Mar

18

T-Wolves Owner: Garnett Tanked It

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??? Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and former Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett

An interesting accusation coming out of St. Paul, MN today as according to Pioneer Press, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor refuted charges that his team has tanked it down the stretch in order to improve their draft position; on the contrary, Taylor instead pointed the finger at ex-Timberwolves and current Celtics forward Kevin Garnett.?

As Taylor told the Press, “It was more like, I’d say, K.G. tanked it.? I think the other guys still wanted to play, but (the loss of Garnett) sure changed the team and didn’t make us as (good).”? Hey Glen, you conveniently neglect to mention that Garnett missed the last 5 games of last season with a sore quadriceps muscle.? As it were, Garnett was the sole reason the Timberwolves were even relevant on the NBA roadscape.? Of course, knowing Garnett, he won’t even dignify Taylor’s ignorant remark with a response.

Mar

18

76ers Raise Ticket Prices

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?????????????????????????Philadelphia 76ers?

If you’re either a Philadelphia 76ers fan and/or a season ticket-holder, the price of attending a Sixers game at Wachovia Center is about to go up; according to Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com, the team sent out a letter Monday, announcing that they’ll raise prices for season ticket-holders by an average of 4.4%, beginning in the 2008-09 season.

The 8,072 season tickets?in Wachovia?Center’s lower bowl?will increase by 4.4% and?the floor seats will rise by 8.9%; however, the pricing for the 8,003 seats in the upper bowl will remain unchanged.? Prices for the single-game tickets will increase, as well, according to 76ers senior vice president Lara Price; she added that it was just a coincidence that the news came on the heels of the year’s two largest home crowds and with the team enjoying their best stretch of the season.? Price also said that the 76ers, who hadn’t increased ticket prices in 4 years, had to do it now?because they?are offering a 9-month payment plan to season ticket-holders for the first time and needed to give fans ample time to take advantage of that option.

Mar

18

Bum Knees Could End D-Miles Career

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The “Oregonian” reported Tuesday that the Portland Trail Blazers are in the initial stages of trying to determine whether guard/forward Darius Miles has reached the end of his playing days in the NBA. The team has asked the Association to appoint an independent doctor, to examine the veteran to find out whether his right knee can withstand the rigors of playing in the NBA. Portland is hoping that a physician will find that the 26 year old Miles is incapable of playing, if that is the case, they would release him, and his salary and cap money would no longer be counted against the Blazers salary cap. However if Miles were then to return to any other team within the next two seasons, and play ten games in one season his salary would be back on the Portland ledger.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com

Mar

18

Raptors File Suit Against Spanish League

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??????????????????????????? Toronto Raptors forward Jorge Garbajosa?

This news has pretty much been flying under the radar, but according to Rick Matsumoto of the Toronto Star, the Toronto Raptors have filed a lawsuit against the Spanish basketball federation in the amount of $14 million - $14 million in Canadian dollars, money that the team says it is due on an insurance policy involving injured forward Jorge Garbajosa.? Specifically, the Raptors’ parent company - Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. - filed a statement of claim against the Federacion Espanola de Baloncesto in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last Friday.

In the document, which totals 19 pages, MLSE seeks $9,397,911 (Canadian dollars) in damages for breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and negligence if Garbajosa has suffered permanent disability, or $2,349,478 (Canadian) for temporary disability; MLSE is also seeking $5 million (Canadian) in punitive damages.? The timeline is interesting, to say the least.

Garbajosa injured his left leg last March and missed the final 12 games of the season and playoffs; the Raptors wanted him to concentrate on rehabilitation, rather than playing for Spain in last summer’s European championships.? But when the Spanish federation insisted in its request that the Raptors allow him to play, the team agreed only after the Spaniards took out a $1 million insurance policy on Garbajosa against further injury to his leg, according to the claim.

The suit further claims that the federation told the Raptors it had obtained permanent disability coverage in the amount of 6 million euros and 1.6 million euros for temporary disability; Even though the policy was written in Spanish, the federation agreed? to provide an accurate?and certified description of the policy in question, according to the Raptors’ allegations.? While Garbajosa apparently had not injured his leg further when he was a participant in the European tournament, it seemed clear that he was having problems with the leg as the NBA season began in November.

