Bringing in a coach for six million per season will not solve the extensive problems facing the Knicks. Unfortunately, D'Antoni's high octane coaching style does not fit in well with the current Knicks roster or their long standing philosophy of how to play.
NEW YORK (TICKER) —Mike D’Antoni will become the next head coach of the New York Knicks, Sports Illustrated reported on its web site Saturday.
According to SI, the former Phoenix Suns coach accepted New York’s offer of a four-year contract worth $24 million. The Knicks have yet to comment on the report.
D’Antoni, who had two years remaining on his contract with the Suns that would have paid him nearly $9 million, reportedly also was mulling an offer from the Chicago Bulls.
D’Antoni appeared to have no future with the Suns when the team granted him permission earlier in the week to speak with other clubs about their head-coaching vacancies.
The Arizona Republic reported that the relationship between D’Antoni and Suns general manager Steve Kerr has been strained since the two had an argument in November.
D’Antoni, who turned 57 on Thursday, interviewed with the Knicks and Bulls. His personality alone would seem to be a breath of fresh air in New York after the disastrous reign of Isiah Thomas.
D’Antoni is known for his laid-back approach and stresses up-tempo basketball. Under his watch, the Suns were one of the NBA’s highest-scoring and most entertaining teams, although they were unable to advance beyond the Western Conference finals.
This year, the Suns were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in five games, their first opening-round exit from the playoffs since 2003.
D’Antoni posted a 253-136 record in his four-plus seasons as coach of the Suns.
In New York, he would have the tall task of trying to rebuild the league’s most dysfunctional franchise while changing its culture of losing.
One of the first moves made by new Knicks president Donnie Walsh was to fire Thomas, who posted a 56-108 record in his two seasons as coach.
New York has endured seven straight losing seasons, including a 23-59 mark this year that matched the worst record in the franchise’s history.
Thomas also alienated the team’s fan base for his decisions as general manager. He loaded up on expensive contracts - creating major salary cap problems - while failing to build a competitive team.
Thomas also found controversy off the court, causing further embarrassment for the franchise.
In November, Madison Square Garden reached an out-of-court settlement for $11.5 million with former executive Anucha Browne Sanders, who had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Thomas, Knicks owner James Dolan and the Garden.
In addition, Thomas spent most of the season feuding with guard Stephon Marbury and benched center Eddie Curry.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thomas says he’s not talking with Indiana about coaching Hoosiers
It's time to permanently leave Isiah. All of New York will be elated that you did.
By GEORGE HENRY, Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (AP)—Embattled New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said he is not a candidate for the Indiana University job.
Thomas, whose Knicks have lost seven of eight and 14 of 16, has a 53-102 record in two seasons with the team. Though he helped Indiana win the 1981 NCAA championship, Thomas has never coached in college.
He indicated the Hoosiers haven’t consulted him about becoming their head coach.
“No, I have a job,” Thomas said before the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Thomas, also the Knicks’ team president, said he hopes interim coach Dan Dakich is named full-time at Indiana.
In February, Dakich replaced Kelvin Sampson, who resigned following the release of an NCAA report that said he committed five “major” violations involving recruiting. Prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, the school appointed a 10-member committee to search for a replacement for Sampson.
After Dakich—an assistant under Sampson and a former Indiana player and assistant under Bob Knight—took over, the Hoosiers (25-8) lost four of their final seven games, including a shocking last-second defeat against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals and an 86-72 loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
“He’s done an excellent job,” Thomas said. “He understands the program. He’s been intimately involved on the coaching side and also on the playing side.”
“Of all the former players, he’d definitely have the support of mine and others. I hope he’s someone they do name as the coach of Indiana.”
Thomas acknowledged that he might have interest in coaching one day in college.
“You never say never in terms of where you’ll end up and who you’ll be with,” he said. “So you just try to take the day as it comes.”
Right now, Thomas is trying to save his position with New York, which has reportedly talked with former Indiana Pacers president Donnie Walsh about taking charge of the organization.
Walsh hired Thomas as coach of the Pacers in 2000. In three years with Indiana, Thomas led the Pacers to a 131-115 record and three playoff appearances.
When Walsh brought in Larry Bird to run the Pacers in 2003, Thomas was fired.
With the NBA’s fifth-worst record at 20-53, Thomas seemed to dislike a question about some of his players calling for a new coaching change.
“That player should put his name on it, if there is such a player,” Thomas said. “But I think you have the opportunity and the access to all our players and you can ask them. I think it’s safe to say that in any locker room, football, basketball or hockey, I don’t think there’s a coach coaching today that has 15 happy players. You have some that’s unhappy and you have some that’s happy. That’s coaching.”
By GEORGE HENRY, Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (AP)—Embattled New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said he is not a candidate for the Indiana University job.
Thomas, whose Knicks have lost seven of eight and 14 of 16, has a 53-102 record in two seasons with the team. Though he helped Indiana win the 1981 NCAA championship, Thomas has never coached in college.
He indicated the Hoosiers haven’t consulted him about becoming their head coach.
“No, I have a job,” Thomas said before the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Thomas, also the Knicks’ team president, said he hopes interim coach Dan Dakich is named full-time at Indiana.
In February, Dakich replaced Kelvin Sampson, who resigned following the release of an NCAA report that said he committed five “major” violations involving recruiting. Prior to the start of the NCAA tournament, the school appointed a 10-member committee to search for a replacement for Sampson.
After Dakich—an assistant under Sampson and a former Indiana player and assistant under Bob Knight—took over, the Hoosiers (25-8) lost four of their final seven games, including a shocking last-second defeat against Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals and an 86-72 loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
“He’s done an excellent job,” Thomas said. “He understands the program. He’s been intimately involved on the coaching side and also on the playing side.”
“Of all the former players, he’d definitely have the support of mine and others. I hope he’s someone they do name as the coach of Indiana.”
Thomas acknowledged that he might have interest in coaching one day in college.
“You never say never in terms of where you’ll end up and who you’ll be with,” he said. “So you just try to take the day as it comes.”
Right now, Thomas is trying to save his position with New York, which has reportedly talked with former Indiana Pacers president Donnie Walsh about taking charge of the organization.
Walsh hired Thomas as coach of the Pacers in 2000. In three years with Indiana, Thomas led the Pacers to a 131-115 record and three playoff appearances.
When Walsh brought in Larry Bird to run the Pacers in 2003, Thomas was fired.
With the NBA’s fifth-worst record at 20-53, Thomas seemed to dislike a question about some of his players calling for a new coaching change.
“That player should put his name on it, if there is such a player,” Thomas said. “But I think you have the opportunity and the access to all our players and you can ask them. I think it’s safe to say that in any locker room, football, basketball or hockey, I don’t think there’s a coach coaching today that has 15 happy players. You have some that’s unhappy and you have some that’s happy. That’s coaching.”
Monday, March 03, 2008
Voters to decide on $121 million proposal aimed at luring NBA to Oklahoma City
It'll be intriguing tomorrow to witness if Oklahoma City receives the go ahead vote to entice a prospective team to their budding city. Currently, Seattle seems like the ideal team to land in the OKC.
By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)— Oklahoma City voters will decide Tuesday on a $121 million plan aimed at luring an NBA team.
Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett’s proposal would spend $97 million to upgrade the Ford Center and another $24.6 million to build an NBA practice facility in hopes of completing the city’s courtship of the Seattle SuperSonics.
While Cornett has been promoting the improvements to the Ford Center as mandatory to show Oklahoma City’s long-term commitment to the NBA, David Glover has been spearheading opposition to the plan that would extend a one-cent sales tax increase for another 15 months.
Cornett considers the improvements to the Ford Center necessary even if the SuperSonics, owned by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, don’t end up relocating. Without them, Cornett says Oklahoma City will fall behind competitors for concerts, the Big 12 tournament and other events.
Bennett declined interview requests from The Associated Press and through a spokesman refused to say what would happen if the vote fails. The SuperSonics are in the middle of a court battle to break their lease in Seattle, and the NBA Board of Governors will vote in April on Bennett’s request to relocate to Oklahoma City.
While reserving comment on the specific proposal in Oklahoma City, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said “the NBA will always support teams’ and cities’ efforts to enhance the experience for our fans.”
The cost of adding restaurants, clubs, suites and other amenities to the Ford Center—which hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two years following Hurricane Katrina—falls about in the middle of the cost fronted by new NBA cities when the past two franchises relocated.
By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)— Oklahoma City voters will decide Tuesday on a $121 million plan aimed at luring an NBA team.
Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett’s proposal would spend $97 million to upgrade the Ford Center and another $24.6 million to build an NBA practice facility in hopes of completing the city’s courtship of the Seattle SuperSonics.
While Cornett has been promoting the improvements to the Ford Center as mandatory to show Oklahoma City’s long-term commitment to the NBA, David Glover has been spearheading opposition to the plan that would extend a one-cent sales tax increase for another 15 months.
Cornett considers the improvements to the Ford Center necessary even if the SuperSonics, owned by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, don’t end up relocating. Without them, Cornett says Oklahoma City will fall behind competitors for concerts, the Big 12 tournament and other events.
Bennett declined interview requests from The Associated Press and through a spokesman refused to say what would happen if the vote fails. The SuperSonics are in the middle of a court battle to break their lease in Seattle, and the NBA Board of Governors will vote in April on Bennett’s request to relocate to Oklahoma City.
While reserving comment on the specific proposal in Oklahoma City, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said “the NBA will always support teams’ and cities’ efforts to enhance the experience for our fans.”
The cost of adding restaurants, clubs, suites and other amenities to the Ford Center—which hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two years following Hurricane Katrina—falls about in the middle of the cost fronted by new NBA cities when the past two franchises relocated.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Two men plead not guilty in NBA betting scandal
NEW YORK (AP)—Two men charged in a betting scandal involving disgraced basketball referee Tim Donaghy have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to defraud the NBA.
Prosecutors said James Battista, a professional gambler with nicknames “Baba” and “Sheep,” and Thomas Martino entered the pleas during a brief appearance Friday in Brooklyn.
A trial date was set for April 28. Each man remains free on $250,000 bond.
In a guilty plea in August, Donaghy said he started making NBA bets four years ago, even wagering on games he worked. He admitted recommending bets to high-stakes gamblers and collecting $5,000 if his picks hit.
The former referee faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced April 18 for conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce.
Prosecutors said James Battista, a professional gambler with nicknames “Baba” and “Sheep,” and Thomas Martino entered the pleas during a brief appearance Friday in Brooklyn.
A trial date was set for April 28. Each man remains free on $250,000 bond.
In a guilty plea in August, Donaghy said he started making NBA bets four years ago, even wagering on games he worked. He admitted recommending bets to high-stakes gamblers and collecting $5,000 if his picks hit.
The former referee faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced April 18 for conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Ben Wallace to Cavs in 11-player deal
The acquisition of four-time defensive player of the year Ben Wallace completely transforms the trajectory of the Eastern Conference. It's very realistic to expect the Cavaliers to catapult to one of the the top two teams in the conference if James and Wallace are able to mesh together.
CLEVELAND (TICKER) —LeBron James wanted the Cleveland Cavaliers to improve their roster. The Cavaliers shook it up Thursday, acquiring Ben Wallace in an 11-player, three-team megadeal.
The Cavaliers also received guard Wally Szczerbiak, forward Joe Smith and guard Delonte West in a deal involving the Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics. The Bulls also sent the Cavaliers their second-round pick in 2009.
The deal was completed right before the league’s 3 p.m. EST trade deadline and, according to Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry, sets up a bright future for his club.
“We’re very excited about what these players bring to us by adding a new dimension, and that we were able to impact this team without compromising future draft picks,” he said. “This again demonstrates (owner) Dan Gilbert’s dedication to this organization and city.
