Jun

18

LBJ Tells Radio Station “Right Now, I Can’t See Myself Going Anywhere Else”

Filed Under NBA Free Agents, SDC Breaking News | 4 Comments

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James told a Cleveland Sports Talk radio station that he is dedicated to the city of Cleveland Wednesday, and has no desire to play elsewhere. The 23 year old forward who just completed his fifth season in the Association, was on ESPN 850 WKNR promoting his upcoming charity event “King for Kids Bike-A-Thon“.  LBJ told the station, despite the rumors his plans are to stay in Cleveland. James said “I’m dedicated to bringing a championship to this city. I’m bringing a parade to this city. I love this city. I love Northeast Ohio. Right now, I can’t see myself going anywhere else.”

James who saw his team go down to defeat in seven games against eventual NBA Champions the Boston Celtics, said in his post game press conference, that his team had to get better. He addressed the subject with the station. LBJ said that he thinks that the Cavaliers are close to where they need to be. He told the station that the Cavs are one and a half players away. We’re very close. I’m at the point where I only look and work hard in the off-season to play into June. Anything short of that is a failure.”

When asked what Cleveland needs to do in the off-season, he said that it is just a matter of things falling into place. LBJ said “It automatically starts with the guys already on the team getting better as individuals. If personnel changes need to be made, that’s up to the front office. We are going to be good because I’m going to get better and I have faith in my teammates that they are going to do the same.”

The station asked James his opinion on Bucks forward Michael Redd. James responded “I still think about if we could have landed him in free agency a couple of years ago. He’s one of the best shooters we have in our game.” Redd has been the object of rumors regarding a possible trade that would send him from the Milwaukee Bucks to Cleveland.

 ©  Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net


Jun

18

Slam Dunk Central Reporter Stephen Rhodes’ 2008 NBA Mock Draft

Filed Under Slam Dunk NBA Draft Central | Leave a Comment

??????????????????????????????????????????????????? Memphis Grizzlies

Yesterday, I covered the New Orleans Hornets’ draft needs and projected who they would select with their first-round pick.? Today, I cover the Memphis Grizzlies’ draft needs and also will predict who they will select with their second?pick in the first-round.

Memphis Grizzlies

Draft Position - #28 (Memphis receives LA Lakers 2008 1st round pick, 2010 1st round pick, Kwame Brown, Aaron McKie, Javaris Crittenton, and the draft rights to Marc Gasol for Pau Gasol and a future 2nd round pick)

Needs - Shooting guard, center.? Memphis, as previously mentioned in their draft analysis?roughly two weeks ago, should draft either a shooting guard or center with their first pick of the first round; I still stand by my prediction of their selection being Danilo Gallinari of Italy.? Having said that, the pickings at SG and C get a bit slimmer, so for the Grizzlies, this would be their “project” pick.

Memphis Grizzlies select: DeVon Hardin, center, California

Tomorrow: Detroit Pistons

Jun

18

Pistons to Play “Deal Or No Deal”

Filed Under SDC COMMENTARY | 1 Comment

??????????????????????????Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo AnthonyHouston Rockets swingman Tracy McGrady

No the headline doesn’t indicate that the Detroit Pistons will participate on the popular NBC prime-time game show - yet it is so appropriate in their current situation.? Now that the NBA season is officially over - thank you very much Boston Celtics - the trade winds will be blowing fierce this offseason.? And without a doubt, the Pistons will be participants.? And since the Pistons will without a doubt shop their more valuable commodities around the league, the question is this:?what could they get in return?? Here are some possibilities:

  • Denver?Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony

You’ve seen the rumors floating around involving the Nuggets forward possibly going to Detroit - unfounded or not.? And you know what?? The trade - assuming it is a 2-for-1 deal - could actually work.? Here’s the good part of a Anthony to the Nuggets trade scenario: in Denver, Billups and Prince would be a better fit with point guard Allen Iverson than Anthony alone while Detroit would have a decent core strting lineup - Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton and Anthony - for several seasons.? The bad part of this scenario?? Anthony and playing defense never meant acquaintance yet he is only 24 years old and talented.? High-risk and high-reward in every sense of the word.? If the Nuggets said “no thanks” to this possibility, the Pistons would have to find a team in the Western Conference that would be open to doing a 2-for-1 (with Billups almost certain to be part of any package).

