerque Thunderbirds
Dallas Mavericks
Miami Heat
Anaheim Arsenal
Atlanta Hawks
Los Angeles Clippers
Austin Toros
San Antonio Spurs
Bakersfield Jam
Golden State Warriors
Orlando Magic
Colorado 14ers (Broomfield)
Denver Nuggets
New Jersey Nets
Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, ND)
Memphis Grizzlies
Washington Wizards
Erie BayHawks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers
Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Idaho Stampede (Boise)
Portland Trail Blazers
Toronto Raptors
Iowa Energy (Des Moines)
Chicago Bulls
Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles D-Fenders
Los Angeles Lakers
Reno, Nevada
New York Knicks
Sacramento Kings
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (TX)
Houston Rockets
New Orleans Hornets
Sioux Falls SkyForce (SD)
Charlotte Bobcats
Minnesota Timberwolves
Tulsa 66ers
Milwaukee Bucks
Seattle SuperSonics
Utah Flash (Orem)
Boston Celtics
Utah Jazz
Celtics want to host All-Star game
The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: The Celtics have the paperwork in hand to apply to host an NBA All-Star Game as early as 2010. While they are obviously busy with the NBA Finals now, they will make a decision on whether to apply after the championship series ends. The paperwork must be filed by the end of the summer. “They’ve expressed interest,” said Ski Austin, executive vice president/events and attractions for NBA Entertainment. “[Celtics president] Rich Gotham has met with us a couple of times over the last few years. We have sent them the specs for a formal bid. I think they are doing their due diligence.” The Celtics have no particular year in mind, but the NBA is currently considering sites for 2010-12.
June 10: Lakers 87, Celtics 81
The AP reports: With his team one loss from having to make an impossible climb, Kobe Bryant was close to MVP form, scoring 36 points on an assortment of spins, drives and jumpers and reserve Sasha Vujacic added 20 points as the Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 87-81 in Game 3 on Tuesday night… Vujacic, the self-proclaimed “Machine,” made three 3-pointers, including a crucial one from the left corner with 1:53 left that gave the Lakers an 81-76 lead. Pau Gasol finally flexed his muscles with two inside baskets in the fourth quarter and Derek Fisher, who took an $8 million pay cut to come back and play for the Lakers, made two free throws with 1:33 remaining as the Lakers held on… Ray Allen scored 25 points—15 on 3-pointers—for the Celtics, but only one-third of Boston’s Big Three showed up. Kevin Garnett scored 13 points on just 6-of-21 shooting and Paul Pierce, playing a short drive from his childhood home, had only six points, missed 12 shots and was in foul trouble all night… The Celtics then closed the half with a short burst, capped by Allen’s 3-pointer and were within 43-37 at the break despite getting just 2 points apiece from Garnett and Pierce, who shot a combined 2-for-16. Garnett’s only basket came on an alley-oop dunk.
InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Lakers shot 43.5%, the Celtics 34.9%. Both teams shot well from three-point range and struggled from the free throw line, though the Lakers hit 21-of-34 from the charity stripe, the Celtics 15-of-22. Rebounds, assists and turnovers were all close. The Celtics had a few more steals and blocks.
For the Lakers: Bryant (12-of-20, 11-of-18 free throws) had 36 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, but more turnovers than assists. Sasha Vujacic (7-of-10, 3-of-5 threes) had 20 points and 4 rebounds in 28 bench minutes. No other Laker scored double-digits. Pau Gasol (just 3-of-9) had 9 points, 12 rebounds and more turnovers than assists. Derek Fisher (just 1-of-6) scored 6. Jordan Farmar had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and no turnovers off the bench. Lamar Odom (just 2-of-9) had 4 points, 9 rebounds and more turnovers than assists.
For the Celtics: Ray Allen (8-of-13, 5-of-7 threes) had 25 points and 5 rebounds. Kevin Garnett (just 6-of-21 and only two free throw attempts) had 13 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks. No other Celtics scored double-digits. James Posey did more than his stats show with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Rajon Rondo scored 8 with 4 assists. Kendrick Perkins had 8 with 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Paul Pierce (awful 2-of-14) had just 6 points and 6 rebounds.
