Mar

17

Grizzlies Owner Heisley Pleads Patience With Squad

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????????????????? Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley?

You cannot help but have at least a bit of sympathy for Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley.? The team is about a game from last year’s pace, yet Heisley is?thinking that like McGyver from television fame, he “knows what he’s doing”.? A method to his madness, if you will.? As if with any failing franchise, the team’s fan base is dwindling; however, the franchise is unveiling a plan in the hopes of increasing that fan base, due to lackluster results on the court the past 2 seasons.

As proof, the Grizzlies, since the trade of star player Pau Gasol last month, sport a 2-17 record; heading into Monday’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Memphis has lost 4 straight games and 19 of their last 21 - which includes 17 consecutive losses on the road.? Also factor in the fact that the Grizzlies haven’t beaten a team with a winning record in 3 months.? So what is the plan, Michael?? According to Heisley, as he explained to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “What we’re trying to do is build a team around our young players.? We got to a certain level with the team we had and didn’t get any further.? We’re rebuilding and if we’re going to do that we need to have draft choices and cap room.? A year ago people weren’t happy about the trade with (Shane) Battier for (Rudy) Gay.? What happened?? A year passed and Rudy got a lot better.? Now, we’ve got to be able to make the right move at the right time for the right player.? It remains to be seen how the fans will take this.? But we’re confident we’ll have a very exciting team next year.? Once you start rebuilding, you have to do it, you can’t go halfway.? You have to go all the way.”

One thing that may work in their favor is the team’s relative youth, as they have one of the NBA’s youngest rosters; Memphis is the only NBA team with seven players 25 years old?or younger logging at least 14 minutes per game.? This is part’s of the team’s marketing plan as the team is offering incentives for the fans.? One incentive is?to seek regular-season renewals for the 1008-09 season with what is called the “True Loyalty” campaign, which recognizes fans’ long-standing partnership with the team.

The incentives in this promotion allow for more access, additional perks and a choice of “extraordinary” gifts in the hopes of retaining at least 80% of their current season-ticket holders and hopefully increase their to at least their high-water mark of 11,000+ per game attendance.? Another incentive is that there will be no ticket price increases; in fact, some decreases are in the works, as 4,500 seats’ prices will actually decrease.? To attract prospective customers, the Grizzlies?will offer 6,000 Terrace Level season tickets for $10 per game for next season, which is in addition to the already-implemented 500 $5 season tickets that they already offer.

As you may have already figured out, the team isn’t necessarily looking to generate revenue, as opposed to getting more fans in the seats - and while they’re at it, win a few more games.? I think Heisley has the right idea, and hopefully the Grizzlies’ fans can exercise more restraint as the team looks to become more respectable.

Mar

17

Yi Done For The Season?

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????????????????????????????????????? Milwauke Bucks forward Yi Jianlian?

It has been 5 games and counting, yet the question remains:?Will Milwaukee Bucks forward Yi Jianlian return this season?? It is actually 6 games, if you count the sprained ankle he suffered.? Regardless, there is speculation that Jianlian may miss the rest of his rookie campaign with a wrist injury, but according to Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak, he thinks that Jianlian will return at some point this season.

When he was asked what gave him that idea, he told Tom Enlund of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “Just the fact that he’s getting better.? He talks about how it’s feeling better.? We want him to take a little bit more time off.? With only two games this week, we’ll see if we can get some practice time.? I think it’s important for him to make a little push here at the end of the season.”? The speculation got even more interesting when Jianlian’s status on the injury report was changed from “day-to-day” to “out”.

That alone makes one wonder if the Bucks are simply shutting Jianlian down for the season, so he can be fresh for the Chinese national team as they prepare for the Olympics this summer.? And oddly enough, since we’re talking about status reports, Krystkowiak plead ignorance, stating, “I don’t know what the difference is.? To me, it’s day-to-day.? I don’t know the different categories, how it’s determined.”? Excuse me, Larry, but isn’t it your job to know about injury reports and how they operate?? Maybe it is just me, but I always assumed that the coach was fluent in these matters.? In any case, the mystery deepens.

Mar

17

Pacers CEO Walsh Drawing Interest From Knicks, Others

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??????????????????????????Co-owner Herbert Simon and CEO Donnie Walsh discuss a Pacers game in Conseco Fieldhouse.

The detachment from the team.? The power-share with Larry Bird.? The off-the-court shenanigans involving Indiana Pacers players the past few years.? Whatever the case may be, this could be the final year that Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh is involved with the team, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.? Walsh is fully expected to postpone his retirement and, according to a source close to Walsh, is drawing some interest from 2 clubs - one of them being the New York Knicks.

The Knicks are expected to contact Walsh about the possibility of replacing team president Isiah Thomas, whom ironically Walsh hired to coach the Pacers prior to the 2000-01 season.? Neither Walsh’s agent, Steven A. Kaufmann, nor the Knicks were willing to say whether both sides have had any contact other than Kaufmann saying that Walsh would gladly accept a meeting with Knicks management.? As if any meetings in fact took place is up for debate.

Flight records were obtained by the Daily News by way of a Knicks official that a jet belonging to?Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan made 2 trips to Indianapolis over a 24-hour period last week; however, the records don’t prove that Dolan was either on the plane or that the purpose of the trip was for a secret meeting with Walsh.? Yet when the plane landed in Indiana on Tuesday night, Walsh was inconspicuously absent from the Pacers’ game against Seattle; the Pacers say that Walsh was home with the flu.? Walsh was also out of the office the following day when Dolan’s plane flew to Florida, where Dolan owns a home.? The plane returned to Indiana later that afternoon before flying again to Florida.