“At the same time, we have great respect for the guys that are leaving us and feel like they all contributed to our success.”
The Bulls received guard Larry Hughes, forward Drew Gooden, forward Cedric Simmons and guard Shannon Brown while the SuperSonics got swingman Adrian Griffin and forwards Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall.
Chicago executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson admitted that Thursday’s deal was made with the development of his team’s young roster in mind.
“We are all very much aware that this season has not advanced as we anticipated. With that said, we will continue to evaluate and re-shape our roster where necessary, until we can get to where we want to be as a team,” Paxson said. “This particular trade gives us the opportunity to solidify a couple of positions, as well as provide our team with some much needed scoring.
“The continued development of our young, big frontline is crucial and this move will allow them to gain valuable minutes on the court, which in turn will allow us to make the key decisions we are going to be faced with in the very near future.”
It was a long-awaited trade for Cleveland, which grew unhappy with the oft-injured Hughes and sought a revamped roster in its push for a second straight trip to the NBA Finals.
Most importantly, James said during All-Star Weekend that he thinks the Cavaliers should make a deal to keep up with other clubs in one of the most active trade seasons in recent memory.
The face of the Cavaliers - and possibly the league - James’ voice most likely carried a lot of weight in a deal which landed Cleveland Wallace, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a slew of expiring contracts.
The trade came just days after the Cavs’ offer for veteran point guard Mike Bibby, who many feel is the perfect compliment to James, was reportedly rejected by the Sacramento Kings. Bibby then was traded to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
Instead, Cleveland chose to change its frontcourt with the acquisition of Wallace, who is primarily a defender and rebounder but brings the toughness needed to compete in the postseason.
However, he is just two years into a four-year, $60 million free agent deal from the Bulls, who most likely realized that the 33-year-old forward is on the downside of his career. Wallace has averaged 5.1 points and 8.8 rebounds this campaign.
While he is not Bibby, the 24-year-old West is a capable combination guard with some promise. But he has yet to blossom in his first season with the SuperSonics after three with the Boston Celtics, averaging just 6.8 points and 3.2 assists this campaign.
Szczerbiak, who has averaged 13.1 points this season, spreads the floor and gives the Cavaliers another shooter on a team which allows James to freelance and find teammates on the perimeter.
A former first overall pick, the 32-year-old Smith has averaged 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in his first season in Chicago. But his value most likely is his contract, which expires at the end of the season.
The contracts of Szczerbiak and West expire after the next campaign - and Wallace’s deal is up after 2009-10, allowing the Cavaliers some flexibility when James can opt out of his contract and become a free agent that summer.
In the short term, the Cavaliers rid themselves of Hughes, who has been a disappointment in Cleveland, averaging just 12.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his third season with the Cavaliers.
He also grew unhappy with his role in an offense which forced him to stifle his desire to slash to the basket.
The Bulls, who have been rumored in numerous deals in recent seasons, finally acquired a back-to-the-basket scorer in Gooden, who is capable in the post and one the game’s toughest rebounders.
The fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft, the 26-year-old Gooden has averaged 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds this season.
While the 22-year-old Brown has shown some promise in 15 games this season, Simmons - who is the same age - has appeared in just seven contests and has not provided much for the Cavaliers.
The rebuilding Sonics received three expiring contracts, as Newble’s is up after this season while Marshall and Griffin come off the books after next campaign.
CLEVELAND (TICKER) —LeBron James wanted the Cleveland Cavaliers to improve their roster. The Cavaliers shook it up Thursday, acquiring Ben Wallace in an 11-player, three-team megadeal.
The Cavaliers also received guard Wally Szczerbiak, forward Joe Smith and guard Delonte West in a deal involving the Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics. The Bulls also sent the Cavaliers their second-round pick in 2009.
The deal was completed right before the league’s 3 p.m. EST trade deadline and, according to Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry, sets up a bright future for his club.
“We’re very excited about what these players bring to us by adding a new dimension, and that we were able to impact this team without compromising future draft picks,” he said. “This again demonstrates (owner) Dan Gilbert’s dedication to this organization and city.
“At the same time, we have great respect for the guys that are leaving us and feel like they all contributed to our success.”
The Bulls received guard Larry Hughes, forward Drew Gooden, forward Cedric Simmons and guard Shannon Brown while the SuperSonics got swingman Adrian Griffin and forwards Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall.
Chicago executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson admitted that Thursday’s deal was made with the development of his team’s young roster in mind.
“We are all very much aware that this season has not advanced as we anticipated. With that said, we will continue to evaluate and re-shape our roster where necessary, until we can get to where we want to be as a team,” Paxson said. “This particular trade gives us the opportunity to solidify a couple of positions, as well as provide our team with some much needed scoring.
“The continued development of our young, big frontline is crucial and this move will allow them to gain valuable minutes on the court, which in turn will allow us to make the key decisions we are going to be faced with in the very near future.”
It was a long-awaited trade for Cleveland, which grew unhappy with the oft-injured Hughes and sought a revamped roster in its push for a second straight trip to the NBA Finals.
Most importantly, James said during All-Star Weekend that he thinks the Cavaliers should make a deal to keep up with other clubs in one of the most active trade seasons in recent memory.
The face of the Cavaliers - and possibly the league - James’ voice most likely carried a lot of weight in a deal which landed Cleveland Wallace, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a slew of expiring contracts.
The trade came just days after the Cavs’ offer for veteran point guard Mike Bibby, who many feel is the perfect compliment to James, was reportedly rejected by the Sacramento Kings. Bibby then was traded to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
Instead, Cleveland chose to change its frontcourt with the acquisition of Wallace, who is primarily a defender and rebounder but brings the toughness needed to compete in the postseason.
However, he is just two years into a four-year, $60 million free agent deal from the Bulls, who most likely realized that the 33-year-old forward is on the downside of his career. Wallace has averaged 5.1 points and 8.8 rebounds this campaign.
While he is not Bibby, the 24-year-old West is a capable combination guard with some promise. But he has yet to blossom in his first season with the SuperSonics after three with the Boston Celtics, averaging just 6.8 points and 3.2 assists this campaign.
Szczerbiak, who has averaged 13.1 points this season, spreads the floor and gives the Cavaliers another shooter on a team which allows James to freelance and find teammates on the perimeter.
A former first overall pick, the 32-year-old Smith has averaged 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in his first season in Chicago. But his value most likely is his contract, which expires at the end of the season.
The contracts of Szczerbiak and West expire after the next campaign - and Wallace’s deal is up after 2009-10, allowing the Cavaliers some flexibility when James can opt out of his contract and become a free agent that summer.
In the short term, the Cavaliers rid themselves of Hughes, who has been a disappointment in Cleveland, averaging just 12.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his third season with the Cavaliers.
He also grew unhappy with his role in an offense which forced him to stifle his desire to slash to the basket.
The Bulls, who have been rumored in numerous deals in recent seasons, finally acquired a back-to-the-basket scorer in Gooden, who is capable in the post and one the game’s toughest rebounders.
The fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft, the 26-year-old Gooden has averaged 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds this season.
While the 22-year-old Brown has shown some promise in 15 games this season, Simmons - who is the same age - has appeared in just seven contests and has not provided much for the Cavaliers.
The rebuilding Sonics received three expiring contracts, as Newble’s is up after this season while Marshall and Griffin come off the books after next campaign.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
A Lackluster Team Off To A Despondent Start- The New York Knicks
By David
Kaye
Over the course of the first eleven disparaging games, beleaguered New York Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas has transformed his team into a shell of what they once were.
At 3-8, New York is not only the laughing stock of the league on the court, but they are the first rate model of incompetence, mismanagement and hopelessness in the front office. Thomas has driven the unbridled and distasteful organization into unchartered territories over the course of the past several weeks as the Knicks have endured a disheartening eight losing streak, tension and disarray in the locker room and public lashings from sports writers, terrestrial radio personalities and fans across the tri state area.
During a west cost swing in which the team went 0-4 and was outscored nightly by 13 points per game, Thomas and disappointing point guard Stephon Marbury engaged in a unheralded fiasco over the player’s contribution to the team and role as a positive leader on and off the court. After indicating to his disgruntled and angered point guard to leave the team if he could not handle being benched, Thomas sheepishly permitted Marbury to rejoin the team in Los Angeles.
His blatant mishandling, miscommunication and complete bungling of this situation further lends to the notion that he is ill equipped in several facets to not only coach, but guide the Knicks organization on a consistent basis.
Outside of the ’’Fire Isiah’’ chants heard regularly at Madison Square Garden, Thomas has positioned the Knicks in a less beneficial environment than when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown was roaming the sidelines. His apparent lack of responsibility for any events that transpire under his tutelage as headmaster of the team, his sickening and demeaning smile and lack of urgency to resurrect an already sinking ship all serve as principle reasons for the Knicks destructive debacle through the first month of the season.
At the current juncture, the best operative is to fire Isiah Thomas, rid him of all responsibilities within the front office and establish a clean slat in which to work with.
Undoubtedly, the opportunity to secure a playoff spot in the porous eastern Conference has been eliminated as players have stopped performing for their coach, the post court presence of Eddy Curry and Zack Randolph is as clear as Alex Rodriguez’s credibility and embattled veteran Stephon Marbury has accrued more boarding passes than victories this month.
Kaye
Over the course of the first eleven disparaging games, beleaguered New York Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas has transformed his team into a shell of what they once were.
At 3-8, New York is not only the laughing stock of the league on the court, but they are the first rate model of incompetence, mismanagement and hopelessness in the front office. Thomas has driven the unbridled and distasteful organization into unchartered territories over the course of the past several weeks as the Knicks have endured a disheartening eight losing streak, tension and disarray in the locker room and public lashings from sports writers, terrestrial radio personalities and fans across the tri state area.
During a west cost swing in which the team went 0-4 and was outscored nightly by 13 points per game, Thomas and disappointing point guard Stephon Marbury engaged in a unheralded fiasco over the player’s contribution to the team and role as a positive leader on and off the court. After indicating to his disgruntled and angered point guard to leave the team if he could not handle being benched, Thomas sheepishly permitted Marbury to rejoin the team in Los Angeles.
His blatant mishandling, miscommunication and complete bungling of this situation further lends to the notion that he is ill equipped in several facets to not only coach, but guide the Knicks organization on a consistent basis.
Outside of the ’’Fire Isiah’’ chants heard regularly at Madison Square Garden, Thomas has positioned the Knicks in a less beneficial environment than when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown was roaming the sidelines. His apparent lack of responsibility for any events that transpire under his tutelage as headmaster of the team, his sickening and demeaning smile and lack of urgency to resurrect an already sinking ship all serve as principle reasons for the Knicks destructive debacle through the first month of the season.
At the current juncture, the best operative is to fire Isiah Thomas, rid him of all responsibilities within the front office and establish a clean slat in which to work with.
Undoubtedly, the opportunity to secure a playoff spot in the porous eastern Conference has been eliminated as players have stopped performing for their coach, the post court presence of Eddy Curry and Zack Randolph is as clear as Alex Rodriguez’s credibility and embattled veteran Stephon Marbury has accrued more boarding passes than victories this month.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wizards G Gilbert Arenas undergoes left knee surgery, to miss 3 months
By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports Writer
November 21, 2007
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Washington Wizards leading scorer Gilbert Arenas underwent two different surgical procedures on his left knee on Wednesday and will miss about three months.
Arenas had been experiencing swelling and soreness in the knee which he had surgically repaired late last season. After sitting out the past two games, Arenas did not travel with the team to Charlotte and underwent an MRI Wednesday morning, which revealed a cartilage tear.
"I'm just going to sit in my sorrows again. I have three months to (be) back positive again, but right now, it's hard," Arenas said in a posting on his blog Wednesday. "I need to start thinking about longevity in my career instead of just this injury right now. Every great player has missed at least one year."