NBA responds to Tim Donaghy claim that refs fixed a playoff series
The New York Daily News (John Marzulli) reports: Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy told the feds two refs fixed the outcome of one playoff series – and that officials were told not to eject star players from games for fear of hurting ticket sales. The bombshell allegations are contained in a court document filed Tuesday by Donaghy’s lawyer. It describes the “inner workings” of the NBA in which top league executives used referees to manipulate games. Donaghy, who pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court to charges of betting on games he officiated, told FBI agents “league officials would tell referees that they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings,” the document said… Donaghy also claimed a supervising referee told refs that an unidentified NBA executive did not want them to call technical fouls on star players or boot them from the game.
The National Basketball Association issued the following statement today from Richard Buchanan, NBA Executive Vice President and General Counsel: “According to Mr. Donaghy, all of his allegations have previously been made to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney, and they are clearly being disclosed now as part of his desperate attempt to lighten the sentence that will be imposed for his criminal conduct. The NBA remains vigilant in protecting the integrity of our game and has fully cooperated with the government at every stage of its investigation. The only criminal activity uncovered is Mr. Donaghy’s.”
Terry Porter Suns salary info
The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: New Suns coach Terry Porter will make about $2.3 million (with the possibility of some performance incentives) for each of the next three years – a little more than half of what former coach Mike D’Antoni ($4.5 million) was scheduled to make this season. Porter said he and Kerr would build the coaching staff together, and a defensive specialist wouldn’t be necessary since he would personally implement the philosophy. Alvin Gentry, D’Antoni’s lead assistant last season, is a candidate for the staff along with ex-Sun Jeff Hornacek and Jerome Kersey, Porter’s former teammate in Portland and an assistant when Porter was the head man in Milwaukee.
Gilbert Arenas opts out of contract
The Washington Post (Ivan Carter) reports: Gilbert Arenas said he opted out of the final year of his contract with the Washington Wizards by filing the necessary paperwork with the league office Friday. The move makes Arenas, who was scheduled to earn $12.8 million next season, an unrestricted free agent. Teams will be able to negotiate with free agents July 1. Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld has repeatedly stated that the team plans to re-sign Arenas and all-star forward Antawn Jamison, who will also be an unrestricted free agent.
InsideHoops.com says: Unless something crazy happens, expect Arenas to re-sign with the Wizards. That’s the general rule of thumb with all star players who become free agents. There are barely any teams in the league with the salary cap space to give them big contracts, aside from their own team and maybe a few others.
Pacers name Sam Perkins VP of player relations
The Indiana Pacers announced Monday that Sam Perkins has been named Vice President of Player Relations. Perkins played with the Pacers from 1999 to 2001 and was a member of the 2000 team that went to the NBA Finals.
“As a player, he was a real professional who showed genuine leadership,” said Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird, who coached Perkins with the Pacers. “He’s a person we all were hoping would come back and help us some day. He’s a good man with many qualities that will help the franchise.”
Since his retirement in 2001, Perkins has been actively involved in a variety of charitable endeavors including Special Olympics; Nothing But Nets in conjunction with the United Nations; Boys and Girls Clubs; Big Brothers; Carolina for Kibera; NBA Cares; Basketball Without Borders and Habitat for Humanity. Perkins is a graduate of North Carolina with a degree in communications. He was a co-captain of the 1984 gold medal-winning Olympic basketball team and he played a total of 15 seasons in the NBA with four different teams.
“I’m looking forward to this opportunity and challenge because in the perspective of the NBA, player development programs are a high priority,” said Perkins. “For the Pacers, the development of players on and off the court has been made a top priority by the franchise.”
“As a young player in my first couple of years in the league, Sam was a leader on a veteran team and showed myself and the other young guys the correct way to do things,” said Pacers forward Jeff Foster. “I always looked up to Sam for how he represented and conducted himself on and off the court. I’m sure he’ll make a smooth transition into this role.”
New Bulls coach may be Vinny Del Negro
Ticker reports: The Chicago Bulls apparently have settled on Vinny Del Negro as their new head coach. Del Negro, the current assistant general manager of the Phoenix Suns, is prepared to accept a contract offer to coach the Bulls, according to a report posted Monday by the Chicago Tribune. The deal has not been finalized, but the Tribune claimed that the Bulls will formally introduce Del Negro during a news conference at some point this week.