Kaufmann claimed to have no knowledge of a meeting between Dolan and Walsh, and Walsh had no comment; in addition, the Indianapolis Star is reporting that Walsh declined comment about a possible meeting with the Knicks.? The Knicks apparently must have a Plan B, as about 2 weeks ago, the Knicks had made contact with New Jersey Nets assistant general manager Kiki Vandeweghe.? The Knicks and the Pacers have unclear futures for both Thomas and Walsh, respectively.

Dolan has not addressed the status of Thomas for over a year; on the other hand, Indiana’s status with Walsh also is up in the air.? But according to a high-level Pacers official, the team’s co-owners Herbert and Mel Simon hope to keep Walsh and fire team president Larry Bird; the same source also says that Walsh has too much respect for Bird to fire him then re-assume full control of the franchise.? What more than likely will happen is that Walsh will leave the Pacers when his contract expires this season and seek work elsewhere; it seems that in recent months - and it was brought up in this piece earlier - Walsh has seemed rather detached from the team as he no longer sits in lower-level seats and instead watches the games from a luxury box.

Walsh has also said in the past that he misses the daily interaction and operations of running a franchise; it is increasingly clear that Walsh and Bird cannot do a “power-share” in order for the Pacers to be the franchise they once were, even as recently as 2000, when the Pacers went to the NBA Finals - Bird as the coach and Walsh as the CEO.? Assuming that Walsh leaves Indiana and lands with the Knicks, you can assume that Walsh will not want Thomas as their coach; a name that has been floating out there - albeit under the radar - is former Knick and Pacer guard Mark Jackson.? Jackson received a big push to be the Pacers’ coach before they settled on Jim O’Brien. so it is conceivable that Jackson could get his first coaching job in New York.

Another possibility is former Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles as his no-nonsense style is something the Knicks need right now.? ?Regardless what happens when the smoke clears, both the Pacers and Knicks are at a crossroads right now, and perhaps a change of scenery is the tonic that Walsh needs.? It should get real interesting right after the NBA season is over - so stay tuned.

Mar

17

Two Pacers Avoid Jail Time

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??????????????????These are 2007 file photos showing Indiana Pacers basketball players Jamaal Tinsley, left, and Marquis Daniels. Tinsley and Daniels avoided a trial Monday March 17, 2008 on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight. Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if the players stay out of trouble for two years.?

Indiana Pacers guards Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels managed to avoid an extended stay at the Graybar Hotel as according to the Associated Press, both players avoided a trial stemming from a bar fight back in 2007; Tinsley faced a felony charge of intimidation and misdemeanor charges of battery, disorderly conduct and intimidation in the fight that took place at Indianapolis bar 8 Seconds Saloon.?

Daniels was charged with battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.? According to the bar manager, Tinsley threatened to kill him during the fight.? Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if Tinsley and Daniels stayed out of trouble for two tears; both players agreed to perform 32 hours of community service, as well.? Both Tinsley and Daniels better enjoy their freedom while they’re here in Indianapolis as I fully expect both players to be either released or traded after this season is over.

Mar

17

Nuggets Go Ballistic! Beat Seattle 168-116

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There must have been magnets in the basketballs, that were attracted to the metal of the rims of the baskets. Maybe it was the first C.G.I. game that the graphics were so realistic we didn’t realize it was just a simulation. What ever the explanation the Denver Nuggets went back to the future?circa mid-eighties when Doug Moe coached the run and gun Denver teams. The Nuggets broke a franchise record for most points scored in a game in regulation as they blitzkrieged the Seattle SuperSonics Sunday night 168-116. Yes that is correct 168-116! Sonics forward Chris Wilcox may have put it best when he said to reporters “We just lost tonight. We lost by a lot.”

The Nuggets led at the end of the first quarter 48-29, and the fun was just getting started. The lead at the half was 84-58, but we are just half way home. The Denver lead was up to 42 points by the end of the third quarter as they led 127-85, and you figured that the Nuggets would just kind of take it easy in the fourth quarter. Well you figured wrong as Denver scored another 41 points in the fourth quarter to make the final margin of victory 52 points!???

Denver shot 60.4% (61-101) from the floor for the game, as well as shooting 51.6% (16-31) from outside the arc. Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 26 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, in the Denver victory. Allen Iverson scored 24 points, 6 assists, 1 rebound, Kenyon Martin scored 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. Chucky Atkins scored 19 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, J.R. Smith also scored 19 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. Linas Kleiza scored 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, Marcus Camby recorded a triple-double he had 13 points, 15 boards, 10 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal. Yakhouba Diawara scored 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists.

Kevin Durant led Seattle with 23 points, 3 rebounds, Chris Wilcox recorded a double-double 17 points, 12 boards, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 1 assist. Mickael Gelabale scored 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, Earl Watson scored 14 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds. Johan Petro scored 14 points, 3 rebounds 3 steals, 2 assists. Nuggets still only get credit for just one victory, and now have a record of 40-26, Seattle is 16-51.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com


Mar

17

Slam Dunk Central Presents: ESPN

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Mar

17

Slam Dunk Central Presents: ESPN Our Experts Break Down The Rocket’s Winning Ways

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