  • Houston Rockets swingman Tracy McGrady

Ahhhhh, good ole’ T-Mac.? There’s a bit of a dilemma down in Houston.? He has played for 2 different coaches - Mr. Discipline (Jeff Van Gundy) and Mr. Chill (Rick Adelman).? So far, not so good.? The Rockets also tried to have McGrady and Yao Ming complement each other on the floor.? Thyey even tried to make T-Mac the centerpiece while Ming was hurt.? Look where that got them - a big winning streak during the regular season, but an implosion at playoff time.? At the moment, McGrady is the better player than Anthony; however, he is 5 years older and not as durable.? Besides, the Rockets have Ming should McGrady leave Houston so the Rockets wouldn’t exactly be depleted.? One trade possibility that could involve Houston and Detroit: McGrady to the Pistons for Billups and Prince.? The Rockets would be better overall as a team while the Pistons would have a lineup of Stuckey, Hamilton, McGrady, Wallace and McDyess - not too shabby.? Everyone’s a winner in this scenario.

  • Take their time.

Once you get past Anthony and McGrady, there’s not much out there; that doesn’t mean that the Pistons shouldn’t pursue a trade, but they’d have to lower their standards in doing so.? Going this route could land Detroit a star.? For example - Rasheed Wallace’s salary ($13.68 million) comes off the books next summer; as of now, they should be around $11 million under the salary cap come 2009.? And then there’s 2010 - the year when the big stars like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are scheduled to become free agents; don’t think that the Pistons aren’t aware of that possibility.? This could explain why Detroit is in no hurry to shop Wallace.? Wallace has two-fold value - his skill set and his expiring contract; the top teams (Boston, Los Angeles Lakers for example) won’t want a 1-year deal, while the bad teams (of which there are many) while coveting the expiring contract would not exactly covet his skill set.? so the possibility of Wallace being a Piston next season is very real.? But understand that his days as a Piston are numbered.


Jun

18

Billups Out Of USA Basketball Equation

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One less point guard will be considered for the United States Olympic basketball team as according to ESPN, Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups - due to family issues - will not be a part of the team that will participate in the Olympics in Beijing this summer.? Specifically, Billups informed USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo on Tuesday.? Billups clarified his decision as he told ESPN, “It’s a matter of what you want to do and what you need to do.? Winning a gold medal is the one thing that I haven’t accomplished, and I was looking forward to standing up on that big stage.? That’s what I really wanted.? But I was taught family comes first, above anything else.”

Billups and fellow Pistons teammate Tayshaun Prince were being considered for the Olympic team, which will be announced on Monday.? Billups had stiff competition getting a roster spot at point guard, including Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.? Billups added that his family situation would either distract him in Beijing or force him to return to the States early; he further added that he was confident that he would’ve made the team but didn’t want to take up a roster spot if he couldn’t be fully committed.? While all of that may in fact be true, something tells me that the aforementioned 3 point guards (Kidd, Paul and Williams) would’ve made the Olympic squad and they wouldn’t carry 4 point guards.

Jun

18

Kidd Selected To US Olympic Team

Filed Under Slam Dunk Olympics Central | Leave a Comment

?????????????????????????????????Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd

I suppose this isn’t really a big surprise, but according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd received the expected telephone call Monday to inform him that he has been invited to be part of the United States Olympic basketball team - one of 12 players.? USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo wouldn’t divulge the makeup of the team, but spoke highly of Kidd, saying, “Jason is a great candidate to be one of the 12 because he is a leader, he is the ultimate distributor at the point guard position, and he has great relationships with many of the guys who will be on this team.? He’s undefeated in international play in his career.? If you had a ledger sheet and put down the plusses and minuses, it’s pretty overwhelming on the plus side.”