Team physician Dr. Marc Connell repaired a partial tear of the meniscus and performed microfracture surgery on a non-weight bearing bone on the side of his knee.
"It's not as bad as the injury in April, but it's tough," wrote Arenas, who will begin rehabilitation next week.
"We expect Gilbert to make a full recovery," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said.
The 6-foot-4 Arenas is averaging 22.4 points. The Wizards won both games against struggling Portland and Philadelphia without Arenas and earned their sixth straight victory hours after Arenas went under the knife, outlasting Charlotte 114-111 in overtime Wednesday.
"We did win two games in convincing fashion without him, but it wasn't like it was the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs," Wizards center Brendan Haywood said before the win over the Bobcats. "Playing without Gilbert Arenas is going to hurt this team."
Arenas began the season by playing as though nothing was wrong, averaging about 40 minutes per game. But after Washington's third game, he said his knee felt stiff, "like a 5-pound weight is on it."
He then had excess fluid drained from the knee for the second time in three weeks on Nov. 7. He played the next night, a loss to New Jersey that dropped the Wizards to 0-4, but had a long conversation with Nets star Jason Kidd on the court after the final buzzer. Kidd offered advice about dealing with a return from surgery.
Arenas stayed in the lineup until missing Saturday's game against Portland, then sitting again Tuesday against Philadelphia. Without Arenas, coach Eddie Jordan said Antonio Daniels will continue to play point guard.
"Every team goes through it, and every team tries to find a way to win on a consistent basis," Jordan said. "We've gotten better at moving the ball."
This whole ordeal has all been a bit new to Arenas -- a three-time All-Star -- whose only previous significant injury in the NBA was an abdominal problem that limited him to 55 games in 2003-04.
He finished third in the league in scoring average in 2006-07 at 28.4 points, but missed the last two weeks of the regular season and all of the playoffs after having knee surgery.
"Gilbert worked extremely hard this summer to be ready for the beginning of the regular season," Grunfeld said. "This is very unfortunate because he was starting to play at a high level prior to the surgery."
It's another blow to the Wizards, who lost Arenas and Caron Butler to season-ending injuries late last season. Etan Thomas is out this season after undergoing heart surgery, while Oleksiy Pecherov is recovering from a broken ankle.
Haywood didn't play against the Bobcats because of a sprained left ankle, leaving Washington with only nine healthy players.
"That's the business, man," Haywood said. "Life's not always fair. He's out right now and everybody is down about it. Everybody wishes him the best. Right now all we can do is pray for him and hope he has a speedy recovery."
Jordan wouldn't say whether he'll push management to sign another player.
AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this report.
November 21, 2007
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Washington Wizards leading scorer Gilbert Arenas underwent two different surgical procedures on his left knee on Wednesday and will miss about three months.
Arenas had been experiencing swelling and soreness in the knee which he had surgically repaired late last season. After sitting out the past two games, Arenas did not travel with the team to Charlotte and underwent an MRI Wednesday morning, which revealed a cartilage tear.
"I'm just going to sit in my sorrows again. I have three months to (be) back positive again, but right now, it's hard," Arenas said in a posting on his blog Wednesday. "I need to start thinking about longevity in my career instead of just this injury right now. Every great player has missed at least one year."
Team physician Dr. Marc Connell repaired a partial tear of the meniscus and performed microfracture surgery on a non-weight bearing bone on the side of his knee.
"It's not as bad as the injury in April, but it's tough," wrote Arenas, who will begin rehabilitation next week.
"We expect Gilbert to make a full recovery," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said.
The 6-foot-4 Arenas is averaging 22.4 points. The Wizards won both games against struggling Portland and Philadelphia without Arenas and earned their sixth straight victory hours after Arenas went under the knife, outlasting Charlotte 114-111 in overtime Wednesday.
"We did win two games in convincing fashion without him, but it wasn't like it was the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs," Wizards center Brendan Haywood said before the win over the Bobcats. "Playing without Gilbert Arenas is going to hurt this team."
Arenas began the season by playing as though nothing was wrong, averaging about 40 minutes per game. But after Washington's third game, he said his knee felt stiff, "like a 5-pound weight is on it."
He then had excess fluid drained from the knee for the second time in three weeks on Nov. 7. He played the next night, a loss to New Jersey that dropped the Wizards to 0-4, but had a long conversation with Nets star Jason Kidd on the court after the final buzzer. Kidd offered advice about dealing with a return from surgery.
Arenas stayed in the lineup until missing Saturday's game against Portland, then sitting again Tuesday against Philadelphia. Without Arenas, coach Eddie Jordan said Antonio Daniels will continue to play point guard.
"Every team goes through it, and every team tries to find a way to win on a consistent basis," Jordan said. "We've gotten better at moving the ball."
This whole ordeal has all been a bit new to Arenas -- a three-time All-Star -- whose only previous significant injury in the NBA was an abdominal problem that limited him to 55 games in 2003-04.
He finished third in the league in scoring average in 2006-07 at 28.4 points, but missed the last two weeks of the regular season and all of the playoffs after having knee surgery.
"Gilbert worked extremely hard this summer to be ready for the beginning of the regular season," Grunfeld said. "This is very unfortunate because he was starting to play at a high level prior to the surgery."
It's another blow to the Wizards, who lost Arenas and Caron Butler to season-ending injuries late last season. Etan Thomas is out this season after undergoing heart surgery, while Oleksiy Pecherov is recovering from a broken ankle.
Haywood didn't play against the Bobcats because of a sprained left ankle, leaving Washington with only nine healthy players.
"That's the business, man," Haywood said. "Life's not always fair. He's out right now and everybody is down about it. Everybody wishes him the best. Right now all we can do is pray for him and hope he has a speedy recovery."
Jordan wouldn't say whether he'll push management to sign another player.
AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed to this report.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Nets G Carter out indefinitely with ankle sprain
November 12, 2007
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter will be sidelined indefinitely with a right ankle sprain, the team announced Monday.
The injury occurred while Carter was dunking in the third quarter of Saturday's 112-101 loss to the Boston Celtics.
A MRI on Monday revealed a grade-one sprain. Carter will continue to receive treatment on his ankle, and the team has set no timetable for his return.
In New Jersey's first six games of the season, Carter averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The eight-time All-Star swingman signed a four-year contract extension this past offseason reportedly worth $61 million in guaranteed money.
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter will be sidelined indefinitely with a right ankle sprain, the team announced Monday.
The injury occurred while Carter was dunking in the third quarter of Saturday's 112-101 loss to the Boston Celtics.
A MRI on Monday revealed a grade-one sprain. Carter will continue to receive treatment on his ankle, and the team has set no timetable for his return.
In New Jersey's first six games of the season, Carter averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The eight-time All-Star swingman signed a four-year contract extension this past offseason reportedly worth $61 million in guaranteed money.
Guard Stephon Marbury leaves Knicks, Thomas says he's welcome back
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
November 13, 2007
PHOENIX (AP) -- Stephon Marbury has left the New York Knicks and there is no word on when, or even if, he might rejoin the team.
Marbury was absent from the team's morning shootaround, and failed to show up when the Knicks played the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Coach Isiah Thomas would only confirm Marbury had left and that the guard would be welcome back.
"That is an in-house matter, and we'll continue to keep it in-house," Thomas said after the shootaround. "However, he is welcome back, and we want him as a member of this team."
WNBC New York and The New York Post reported Marbury contacted them electronically to say he had Thomas' permission to leave the team.
"I would never leave my team on my own," Marbury told The Post. "What I'm telling you is that I got permission to leave from Isiah. He said I could go home."
Thomas would not confirm that he allowed Marbury to leave. In fact, the Knicks' coach avoided the subject altogether in his meeting with reporters before the Suns' game.
"We'll talk about the Phoenix Suns and the game at hand," he said. "Whatever matters we have in-house we'll try to keep in-house."
The Post reported on its Web site that Marbury had flown back to New York and did not plan to join the team in Los Angeles for its game against the Clippers on Wednesday night.
Marbury's absence followed a story in Tuesday's New York Daily News indicating the Knicks were trying to reduce his role or get rid of him. A trade seems unlikely, because Marbury is scheduled to earn $42 million over the next two seasons.
Several of Marbury's teammates said his departure took them by surprise, but they expressed no hard feelings.
"You always support your teammates," forward Jared Jeffries said. "A lot of people on the outside don't understand what guys go through with their family, their friends, with this team, with anything. Whenever somebody goes through a tough time you support your teammate."
Mardy Collins got the start in Marbury's place, but said he would love to have him back.
"Yeah, definitely. He's been nothing but good to me ever since I've been here. There's not a bad thing I can say about Steph," Collins said. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm just here and whenever my number is called I go out there and compete."
At the shootaround, Thomas said this was not the first time this kind of incident has happened.
"It seems like he and I go through this every November, then a couple of weeks go by and we kind of kiss and make up, then we go back to the business of trying to win basketball games."
Following a contentious relationship with former coach Larry Brown, Marbury soon learned playing for Thomas would not be any easier.
Early last season, Marbury found himself spending extended time on the bench in the second half of games, including some in which he didn't start the third period.
"... Make no mistake about it, if I don't get exactly what I want, then there'll be consequences," Thomas said then.
As president of the Knicks, Thomas brought Marbury back to his hometown in 2004 and the two seemed to be close. That changed, however, when Thomas also became the head coach last season.
"My relationship as a coach is definitely a different relationship as president," Thomas said. "When you're coaching, I don't think there's a player that I've ever coached that hasn't at some point in time not liked me. But that's what coaching's all about."
November 13, 2007
PHOENIX (AP) -- Stephon Marbury has left the New York Knicks and there is no word on when, or even if, he might rejoin the team.
Marbury was absent from the team's morning shootaround, and failed to show up when the Knicks played the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Coach Isiah Thomas would only confirm Marbury had left and that the guard would be welcome back.
"That is an in-house matter, and we'll continue to keep it in-house," Thomas said after the shootaround. "However, he is welcome back, and we want him as a member of this team."
WNBC New York and The New York Post reported Marbury contacted them electronically to say he had Thomas' permission to leave the team.
"I would never leave my team on my own," Marbury told The Post. "What I'm telling you is that I got permission to leave from Isiah. He said I could go home."
Thomas would not confirm that he allowed Marbury to leave. In fact, the Knicks' coach avoided the subject altogether in his meeting with reporters before the Suns' game.
"We'll talk about the Phoenix Suns and the game at hand," he said. "Whatever matters we have in-house we'll try to keep in-house."
The Post reported on its Web site that Marbury had flown back to New York and did not plan to join the team in Los Angeles for its game against the Clippers on Wednesday night.
Marbury's absence followed a story in Tuesday's New York Daily News indicating the Knicks were trying to reduce his role or get rid of him. A trade seems unlikely, because Marbury is scheduled to earn $42 million over the next two seasons.
Several of Marbury's teammates said his departure took them by surprise, but they expressed no hard feelings.
"You always support your teammates," forward Jared Jeffries said. "A lot of people on the outside don't understand what guys go through with their family, their friends, with this team, with anything. Whenever somebody goes through a tough time you support your teammate."
Mardy Collins got the start in Marbury's place, but said he would love to have him back.
"Yeah, definitely. He's been nothing but good to me ever since I've been here. There's not a bad thing I can say about Steph," Collins said. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm just here and whenever my number is called I go out there and compete."
At the shootaround, Thomas said this was not the first time this kind of incident has happened.
"It seems like he and I go through this every November, then a couple of weeks go by and we kind of kiss and make up, then we go back to the business of trying to win basketball games."
Following a contentious relationship with former coach Larry Brown, Marbury soon learned playing for Thomas would not be any easier.