In December, tests showed that the fracture had not completely healed and he was also suffering from “avascular necrosis of the left tibia”, a potentially career-ending injury, according to doctors.? As a result, Garbajosa underwent further surgery and has not yet returned to the Raptors’ lineup, although he has started to work out for the team.? Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo is currently on an European scouting trip and was expected to meet with Spanish federation officials to discuss and hopefully resolve the lawsuit.?

Mar

18

Heat’s Marion, Haslem On The Mend

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?????????????????????????????????????? Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem (center)

Miami Heat forwards Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem are both suffering from injuries at the moment, yet they seem to be recovering nicely - Marion from a sore back that has been aggravating him for a week, and?Haslem with a sprained right ankle.? Both traveled with the team to Milwaukee after Monday’s practice, and according to Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald, both hope to be able to play Tuesday night against the Bucks.

Marion did not practice Monday but received more treatment on his back; interestingly enough, Marion aggravated the injury when he backed his vehicle into a pole, and as a result, has missed the past 2 games.? Haslem, on the other hand, tested his sprained ankle Monday after missing 5 games and 16 of the past 21; interesting enough for Haslem, the ankle was sprained in two places.?

Mar

18

Celtics’ Allen Likely Out vs. Rockets

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??????????????????????Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen?

The Boston Celtics managed to survive the San Antonio Spurs Monday night without the services of guard Ray Allen; according to the Associated Press, it is highly unlikely that Allen will be able to suit up for the important game against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, according to team coach Doc Rivers, adding that Thursday’s game against Dallas is more likely for Allen’s return.? Nursing a bruised heel, Allen played only 12 minutes in the Celtics’ loss to Utah last Friday and missed the game at Milwaukee on Saturday.

Mar

18

Bird’s Future With Pacers Uncertain

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Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird

?Yesterday at Slam Dunk Central, I wrote about the uncertainty of the job status of Indiana Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh and the possibilities that lie out there for him; now coming out of Indianapolis, the plot thickens a little bit.? According to the Indianapolis Star, Pacers president Larry Bird isn’t uncertain about his job status with the team.

According to the Star, Bird sounded like a guy who had no clue what his future held for him, saying, “I don’t know.? We’ll just wait and see.? Donnie’s been a great man to work for and I love everything about him.? He paid his dues, came up from the bottom, assistant coach, was on the bench, got in the front office and had a fine career.? He’s just as sick over (the team’s performance) as I am.”? Indiana is 26-41, yet they are within striking distance of the 8th and final Eastern Conference playoff berth; but at the same time, team co-owner Herb Simon?has promised wholesale changes, although those haven’t been specified as of yet.

Bird also pleads ignorance about whether Walsh had met with the Knicks, as was reported here at Slam Dunk Central; Bird said about the situation, “Somebody told me (Monday) that he met with them,” Bird said. “But I got too much respect for the man to sit here and tell you I knew or I didn’t know.? But I wouldn’t ask him that question.? It’s none of my business.”? My take on all of this?? It is simple, really.? Let’s assume that Walsh does in fact take the job in New York.? That partially makes Simon’s job a bit easier as far as who runs the Pacers’ ship.? But (and I think it is a big but) if Walsh turns down the job offer in New York, then Simon will have to decide who has to go - Bird or Walsh.

I’d have to say that based on seniority and experience alone, then Walsh remains in Indiana.? But at the same time, Bird as the head coach did lead the Pacers to their lone appearance in the NBA Finals.? This is truly a tough call, yet both of them in their current “power-share” arrangement clearly isn’t working.? If I had to predict which would leave Indiana, I’d have to say that it would be Bird.? It’s tough to say that as Larry Legend is an icon in the state, but it’s the cost of doing business.? The month of April should be very interesting,?to say the least, so stay tuned to Slam Dunk Central as developments in the Bird-Walsh situation gain transparency.

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