The U.S. Olympic team’s coach, Mike Krzyzewski met with reporters on Tuesday and informed them that the entire team roster would be announced on Monday in a conference call; he also stated that because of Kidd’s age, three point guards would be on the team - the favorites being New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul and Utah Jazz point guard Deron Williams.? Kidd would be the first Mavericks player under contract to join the US team since Mark Aguirre (1980) and Sam Perkins (1984).

Jun

18

Big Three Bring NBA Title Number 17 To Boston Celtics Bludgeon Lakers 131-92

Filed Under NBA Finals Update, NBA PLAYOFFS | 1 Comment

The Leprechaun was back in Boston Tuesday night, his first visit to the “New Garden“. The magical sprite who used to put the ball in the basket for the Celtics teams from 1957-1986, and would bat the ball away when the opponent tried to score, was floating around with a huge grin on his face. The long drought that had plagued Boston was now over, the “Green Team” had completed the greatest comeback in the history of the Association. And how fitting that it came against the team that had beaten the Celtics the last time Boston was in the NBA Finals in 1987 the Los Angeles Lakers. The Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions?after beating up the Lakers in game six of the NBA Finals 131-92. Boston is once again “Hoopsville, USA“. That aroma that you smell faintly in the air is?Red Auerbach lighting up a victory cigar on that great parquet floor in the sky.

The first five games of the NBA Finals were some of the most entertaining and exciting games played in the Association’s final round in quite a while. If you held any allegiance to the Lakers this game stopped being fun during the second quarter. It looked like it was going to be a battle during the opening minutes, as Lakers guard Kobe Bryant hit three treys and scored 11 points in the opening quarter. Kevin Garnett, had four straight double-doubles, in the previous four games, but he was never in prime-time form. That changed Tuesday as the “Big Ticket“?scored 10 points, as he hit 3 consecutive outside jumpers, and then ignited the crowd with an alley-oop. Boston led at the end of the quarter 24-20.? Celtics coach Doc Rivers gave Glen “Big Baby” Davis his first taste of the finals early in the second quarter, and although the rookie center did not do much offensively, he was a factor on the defensive end. Offense gets you on SportsCenter defense wins you championships. Boston did both starting in the second quarter. They led 58-35 at? the half, and the second half was truly just extended garbage time. It was the “Memorial Day Massacre” in reverse!?In 1985 the Celtics blew out the Lakers in game one of the NBA Finals. They would lose the Finals to Los Angeles that year for the first time in their combined history. This time the blowout came in the final game of the series. Boston led after three quarters 89-60, and things got no more pleasant for the Lakers in the fourth.

If you are a? regular reader of mine, you are aware that I have adhered to Boston Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge’s wishes this season. Per his request to the media, I have always referred to Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen as the Elite?Three. From this?moment on they will be hereby be referred to the name they have rightfully earned, the “Big Three“.? KG led the way for Boston as he recorded?yet another double-double, as he scored 26 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Ray Allen also scored 26 points as he hit 7 treys, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, Rajon Rondo 21 points, 8?assists, 7 rebounds, 6 steals. Paul Pierce also recorded a double-double, as he scored 17 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals,?James Posey came up big off the pine as he scored 11 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

Kobe was the high scorer for the Lakers, as he?scored 22 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. Lamar Odom recorded a double-double, as he scored 14 points, 10 boards, 5 assists, Jordan Farmar came off the bench and scored 12 points, 1 steal, 1 assist, 1 rebound. Pau Gasol scored 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists. Attention all? employers in the New England area!?Expect all your employees to be tardy on Wednesday, and don’t count on much productivity! In fact you may want to start thinking about a five day weekend this week.

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.net??



Jun

18

ESPN: Paul Pierce Wins NBA Finals MVP

Filed Under ESPN Reports, NBA Finals Update, NBA PLAYOFFS | Leave a Comment

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