Early last season, Marbury found himself spending extended time on the bench in the second half of games, including some in which he didn't start the third period.
"... Make no mistake about it, if I don't get exactly what I want, then there'll be consequences," Thomas said then.
As president of the Knicks, Thomas brought Marbury back to his hometown in 2004 and the two seemed to be close. That changed, however, when Thomas also became the head coach last season.
"My relationship as a coach is definitely a different relationship as president," Thomas said. "When you're coaching, I don't think there's a player that I've ever coached that hasn't at some point in time not liked me. But that's what coaching's all about."
Friday, November 02, 2007
Bulls GM Paxson Denies Kobe to Chicago Trade Rumors
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
Posted Nov 1 2007 7:16PM
DEERFIELD, Ill., Nov. 1 (AP) -- Kobe Bryant won't be joining the Chicago Bulls anytime soon.
General manager John Paxson basically squashed the notion that the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar will wind up in Chicago, saying the teams were never on the verge of a deal and talks were over for now.
"There's not a deal done,'' he said Thursday. "There's not going to be a deal done. All the things that were out there were really unfair to all of us who were trying to do our jobs. The misinformation ... I think gets in the way of the process. It's just such a complicated thing and we kind of put it to rest now.''
Paxson said they discussed "parameters,'' but the sides "never got down to the nuts and bolts of it because there was never a deal to be done.''
"That's the reality of it,'' he said. "People can make what they want of it, but what I know is that part of it is over with.''
Paxson's comments came a day after a flurry of rumors. Speculation picked up Wednesday, with one report saying the Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers were discussing a three-way deal that would bring the superstar to Chicago.
That scenario had Paxson sending Ben Gordon and a signed-and-traded P.J. Brown to Sacramento, with Chicago's Ben Wallace and the Kings' Ron Artest heading to Los Angeles. Paxson dismissed the rumor, saying a deal involving Brown would send the Bulls over the luxury tax threshold -- something they're reluctant to do.
Bryant, speaking before news of Paxson's comments reached the Lakers' El Segundo, Calif., practice facility, said he is monitoring the rumors "just to keep tabs on how my teammates are reacting to it.''
"We've been doing a pretty good job of staying focused,'' he said. "I've talked to them. From that standpoint, I don't think it's that difficult. If you didn't speak to them or kind of fill them in, it would get a little confusing.''
Bryant drew some boos during introductions before the Lakers' season-opening 95-93 loss to Houston on Tuesday, after calling the front office a mess and asking to be traded during the offseason. The jeers turned to cheers as Bryant scored 18 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback.
The trade deadline isn't until February, so it's possible talks between the Lakers and Bulls could resume.
"Who knows?'' Paxson said. "The reality is that right now, it's done.''
Paxson was concerned the issue would become a distraction, so he decided to put it to rest.
"I think today sends a message that our guys don't have to worry about anything right now,'' Paxson said.
Then again, coach Scott Skiles wondered: "What's resolving anything in all sports until the trading deadline?''
"Just because this rumor at some point dies down, does that mean another one's not going to crop up in two weeks?'' he asked. "It's ongoing, it's all the time. Now, this is one that involves a very, very high profile player, so I understand the extra attention on it.''
With the rumors swirling, Chicago played a flat first half and was just as bad at the end in losing the season opener 112-103 at New Jersey on Wednesday. Just about every Bull's name has surfaced in rumors, and Luol Deng acknowledged the Kobe questions are wearing on him.
"I am,'' he said when asked if he's annoyed by them. "But you guys want to get to the bottom of it so I've just got to keep answering your questions.''
Several issues stand in the way of a Bryant deal.
Bryant has a no-trade clause and can opt out in the summer 2009, although he has said he wouldn't mind playing in Chicago. Paxson does not want to gut his roster or part with Deng, who appeared to be on the verge of stardom last season.
Would Bryant want to go to a Bulls team without Deng?
And if there's no deal with Chicago, where does that leave the Lakers?
"Maybe having our cake and eating it, too,'' said coach Phil Jackson, speaking after word of Paxson's comments had reached the Lakers' facility. "Dr. (Jerry) Buss reiterated many, many times that we do not want to trade Kobe Bryant but we'll listen to any comments that come our way that would give us equal parity for him.''
Paxson and Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met with Bryant when he was a free agent in 2004. He wound up re-signing with the Lakers for seven years and $136.4 million, with that opt-out clause.
"He liked what he heard,'' Paxson said. "For that reason, he likes the Chicago Bulls, which is obviously flattering.''
But he apparently won't be joining them in the near future.
Posted Nov 1 2007 7:16PM
DEERFIELD, Ill., Nov. 1 (AP) -- Kobe Bryant won't be joining the Chicago Bulls anytime soon.
General manager John Paxson basically squashed the notion that the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar will wind up in Chicago, saying the teams were never on the verge of a deal and talks were over for now.
"There's not a deal done,'' he said Thursday. "There's not going to be a deal done. All the things that were out there were really unfair to all of us who were trying to do our jobs. The misinformation ... I think gets in the way of the process. It's just such a complicated thing and we kind of put it to rest now.''
Paxson said they discussed "parameters,'' but the sides "never got down to the nuts and bolts of it because there was never a deal to be done.''
"That's the reality of it,'' he said. "People can make what they want of it, but what I know is that part of it is over with.''
Paxson's comments came a day after a flurry of rumors. Speculation picked up Wednesday, with one report saying the Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers were discussing a three-way deal that would bring the superstar to Chicago.
That scenario had Paxson sending Ben Gordon and a signed-and-traded P.J. Brown to Sacramento, with Chicago's Ben Wallace and the Kings' Ron Artest heading to Los Angeles. Paxson dismissed the rumor, saying a deal involving Brown would send the Bulls over the luxury tax threshold -- something they're reluctant to do.
Bryant, speaking before news of Paxson's comments reached the Lakers' El Segundo, Calif., practice facility, said he is monitoring the rumors "just to keep tabs on how my teammates are reacting to it.''
"We've been doing a pretty good job of staying focused,'' he said. "I've talked to them. From that standpoint, I don't think it's that difficult. If you didn't speak to them or kind of fill them in, it would get a little confusing.''
Bryant drew some boos during introductions before the Lakers' season-opening 95-93 loss to Houston on Tuesday, after calling the front office a mess and asking to be traded during the offseason. The jeers turned to cheers as Bryant scored 18 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback.
The trade deadline isn't until February, so it's possible talks between the Lakers and Bulls could resume.
"Who knows?'' Paxson said. "The reality is that right now, it's done.''
Paxson was concerned the issue would become a distraction, so he decided to put it to rest.
"I think today sends a message that our guys don't have to worry about anything right now,'' Paxson said.
Then again, coach Scott Skiles wondered: "What's resolving anything in all sports until the trading deadline?''
"Just because this rumor at some point dies down, does that mean another one's not going to crop up in two weeks?'' he asked. "It's ongoing, it's all the time. Now, this is one that involves a very, very high profile player, so I understand the extra attention on it.''
With the rumors swirling, Chicago played a flat first half and was just as bad at the end in losing the season opener 112-103 at New Jersey on Wednesday. Just about every Bull's name has surfaced in rumors, and Luol Deng acknowledged the Kobe questions are wearing on him.
"I am,'' he said when asked if he's annoyed by them. "But you guys want to get to the bottom of it so I've just got to keep answering your questions.''
Several issues stand in the way of a Bryant deal.
Bryant has a no-trade clause and can opt out in the summer 2009, although he has said he wouldn't mind playing in Chicago. Paxson does not want to gut his roster or part with Deng, who appeared to be on the verge of stardom last season.
Would Bryant want to go to a Bulls team without Deng?
And if there's no deal with Chicago, where does that leave the Lakers?
"Maybe having our cake and eating it, too,'' said coach Phil Jackson, speaking after word of Paxson's comments had reached the Lakers' facility. "Dr. (Jerry) Buss reiterated many, many times that we do not want to trade Kobe Bryant but we'll listen to any comments that come our way that would give us equal parity for him.''
Paxson and Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met with Bryant when he was a free agent in 2004. He wound up re-signing with the Lakers for seven years and $136.4 million, with that opt-out clause.
"He liked what he heard,'' Paxson said. "For that reason, he likes the Chicago Bulls, which is obviously flattering.''
But he apparently won't be joining them in the near future.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Mavericks douse Cavaliers' party
By Associated Press | November 1, 2007
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers raised a championship banner last night - and then flagged.Jason Terry made six 3-pointers and scored 24 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 15, and the Dallas Mavericks, whose NBA title pursuit last season ended with a stunning first-round exit against Golden State, opened 2007-08 with a 92-74 victory over the host Cavaliers.
"We got our behinds kicked," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "Dallas came in here and did what they wanted to do offensively and defensively."
The Mavericks held a foul-plagued James scoreless in the first half - and to 10 points overall - in an impressive debut.
Jerry Stackhouse added 17 points and Devin Harris 13 for Dallas.
James shot just 2 of 11 from the field, made five turnovers, and was mostly a nonfactor in the Cavaliers' most lopsided home loss since April 5, 2005.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 17 points and 18 rebounds for Cleveland, which before the game unfurled the franchise's first Eastern Conference championship banner.
"It's the first game. Hopefully, we can put it behind us," James said. "We didn't play well - at all. . . . We didn't do anything right. We didn't play hard. We didn't execute."
The Mavericks schooled the Cavaliers with ball movement, help defense, and a go-for-the-throat attitude from the start. Dallas led by 14 after one quarter, 20 at halftime, and built a 25-point advantage before the Cavaliers closed down the stretch.
The Mavericks rolled despite playing without All-Star swingman Josh Howard, serving a two-game suspension for his role in an altercation with Sacramento's Brad Miller in a preseason game.
Nuggets 120, SuperSonics 103 - Carmelo Anthony bottled up rookie Kevin Durant on defense, and showed him a move or two on offense, finished with 32 points to lead Seattle to a victory in Denver.
Durant's shot was off in his NBA debut, but he still scored 18 points (on 7-for-22 shooting) in 31 minutes.
Allen Iverson had 25 points and 14 assists, and Linas Kleiza chipped in 18 points and hit five 3-pointers for the Nuggets.
Pacers 119, Wizards 110 - Jamaal Tinsley scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, as Indiana beat visiting Washington to give coach Jim O'Brien a win in his Pacers debut.
Mike Dunleavy had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Danny Granger added 20 points and 13 boards for the Pacers.
Gilbert Arenas led Washington with 34 points, including a 3-pointer as time expired in regulation to force overtime.
Antawn Jamison had 27 points and 16 rebounds, Caron Butler had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Brendan Haywood added 10 points and 13 boards.
Nets 112, Bulls 103 - Antoine Wright scored 14 of his career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead host New Jersey over Chicago.
Richard Jefferson added 29 points and 10 rebounds, Vince Carter had 24 points and a big steal late, and Jason Kidd handed out 13 assists to lead the Nets to their 12th straight win over Chicago in New Jersey.
Hornets 104, Kings 90 - Chris Paul had 22 points and 12 assists, while Peja Stojakovic showed some of his All-Star form of old with 19 points to help host New Orleans beat Sacramento.
Spurs 104, Grizzlies 101 - Manu Ginobili scored 30 points, including the go-ahead basket with 32 seconds left, as visiting San Antonio moved to 2-0 by beating Memphis.
Raptors 106, 76ers 97 - Andrea Bargnani scored 20 points as Toronto began its defense of the Atlantic Division title with a victory over visiting Philadelphia.
Magic 102, Bucks 83 - Rashard Lewis scored 26 points and Hedo Turkoglu had 24 to lift Orlando over Milwaukee
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers raised a championship banner last night - and then flagged.Jason Terry made six 3-pointers and scored 24 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 15, and the Dallas Mavericks, whose NBA title pursuit last season ended with a stunning first-round exit against Golden State, opened 2007-08 with a 92-74 victory over the host Cavaliers.
"We got our behinds kicked," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "Dallas came in here and did what they wanted to do offensively and defensively."
The Mavericks held a foul-plagued James scoreless in the first half - and to 10 points overall - in an impressive debut.
Jerry Stackhouse added 17 points and Devin Harris 13 for Dallas.
James shot just 2 of 11 from the field, made five turnovers, and was mostly a nonfactor in the Cavaliers' most lopsided home loss since April 5, 2005.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 17 points and 18 rebounds for Cleveland, which before the game unfurled the franchise's first Eastern Conference championship banner.
"It's the first game. Hopefully, we can put it behind us," James said. "We didn't play well - at all. . . . We didn't do anything right. We didn't play hard. We didn't execute."
The Mavericks schooled the Cavaliers with ball movement, help defense, and a go-for-the-throat attitude from the start. Dallas led by 14 after one quarter, 20 at halftime, and built a 25-point advantage before the Cavaliers closed down the stretch.
The Mavericks rolled despite playing without All-Star swingman Josh Howard, serving a two-game suspension for his role in an altercation with Sacramento's Brad Miller in a preseason game.
Nuggets 120, SuperSonics 103 - Carmelo Anthony bottled up rookie Kevin Durant on defense, and showed him a move or two on offense, finished with 32 points to lead Seattle to a victory in Denver.
Durant's shot was off in his NBA debut, but he still scored 18 points (on 7-for-22 shooting) in 31 minutes.
Allen Iverson had 25 points and 14 assists, and Linas Kleiza chipped in 18 points and hit five 3-pointers for the Nuggets.
Pacers 119, Wizards 110 - Jamaal Tinsley scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, as Indiana beat visiting Washington to give coach Jim O'Brien a win in his Pacers debut.
Mike Dunleavy had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Danny Granger added 20 points and 13 boards for the Pacers.
Gilbert Arenas led Washington with 34 points, including a 3-pointer as time expired in regulation to force overtime.
Antawn Jamison had 27 points and 16 rebounds, Caron Butler had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Brendan Haywood added 10 points and 13 boards.
Nets 112, Bulls 103 - Antoine Wright scored 14 of his career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead host New Jersey over Chicago.
Richard Jefferson added 29 points and 10 rebounds, Vince Carter had 24 points and a big steal late, and Jason Kidd handed out 13 assists to lead the Nets to their 12th straight win over Chicago in New Jersey.
Hornets 104, Kings 90 - Chris Paul had 22 points and 12 assists, while Peja Stojakovic showed some of his All-Star form of old with 19 points to help host New Orleans beat Sacramento.
Spurs 104, Grizzlies 101 - Manu Ginobili scored 30 points, including the go-ahead basket with 32 seconds left, as visiting San Antonio moved to 2-0 by beating Memphis.
Raptors 106, 76ers 97 - Andrea Bargnani scored 20 points as Toronto began its defense of the Atlantic Division title with a victory over visiting Philadelphia.
Magic 102, Bucks 83 - Rashard Lewis scored 26 points and Hedo Turkoglu had 24 to lift Orlando over Milwaukee
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Trade has upside, potential pitfalls for Heat and T'wolves
By CHRIS PERKINS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 25, 2007
MIAMI — The Heat filled several deficiencies with one trade Wednesday when it acquired swingman Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount from Minnesota, and sent forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien, center Michael Doleac and a conditional first-round pick to the Timberwolves.
The major components of the deal are Davis and Walker, talented but sometimes troubled players, although neither is considered a bad seed.
Tom Heinsohn, the Hall of Famer, former coach and longtime television analyst of the Boston Celtics, has rare insight on the deal. He saw Walker, Davis and Blount on a nightly basis when each played for Boston. He said the trade reestablishes Miami as a favorite to win the Eastern Conference title, but added everything still rests on center Shaquille O'Neal.
"If Shaq isn't 100 percent they're going to struggle even with Ricky Davis and Dwyane Wade," Heinsohn said.
Heat President and coach Pat Riley was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Davis, a multitalented 10th-year player, likely will start at small forward for Miami, be the No. 3 scorer when guard Wade returns from off-season shoulder and knee surgeries, and serve as a three-point shooter. In addition, he's athletic, can play perimeter defense and occasionally play backup shooting guard. Each is a valuable role for the Heat.
Davis was with the Heat in the 2000-01 season but played just seven games. Last season he averaged 17 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Minnesota. He shot 46.5 percent from the field, including a career-best 39.7 percent on three-pointers. He has averaged 16.5 ppg in the past six seasons.
But Davis has served at least two team-imposed suspensions in the past five years because of his conduct and was involved in one of the NBA's most infamous plays in recent memory in 2003 when he tried to complete the first triple-double of his career in what many considered unethical fashion.
Davis, playing for Cleveland at the time, tried to intentionally shoot at the wrong basket so he could grab a rebound and attain his 10th board. Cleveland was leading Utah by 25 points at the time and only six seconds remained in the game. Utah guard DeShawn Stevenson, outraged by the act, wrapped his arms around Davis, preventing the attempted shot.
Said Davis: "They should be mad. Any team that gets beat that bad shouldn't be happy. But I wouldn't do it again. I just wouldn't."
This came a few months after Davis served a two-game suspension imposed by Cleveland coach John Lucas for "disciplinary reasons."
In January, Davis served a team-imposed one-game suspension after he refused to reenter Minnesota's 104-98 double overtime loss against Detroit.
"Ricky is very, very competitive if guided in the right direction," Heinsohn said.
But, Heinsohn warned, "If he feels like he's not part of what's going on he could rebel because he's a strong personality."
Walker, a multitalented 12th-year player, drew Riley's ire twice this year. He served a four-game suspension in January for being over the team-mandated body-fat limit and sat out at least one training-camp practice this month for the same infraction.
The Timberwolves say they aren't concerned.
"Pat's idea of conditioning and the rest of us, I think we're a little different," said Kevin McHale, Minnesota's vice president of basketball operations. "I'd say he's probably in pretty good shape."
Both teams made out OK salary-wise.
Blount, 31, averaged 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds last season but brings a big contract. He's due $7.6 million this year and $8.2 million next year. There's a player option for $8.8 million in 2009-10, meaning Blount could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent, but it's unlikely because he'd never get as much from another team.
Still, Blount should be an upgrade over Doleac as the No. 3 center behind O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning. And he'll slide in as O'Neal's primary backup when Mourning retires after this season, solving another Heat worry.
Davis will earn $6.8 million this season but he's in the final year of his deal.
Doleac's agent, Glenn Schwartzman, who is based in West Palm Beach, said his client is upbeat.
"It's been good," he said of Doleac's three seasons with the Heat. "When we first signed the deal three years ago he was brought in to be Shaq's backup. Obviously (with center Alonzo Mourning's return), his role has changed. I think he's excited to go to another place and play as a regular like he did his first year here."
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 25, 2007
MIAMI — The Heat filled several deficiencies with one trade Wednesday when it acquired swingman Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount from Minnesota, and sent forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien, center Michael Doleac and a conditional first-round pick to the Timberwolves.
The major components of the deal are Davis and Walker, talented but sometimes troubled players, although neither is considered a bad seed.
Tom Heinsohn, the Hall of Famer, former coach and longtime television analyst of the Boston Celtics, has rare insight on the deal. He saw Walker, Davis and Blount on a nightly basis when each played for Boston. He said the trade reestablishes Miami as a favorite to win the Eastern Conference title, but added everything still rests on center Shaquille O'Neal.
"If Shaq isn't 100 percent they're going to struggle even with Ricky Davis and Dwyane Wade," Heinsohn said.
Heat President and coach Pat Riley was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Davis, a multitalented 10th-year player, likely will start at small forward for Miami, be the No. 3 scorer when guard Wade returns from off-season shoulder and knee surgeries, and serve as a three-point shooter. In addition, he's athletic, can play perimeter defense and occasionally play backup shooting guard. Each is a valuable role for the Heat.
Davis was with the Heat in the 2000-01 season but played just seven games. Last season he averaged 17 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Minnesota. He shot 46.5 percent from the field, including a career-best 39.7 percent on three-pointers. He has averaged 16.5 ppg in the past six seasons.
But Davis has served at least two team-imposed suspensions in the past five years because of his conduct and was involved in one of the NBA's most infamous plays in recent memory in 2003 when he tried to complete the first triple-double of his career in what many considered unethical fashion.
Davis, playing for Cleveland at the time, tried to intentionally shoot at the wrong basket so he could grab a rebound and attain his 10th board. Cleveland was leading Utah by 25 points at the time and only six seconds remained in the game. Utah guard DeShawn Stevenson, outraged by the act, wrapped his arms around Davis, preventing the attempted shot.
Said Davis: "They should be mad. Any team that gets beat that bad shouldn't be happy. But I wouldn't do it again. I just wouldn't."
This came a few months after Davis served a two-game suspension imposed by Cleveland coach John Lucas for "disciplinary reasons."
In January, Davis served a team-imposed one-game suspension after he refused to reenter Minnesota's 104-98 double overtime loss against Detroit.
"Ricky is very, very competitive if guided in the right direction," Heinsohn said.
But, Heinsohn warned, "If he feels like he's not part of what's going on he could rebel because he's a strong personality."
Walker, a multitalented 12th-year player, drew Riley's ire twice this year. He served a four-game suspension in January for being over the team-mandated body-fat limit and sat out at least one training-camp practice this month for the same infraction.
The Timberwolves say they aren't concerned.
"Pat's idea of conditioning and the rest of us, I think we're a little different," said Kevin McHale, Minnesota's vice president of basketball operations. "I'd say he's probably in pretty good shape."
Both teams made out OK salary-wise.
Blount, 31, averaged 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds last season but brings a big contract. He's due $7.6 million this year and $8.2 million next year. There's a player option for $8.8 million in 2009-10, meaning Blount could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent, but it's unlikely because he'd never get as much from another team.
Still, Blount should be an upgrade over Doleac as the No. 3 center behind O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning. And he'll slide in as O'Neal's primary backup when Mourning retires after this season, solving another Heat worry.
Davis will earn $6.8 million this season but he's in the final year of his deal.
Doleac's agent, Glenn Schwartzman, who is based in West Palm Beach, said his client is upbeat.
"It's been good," he said of Doleac's three seasons with the Heat. "When we first signed the deal three years ago he was brought in to be Shaq's backup. Obviously (with center Alonzo Mourning's return), his role has changed. I think he's excited to go to another place and play as a regular like he did his first year here."
Kings G Mike Bibby out 6-8 weeks with injured thumb
October 27, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb.
Bibby was injured during Thursday's practice, and an MRI revealed the tear Friday night. The injury could sideline the point guard for two months or longer, the team said.
Bibby averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 assists last season while playing in all 82 games for the Kings, who missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons. The 10th-year pro, a former No. 2 overall draft pick, has been with Sacramento for the past six seasons, missing just two games over the previous four years.
Bibby played through a serious injury to his right thumb last season. With a tendon detached from the bone, he finished with the worst shooting percentage of his career.
The Kings already lost rookie center Spencer Hawes to a knee injury during training camp, and forward Ron Artest is suspended for the first seven games of the regular season after pleading no contest to a charge related to domestic violence.
Quincy Douby, a second-year pro from Rutgers, will take Bibby's place in the starting lineup. He scored 12 points while starting in the Kings' preseason finale in Las Vegas on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb.
Bibby was injured during Thursday's practice, and an MRI revealed the tear Friday night. The injury could sideline the point guard for two months or longer, the team said.
Bibby averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 assists last season while playing in all 82 games for the Kings, who missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons. The 10th-year pro, a former No. 2 overall draft pick, has been with Sacramento for the past six seasons, missing just two games over the previous four years.
Bibby played through a serious injury to his right thumb last season. With a tendon detached from the bone, he finished with the worst shooting percentage of his career.
The Kings already lost rookie center Spencer Hawes to a knee injury during training camp, and forward Ron Artest is suspended for the first seven games of the regular season after pleading no contest to a charge related to domestic violence.
Quincy Douby, a second-year pro from Rutgers, will take Bibby's place in the starting lineup. He scored 12 points while starting in the Kings' preseason finale in Las Vegas on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Griffin autopsy shows alcohol in system when hit by train
October 26, 2007
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former NBA player Eddie Griffin had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in his system when he crashed his sport utility vehicle into a moving train and died this summer, according to an autopsy report released Friday.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's office said the 25-year-old Griffin died of "multiple blunt force injuries." The medical examiner's office performed tests on Griffin's bile and blood from his heart and liver and determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
Tests found no traces of cocaine, amphetamines or any other narcotics.
The 6-foot-10 Griffin was killed about 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 17. His injuries from the fiery crash included two collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver and kidney, four broken ribs and burns over most of his body.
Griffin was born in Philadelphia and was considered one of the nation's top prospects coming out of Roman Catholic High School. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks as a freshman at Seton Hall, but he got into a fight with a teammate during the 2000-01 season, a sign of the problems to come.
He was drafted seventh overall in 2001 by New Jersey, and was immediately dealt to Houston. Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks over his first two seasons with the Rockets. In November 2003, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after a woman claiming to be his girlfriend accused him of punching her in the face and shooting a pistol at her car as she drove away.
Griffin missed practices and a team flight, and the Rockets suspended him, then cut him in December 2003. He quickly signed by the Nets, but he was soon jailed for a violation tied to the shooting incident and linked to a late-night fight at a New Jersey hotel.
Minnesota signed him for 2004-05 season. He occasionally put up big numbers with the Wolves, but also continued to find trouble off the court.
He pleaded guilty early in the 2006-07 season after hitting a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis. He was later suspended by the NBA for five games in January for violating the anti-drug program and the Wolves cut him in March 2007.
Griffin was living in Houston at the time of his death and talked about making a professional comeback only weeks before the fatal crash.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former NBA player Eddie Griffin had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in his system when he crashed his sport utility vehicle into a moving train and died this summer, according to an autopsy report released Friday.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's office said the 25-year-old Griffin died of "multiple blunt force injuries." The medical examiner's office performed tests on Griffin's bile and blood from his heart and liver and determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
Tests found no traces of cocaine, amphetamines or any other narcotics.
The 6-foot-10 Griffin was killed about 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 17. His injuries from the fiery crash included two collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver and kidney, four broken ribs and burns over most of his body.
Griffin was born in Philadelphia and was considered one of the nation's top prospects coming out of Roman Catholic High School. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks as a freshman at Seton Hall, but he got into a fight with a teammate during the 2000-01 season, a sign of the problems to come.
He was drafted seventh overall in 2001 by New Jersey, and was immediately dealt to Houston. Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks over his first two seasons with the Rockets. In November 2003, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after a woman claiming to be his girlfriend accused him of punching her in the face and shooting a pistol at her car as she drove away.
Griffin missed practices and a team flight, and the Rockets suspended him, then cut him in December 2003. He quickly signed by the Nets, but he was soon jailed for a violation tied to the shooting incident and linked to a late-night fight at a New Jersey hotel.
Minnesota signed him for 2004-05 season. He occasionally put up big numbers with the Wolves, but also continued to find trouble off the court.
He pleaded guilty early in the 2006-07 season after hitting a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis. He was later suspended by the NBA for five games in January for violating the anti-drug program and the Wolves cut him in March 2007.
Griffin was living in Houston at the time of his death and talked about making a professional comeback only weeks before the fatal crash.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Houston ends comeback attempt with Knicks
NEW YORK (AP) -- Allan Houston ended his comeback attempt with the New York Knicks on Saturday, saving Isiah Thomas from possibly having to cut one of the top scorers in franchise history.
Houston rejoined his former team late last week, two years after he was forced to retire because of chronic knee pain. However, the Knicks already had the maximum 15 players under contract, and Thomas said he only gave the 36-year-old guard an invite to camp because of his history in New York.
Houston's chances were even slimmer because he didn't join the team until 10 days after practices began. He cited the timing issue in his decision to walk away again.
"While my body and my knees, in particular, feel fine, I know what is required for me to be truly effective in the NBA again, and it involves a timing and progression that would not be fair to Isiah and the Knicks right now," Houston said in a statement released by the Knicks. "With the season opening less than two weeks away, I think it is best for the team to move on without me. I appreciate the opportunity that Isiah and the Knicks have given me, and I wish the team nothing but success."
Houston played only six minutes in his lone preseason appearance Wednesday at Boston, then sat out a game at New Jersey the next night.
Houston spent nine seasons with the Knicks and is fourth on the team's career scoring list. He said upon his return that he didn't think he would try to latch on with another team if he didn't stick with the Knicks.
Houston rejoined his former team late last week, two years after he was forced to retire because of chronic knee pain. However, the Knicks already had the maximum 15 players under contract, and Thomas said he only gave the 36-year-old guard an invite to camp because of his history in New York.
Houston's chances were even slimmer because he didn't join the team until 10 days after practices began. He cited the timing issue in his decision to walk away again.
"While my body and my knees, in particular, feel fine, I know what is required for me to be truly effective in the NBA again, and it involves a timing and progression that would not be fair to Isiah and the Knicks right now," Houston said in a statement released by the Knicks. "With the season opening less than two weeks away, I think it is best for the team to move on without me. I appreciate the opportunity that Isiah and the Knicks have given me, and I wish the team nothing but success."
Houston played only six minutes in his lone preseason appearance Wednesday at Boston, then sat out a game at New Jersey the next night.
Houston spent nine seasons with the Knicks and is fourth on the team's career scoring list. He said upon his return that he didn't think he would try to latch on with another team if he didn't stick with the Knicks.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Jason Kidd Accused Of Grabbing Women's Crotch In Club - NYDaily News
Jason Kidd's idea that he can do whatever he wants to women has not ended, it seems.
Model claims Jason Kidd molested her in club
BY MIKE JACCARINO, ALISON GENDAR and TINA MOORE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Thursday, October 18th 2007, 8:40 AM
A 23-year-old aspiring model who came to the city to find fame has instead found herself embroiled in a scandal with a big-time sports star.
The woman told cops New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd groped her crotch at a Manhattan club on Oct. 10 and then grabbed her a second time when she complained, a police source said.
"This is a young girl and she is very shaken by this, and I have to let the justice system run its course," said the woman's lawyer, Russell Adler. "The DA is working on the case right now."
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office said she could not confirm whether her office was investigating. Adler, of Fort Lauderdale, refused to provide further details about his client's allegations.
"This isn't a regular person," Adler said of Kidd. "This is a basketball player, so you have to be very careful."
The complaint says Kidd was partying at club Tenjune on Little West 12th St. when he walked up to the woman and grabbed her crotch at about 2:30 a.m., a police source said.
The woman said she and Kidd got into an argument and he grabbed her a second time, the source said. Bouncers broke up the spat. Kidd was not ejected from the club, the source said.
The woman filed a complaint against the NBA All-Star the following day, the source said. The Daily News does not publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
A police source said cops hadn't talked to Kidd as of yesterday afternoon.
Kidd has had a stormy relationship with his ex-wife, Joumana Kidd, for years. Kidd pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence incident six years ago while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
In January 2001, Kidd was arrested after his wife alleged that he slapped her in the face during an argument.
Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger-management training.
He claimed in divorce papers earlier this year to be the victim of spousal abuse himself. The filing came a day after a court issued him a temporary restraining order against her.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Model claims Jason Kidd molested her in club
BY MIKE JACCARINO, ALISON GENDAR and TINA MOORE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Thursday, October 18th 2007, 8:40 AM
A 23-year-old aspiring model who came to the city to find fame has instead found herself embroiled in a scandal with a big-time sports star.
The woman told cops New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd groped her crotch at a Manhattan club on Oct. 10 and then grabbed her a second time when she complained, a police source said.
"This is a young girl and she is very shaken by this, and I have to let the justice system run its course," said the woman's lawyer, Russell Adler. "The DA is working on the case right now."
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office said she could not confirm whether her office was investigating. Adler, of Fort Lauderdale, refused to provide further details about his client's allegations.
"This isn't a regular person," Adler said of Kidd. "This is a basketball player, so you have to be very careful."
The complaint says Kidd was partying at club Tenjune on Little West 12th St. when he walked up to the woman and grabbed her crotch at about 2:30 a.m., a police source said.
The woman said she and Kidd got into an argument and he grabbed her a second time, the source said. Bouncers broke up the spat. Kidd was not ejected from the club, the source said.
The woman filed a complaint against the NBA All-Star the following day, the source said. The Daily News does not publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
A police source said cops hadn't talked to Kidd as of yesterday afternoon.
Kidd has had a stormy relationship with his ex-wife, Joumana Kidd, for years. Kidd pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence incident six years ago while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
In January 2001, Kidd was arrested after his wife alleged that he slapped her in the face during an argument.
Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger-management training.
He claimed in divorce papers earlier this year to be the victim of spousal abuse himself. The filing came a day after a court issued him a temporary restraining order against her.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
LeBron James Looms Large in Shanghai for NBA and Nike
By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer
Posted Oct 16 2007 6:07PM
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 16 (AP) -- LeBron James looms large in Shanghai.
He hovers over a basket in billboards around the city leading to Wednesday's NBA exhibition game between his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic and another game Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau.
"For me, growing up, I never thought about having a billboard anywhere,'' James said Tuesday, slipping off a white NBA headband and replacing it with a Cleveland Indians cap.
"You see them (billboards) locally, and then you start seeing them a little bit nationwide. And now worldwide. It's like, wow. It's like extra credit. It's unbelievable. You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don't even live.''
James' shoe sponsor converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom. Dubbed the "LBJ Museum,'' the promotion this week includes a freshly shellacked basketball court, aimed at pitching James in China, where 300 million people - the population of the United States - play basketball.
Nike also unveiled the latest version of James' signature shoe on Tuesday. It's the second time it's picked China - ahead of the U.S. - to show off James' newest offering. The "limited edition'' shoe was selling Tuesday for almost $200.
Nike's newest TV spot featuring James also kicked off this week in China, several weeks ahead of its U.S. premiere.
James is a hot property in basketball's most dynamic marketplace. And the NBA and Nike know it, both looking toward next year's Beijing Olympics, where James would surely capture world attention if he leads the beleaguered American basketball team to a gold medal.
Several hundred Chinese reporters and photographers showed up for Tuesday's practice at the Lu Wan Stadium. They engulfed James at the far end of the floor when he stopped shooting. He squatted on a low-slung bench, back against the wall, and stared up to answer questions, cutting deep furrows across his forehead.
"Every time I'm here it's the same response: It's great, the fans love us, the kids are great,'' James said. "The spirit the Chinese have for the game of basketball is great. Nothing surprises me now.''
He was asked whether the Cavaliers will reach the NBA finals again and the pressures facing him as another season awaits.
"I don't believe in pressure,'' he said. "So it's not hard to reduce it when you don't believe in it.''
James is one of the four most popular NBA players in China. Kobe Bryantis probably No. 1, with China-born Yao Ming, James and Allen Iverson jousting for the next spots. At 22, James is the youngest and - get this - might be more popular than Yao.
"The Chinese are looking for individual heroes,'' said Huang Risheng, a reporter with the Chinese-language Titan sports newspaper. "We are not open enough, not extroverted enough. We like the individual effort, just one man saving the whole team like James.''
"I think those three are more popular than Yao Ming. It's a contradiction. Maybe I should say we like their style of play better.''
Like the NBA, Nike's business is soaring in China. The country could generate $1 billion next year, up from about $100 million just five years ago. The NBA's does about $50 million annually and should follow Nike's growth pattern.
Nike has fashioned the preseason games in China around James, who reportedly has a seven-year deal with the shoemaker worth $90 million. Shoe rival Adidas is also promoting the games, stringing up its ads on Huaihai Road, a swanky street that includes many of the city's high-end boutiques.
Adidas' main star is the Magic's Dwight Howard, whose thundering dunks carry the company's pitch.
Nike doesn't liken James to Michael Jordan, but others have. That included at least one Chinese reporter.
"It's great to be compared to one of the greats, but my game and his game are totally different,'' James said.
The "LBJ Museum'' - it's unclear how many people recognize the initials as those of a former U.S. president - is aimed at drawing young fans. It is located near the historic French Concession area in central Shanghai. The museum offers 3-on-3 games in the run-up to this week's exhibitions and introduces James with childhood photos, jerseys from high school and shoes he's worn with Nike.
There's also a history of his NBA career starting with a photo alongside NBA commissioner David Stern from June 22, 2003, when James was chosen No. 1 in the draft.
"The idea is to help Chinese youth understand who he is, his career, his history and his personality,'' Nike spokesman Alan Marks said.
The museum also displays a copy of James' birth certificate: Dec. 30, 1984, born in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria James.
"For the first years of his life LeBron is raised by his mother and grandmother, Freda, on Hickory Street in Akron,'' reads a caption. "A milk crate hung on a telephone pole serves as the neighborhood basketball hoop attached by a few nails at whatever height the tallest available boy can reach.''
Teammate Drew Gooden said James' popularity hinges not on charm or athletic skill but on being genuine and delivering.
"He came into the league as a superstar, but for him to fill those shoes makes it all that much better,'' Gooden said. "When you live up to the hype people respect that, especially fans.''
That includes Chinese fans.
Posted Oct 16 2007 6:07PM
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 16 (AP) -- LeBron James looms large in Shanghai.
He hovers over a basket in billboards around the city leading to Wednesday's NBA exhibition game between his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic and another game Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau.
"For me, growing up, I never thought about having a billboard anywhere,'' James said Tuesday, slipping off a white NBA headband and replacing it with a Cleveland Indians cap.
"You see them (billboards) locally, and then you start seeing them a little bit nationwide. And now worldwide. It's like, wow. It's like extra credit. It's unbelievable. You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don't even live.''
James' shoe sponsor converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom. Dubbed the "LBJ Museum,'' the promotion this week includes a freshly shellacked basketball court, aimed at pitching James in China, where 300 million people - the population of the United States - play basketball.
Nike also unveiled the latest version of James' signature shoe on Tuesday. It's the second time it's picked China - ahead of the U.S. - to show off James' newest offering. The "limited edition'' shoe was selling Tuesday for almost $200.
Nike's newest TV spot featuring James also kicked off this week in China, several weeks ahead of its U.S. premiere.
James is a hot property in basketball's most dynamic marketplace. And the NBA and Nike know it, both looking toward next year's Beijing Olympics, where James would surely capture world attention if he leads the beleaguered American basketball team to a gold medal.
Several hundred Chinese reporters and photographers showed up for Tuesday's practice at the Lu Wan Stadium. They engulfed James at the far end of the floor when he stopped shooting. He squatted on a low-slung bench, back against the wall, and stared up to answer questions, cutting deep furrows across his forehead.
"Every time I'm here it's the same response: It's great, the fans love us, the kids are great,'' James said. "The spirit the Chinese have for the game of basketball is great. Nothing surprises me now.''
He was asked whether the Cavaliers will reach the NBA finals again and the pressures facing him as another season awaits.
"I don't believe in pressure,'' he said. "So it's not hard to reduce it when you don't believe in it.''
James is one of the four most popular NBA players in China. Kobe Bryantis probably No. 1, with China-born Yao Ming, James and Allen Iverson jousting for the next spots. At 22, James is the youngest and - get this - might be more popular than Yao.
"The Chinese are looking for individual heroes,'' said Huang Risheng, a reporter with the Chinese-language Titan sports newspaper. "We are not open enough, not extroverted enough. We like the individual effort, just one man saving the whole team like James.''
"I think those three are more popular than Yao Ming. It's a contradiction. Maybe I should say we like their style of play better.''
Like the NBA, Nike's business is soaring in China. The country could generate $1 billion next year, up from about $100 million just five years ago. The NBA's does about $50 million annually and should follow Nike's growth pattern.
Nike has fashioned the preseason games in China around James, who reportedly has a seven-year deal with the shoemaker worth $90 million. Shoe rival Adidas is also promoting the games, stringing up its ads on Huaihai Road, a swanky street that includes many of the city's high-end boutiques.
Adidas' main star is the Magic's Dwight Howard, whose thundering dunks carry the company's pitch.
Nike doesn't liken James to Michael Jordan, but others have. That included at least one Chinese reporter.
"It's great to be compared to one of the greats, but my game and his game are totally different,'' James said.
The "LBJ Museum'' - it's unclear how many people recognize the initials as those of a former U.S. president - is aimed at drawing young fans. It is located near the historic French Concession area in central Shanghai. The museum offers 3-on-3 games in the run-up to this week's exhibitions and introduces James with childhood photos, jerseys from high school and shoes he's worn with Nike.
There's also a history of his NBA career starting with a photo alongside NBA commissioner David Stern from June 22, 2003, when James was chosen No. 1 in the draft.
"The idea is to help Chinese youth understand who he is, his career, his history and his personality,'' Nike spokesman Alan Marks said.
The museum also displays a copy of James' birth certificate: Dec. 30, 1984, born in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria James.
"For the first years of his life LeBron is raised by his mother and grandmother, Freda, on Hickory Street in Akron,'' reads a caption. "A milk crate hung on a telephone pole serves as the neighborhood basketball hoop attached by a few nails at whatever height the tallest available boy can reach.''
Teammate Drew Gooden said James' popularity hinges not on charm or athletic skill but on being genuine and delivering.
"He came into the league as a superstar, but for him to fill those shoes makes it all that much better,'' Gooden said. "When you live up to the hype people respect that, especially fans.''
That includes Chinese fans.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Lakers owner Jerry Buss says he'd consider trading Kobe Bryant
October 12, 2007
AP - Oct 12, 12:52 am EDT
HONOLULU (AP) -- Jerry Buss has already shown that he'll part with superstars. Yet upon hearing that the Los Angeles Lakers' owner would consider trading Kobe Bryant, even Shaquille O'Neal was shocked.
"I guess it's business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?" O'Neal said Thursday in Miami after learning Buss told reporters he would trade Bryant under the right circumstances.
Buss indeed did, telling three Los Angeles-area beat writers covering training camp in Honolulu on Wednesday that he "would certainly listen" to trade offers for the two-time NBA scoring champion.
"At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody," Buss said, discussing Bryant publicly for the first time since the often-frustrated Lakers' star asked to be traded at the end of last season. "It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit.
"You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."
Buss made his comments to reporters from the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Before Thursday night's exhibition game against Golden State in Honolulu, some members of the Lakers said they weren't aware of Buss' comments.
"I didn't hear them," Lamar Odom said. "For us, we're players so, you know, I didn't hear the comments myself so I wouldn't know why there would be a different mood or a different feeling at shootaround today."
Forward Ronny Turiaf agreed that the reports did little to affect the team.
"We just play basketball. I really have nothing to say, that's between Kobe and management," he said.
The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA finals four times in five years before O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left, and O'Neal has since helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title.
"Anyone can be traded, but mine was different because I walked into the office and demanded a trade," O'Neal said. "I don't take loyalty lightly. If you tell me you're going to do something, I expect you to do it. And then when you change your mind without telling me, that means you're disloyal so we can't be down anymore."
Bryant has four years worth $88.6 million left on the seven-year contract he signed a day after O'Neal was traded, but can terminate the deal in two years. That would leave $47.8 million on the table.
"I tend not to think in basketball terms that many years down the road because things change so dramatically, but he could test the waters at that point," Buss said. "If he still is in that frame of mind, then hopefully we can do a sign-and-trade and get some comparable talent. I would like to think that we win between now and then so it doesn't come up."
Following his trade request, Bryant kept a low profile regarding the Lakers until reporting with his teammates Oct. 1 on media day -- before the team left for Hawaii. Bryant told reporters that frustration led to his blowup. Otherwise, he said the time had come to move forward.
Buss recalled an offseason meeting in Barcelona when he tried to talk Bryant out of the trade request.
"He listened very carefully for 30, 45 minutes," Buss said. "I tried to explain to him how much the city of Los Angeles loved him, and that to leave 10 million sweethearts for unknown territory might not be the right thing to do. But when I was finished, he said he basically felt the same way. And I said, `OK. With that, I will proceed to see what's available."'
Buss didn't elaborate other than saying he might have acted on a trade offer that was "within reason."
"You have to get comparable value when you make a trade," Buss said. "It's very hard to trade somebody like him because people who have enough material to make it worthwhile are usually contenders and they don't want to make the trade."
Buss also said he occasionally told Bryant of certain offers, none of which he found fair to the Lakers, and acknowledged frustration at losing out to Boston for Kevin Garnett's services.
"I told him that I would try my best to accommodate his wishes, but that I could not afford to let him go unless we got comparable talent -- if there was such a thing," Buss said.
The 29-year-old Bryant is about to begin his 12th NBA season -- all with the Lakers.
"Dr. Buss's comments today provided more insight to a conversation we shared in Barcelona earlier this summer," Bryant said in a statement issued Thursday. "I have touched on this conversation and other conversations within the Lakers' organization during the recent months and again at the Lakers' media day. I have nothing further to add and look forward to the upcoming season with my teammates."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said if Kobe stays, he must put the distractions aside.
"My message to Kobe was that if you could play with your heart in this game, on this team, you'll be fine. If you can't, if you have divided loyalties, then you can't do it."
When asked if Bryant is focused, Jackson said, "No, he's not. He's distracted, obviously."
However, Jackson acknowledged Buss must keep to his word to Bryant.
"His first initial statement was that we're not interested in trading Kobe Bryant, but when you have a disgruntled player, an unhappy player or whatever, you have to consider you made that gentlemen's agreement with Kobe and I think that's appropriate," Jackson said.
AP - Oct 12, 12:52 am EDT
HONOLULU (AP) -- Jerry Buss has already shown that he'll part with superstars. Yet upon hearing that the Los Angeles Lakers' owner would consider trading Kobe Bryant, even Shaquille O'Neal was shocked.
"I guess it's business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?" O'Neal said Thursday in Miami after learning Buss told reporters he would trade Bryant under the right circumstances.
Buss indeed did, telling three Los Angeles-area beat writers covering training camp in Honolulu on Wednesday that he "would certainly listen" to trade offers for the two-time NBA scoring champion.
"At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody," Buss said, discussing Bryant publicly for the first time since the often-frustrated Lakers' star asked to be traded at the end of last season. "It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit.
"You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."
Buss made his comments to reporters from the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Before Thursday night's exhibition game against Golden State in Honolulu, some members of the Lakers said they weren't aware of Buss' comments.
"I didn't hear them," Lamar Odom said. "For us, we're players so, you know, I didn't hear the comments myself so I wouldn't know why there would be a different mood or a different feeling at shootaround today."
Forward Ronny Turiaf agreed that the reports did little to affect the team.
"We just play basketball. I really have nothing to say, that's between Kobe and management," he said.
The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA finals four times in five years before O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left, and O'Neal has since helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title.
"Anyone can be traded, but mine was different because I walked into the office and demanded a trade," O'Neal said. "I don't take loyalty lightly. If you tell me you're going to do something, I expect you to do it. And then when you change your mind without telling me, that means you're disloyal so we can't be down anymore."
Bryant has four years worth $88.6 million left on the seven-year contract he signed a day after O'Neal was traded, but can terminate the deal in two years. That would leave $47.8 million on the table.
"I tend not to think in basketball terms that many years down the road because things change so dramatically, but he could test the waters at that point," Buss said. "If he still is in that frame of mind, then hopefully we can do a sign-and-trade and get some comparable talent. I would like to think that we win between now and then so it doesn't come up."
Following his trade request, Bryant kept a low profile regarding the Lakers until reporting with his teammates Oct. 1 on media day -- before the team left for Hawaii. Bryant told reporters that frustration led to his blowup. Otherwise, he said the time had come to move forward.
Buss recalled an offseason meeting in Barcelona when he tried to talk Bryant out of the trade request.
"He listened very carefully for 30, 45 minutes," Buss said. "I tried to explain to him how much the city of Los Angeles loved him, and that to leave 10 million sweethearts for unknown territory might not be the right thing to do. But when I was finished, he said he basically felt the same way. And I said, `OK. With that, I will proceed to see what's available."'
Buss didn't elaborate other than saying he might have acted on a trade offer that was "within reason."
"You have to get comparable value when you make a trade," Buss said. "It's very hard to trade somebody like him because people who have enough material to make it worthwhile are usually contenders and they don't want to make the trade."
Buss also said he occasionally told Bryant of certain offers, none of which he found fair to the Lakers, and acknowledged frustration at losing out to Boston for Kevin Garnett's services.
"I told him that I would try my best to accommodate his wishes, but that I could not afford to let him go unless we got comparable talent -- if there was such a thing," Buss said.
The 29-year-old Bryant is about to begin his 12th NBA season -- all with the Lakers.
"Dr. Buss's comments today provided more insight to a conversation we shared in Barcelona earlier this summer," Bryant said in a statement issued Thursday. "I have touched on this conversation and other conversations within the Lakers' organization during the recent months and again at the Lakers' media day. I have nothing further to add and look forward to the upcoming season with my teammates."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said if Kobe stays, he must put the distractions aside.
"My message to Kobe was that if you could play with your heart in this game, on this team, you'll be fine. If you can't, if you have divided loyalties, then you can't do it."
When asked if Bryant is focused, Jackson said, "No, he's not. He's distracted, obviously."
However, Jackson acknowledged Buss must keep to his word to Bryant.
"His first initial statement was that we're not interested in trading Kobe Bryant, but when you have a disgruntled player, an unhappy player or whatever, you have to consider you made that gentlemen's agreement with Kobe and I think that's appropriate," Jackson said.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Lakers Star Arrested In Georgia DUI Incident
Problems continue to mount for the troubled Lakers center. If he was so active and involved on the court as he has been off the court his team would be in a much more productive situation.
VALDOSTA, Ga. -- Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown faces misdemeanor charges in south Georgia following a weekend incident in which his cousin was charged with driving under the influence.
Valdosta Police Department Lieutenant Bobbi McGraw says police pulled over Charles Warren Junior early Saturday morning for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. McGrawn says officers began questioning Warren about the strong smell of alcohol in his vehicle.
McGraw says Brown approached the officers and told them he was Warren's cousin and that the vehicle belonged to the basketball player.
McGraw says Brown became disruptive and tried to interfere with the officers' investigation, which led to his arrest. Police charged Brown with disorderly conduct and inferring with an officer after his cousin was charged with DUI.
The 25-year-old Brown was released shortly after his arrest. McGraw says jail officials had no record of how much he paid in bond.
Brown attended Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga. and was the High School Player of the Year his senior year. He was set to play for the University of Florida, but decided to go directly to the NBA after high school in 2001.
Lakers officials told the Los Angeles Times they are aware of the charges but declined to comment further.
Brown, the top draft pick in 2001, was accused of sexual assault in May 2006 by a college student, but prosecutors rejected the case because of a lack of evidence.
Copyright 2007 by WSBTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
VALDOSTA, Ga. -- Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown faces misdemeanor charges in south Georgia following a weekend incident in which his cousin was charged with driving under the influence.
Valdosta Police Department Lieutenant Bobbi McGraw says police pulled over Charles Warren Junior early Saturday morning for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. McGrawn says officers began questioning Warren about the strong smell of alcohol in his vehicle.
McGraw says Brown approached the officers and told them he was Warren's cousin and that the vehicle belonged to the basketball player.
McGraw says Brown became disruptive and tried to interfere with the officers' investigation, which led to his arrest. Police charged Brown with disorderly conduct and inferring with an officer after his cousin was charged with DUI.
The 25-year-old Brown was released shortly after his arrest. McGraw says jail officials had no record of how much he paid in bond.
Brown attended Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga. and was the High School Player of the Year his senior year. He was set to play for the University of Florida, but decided to go directly to the NBA after high school in 2001.
Lakers officials told the Los Angeles Times they are aware of the charges but declined to comment further.
Brown, the top draft pick in 2001, was accused of sexual assault in May 2006 by a college student, but prosecutors rejected the case because of a lack of evidence.
Copyright 2007 by WSBTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Jury: Isiah Thomas harassed executive, but the team should pay
Isiah Thomas is a complete disgrace and embarrassment to the Knicks organizations and should be relieved of his duties immediately.
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
October 2, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an end to a salacious three-week trial, a jury ordered the owners of the New York Knicks to pay $11.6 million to a former team executive who endured crude insults and unwanted advances from coach Isiah Thomas.
The jury of four women and three men found Thomas and Madison Square Garden sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders, but it decided only MSG and chairman James Dolan should pay for harassing and firing Browne Sanders from her $260,000-a-year job out of spite.
The result: The Garden owes $6 million for condoning a hostile work environment and $2.6 million for retaliation. Dolan owes $3 million. Though Thomas is off the hook for any damages, he leaves the case with a tarnished image.
Outside court, a beaming Browne Sanders insisted her victory was more about sending a message than the money.
"What I did here, I did for every working woman in America," she said. "And that includes everyone who gets up and goes to work in the morning, everyone working in a corporate environment."
Earlier, Thomas emerged from the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan with his trademark smile but flashed anger as he reasserted his innocence amid a crush of reporters and cameras.
"I'm extremely disappointed that the jury did not see the facts in this case," he said. "I will appeal this, and I remain confident in the man that I am and what I stand for and the family that I have."
MSG said it will appeal, also denying wrongdoing in a case widely viewed as a public relations disaster for a franchise struggling to regain credibility. The team hasn't won a playoff game since Thomas was signed as president in December 2003 and has wasted millions this decade on a series of free-agent busts.
The verdict also amounts to another blemish on the resume of Thomas, a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another.
Jurors, who needed roughly two days to decide on the allegations but only about an hour to determine damages, declined to talk about the verdict or how they came to their decision.
In a lawsuit filed last January, the 44-year-old Browne Sanders sought $10 million in punitive damages, but the jury was free to deviate from that figure. The verdict also means the judge will determine and award compensatory damages in the coming weeks.
The harassment verdict was expected after the jury sent a note to the judge Monday indicating it believed Thomas, the Garden and Dolan sexually harassed Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former vice president for marketing.
The jurors had heard Browne Sanders testify that Thomas, after arriving as new team president, routinely addressed her as "bitch" and "ho" in outbursts over marketing commitments. He later did an abrupt about-face, declaring his love and suggesting an "off-site" liaison, she said.
Thomas, while admitting to using foul language around the plaintiff, insisted he never directed it toward her.
Degrading a woman in the workplace "is never OK," said Thomas, a married father of two. "It is never appropriate."
Dolan and a string of other executives also took the witness stand to deny they tolerated or witnessed sexual harassment. They testified Browne Sanders was fired because she was incompetent on budget matters, and because she later sought to undermine an internal inquiry into her allegations against Thomas.
The trial also made headlines with its testimony about an admitted tryst involving star Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and an MSG intern, an encounter the plaintiffs' attorneys argued demonstrated the organization's frat house mentality.
At the Knicks training camp in South Carolina on Tuesday, Marbury and other players said it was time for the team to move past the off-court controversy. Thomas was expected to arrive Wednesday.
"It's a tough situation and the only thing we can do now is go forward," Marbury said.
Forward Malik Rose predicted the team would rally behind Dolan and Thomas.
"We all know what kind of guy 'Mr. D' is," he said before the jury awarded punitive damages.
"We all know what kind of guy Isiah is and how they treat us. I'm sure all you guys agree this is a first-class organization."
MSG is owned by Cablevision Systems Corp., based in Bethpage, N.Y., and Dolan is Cablevision's CEO. Shares fell 35 cents, or 1 percent, to $34.71 in afternoon trading.
Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister in New York and Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C. contributed to this report.
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
October 2, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an end to a salacious three-week trial, a jury ordered the owners of the New York Knicks to pay $11.6 million to a former team executive who endured crude insults and unwanted advances from coach Isiah Thomas.
The jury of four women and three men found Thomas and Madison Square Garden sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders, but it decided only MSG and chairman James Dolan should pay for harassing and firing Browne Sanders from her $260,000-a-year job out of spite.
The result: The Garden owes $6 million for condoning a hostile work environment and $2.6 million for retaliation. Dolan owes $3 million. Though Thomas is off the hook for any damages, he leaves the case with a tarnished image.
Outside court, a beaming Browne Sanders insisted her victory was more about sending a message than the money.
"What I did here, I did for every working woman in America," she said. "And that includes everyone who gets up and goes to work in the morning, everyone working in a corporate environment."
Earlier, Thomas emerged from the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan with his trademark smile but flashed anger as he reasserted his innocence amid a crush of reporters and cameras.
"I'm extremely disappointed that the jury did not see the facts in this case," he said. "I will appeal this, and I remain confident in the man that I am and what I stand for and the family that I have."
MSG said it will appeal, also denying wrongdoing in a case widely viewed as a public relations disaster for a franchise struggling to regain credibility. The team hasn't won a playoff game since Thomas was signed as president in December 2003 and has wasted millions this decade on a series of free-agent busts.
The verdict also amounts to another blemish on the resume of Thomas, a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another.
Jurors, who needed roughly two days to decide on the allegations but only about an hour to determine damages, declined to talk about the verdict or how they came to their decision.
In a lawsuit filed last January, the 44-year-old Browne Sanders sought $10 million in punitive damages, but the jury was free to deviate from that figure. The verdict also means the judge will determine and award compensatory damages in the coming weeks.
The harassment verdict was expected after the jury sent a note to the judge Monday indicating it believed Thomas, the Garden and Dolan sexually harassed Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former vice president for marketing.
The jurors had heard Browne Sanders testify that Thomas, after arriving as new team president, routinely addressed her as "bitch" and "ho" in outbursts over marketing commitments. He later did an abrupt about-face, declaring his love and suggesting an "off-site" liaison, she said.
Thomas, while admitting to using foul language around the plaintiff, insisted he never directed it toward her.
Degrading a woman in the workplace "is never OK," said Thomas, a married father of two. "It is never appropriate."
Dolan and a string of other executives also took the witness stand to deny they tolerated or witnessed sexual harassment. They testified Browne Sanders was fired because she was incompetent on budget matters, and because she later sought to undermine an internal inquiry into her allegations against Thomas.
The trial also made headlines with its testimony about an admitted tryst involving star Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and an MSG intern, an encounter the plaintiffs' attorneys argued demonstrated the organization's frat house mentality.
At the Knicks training camp in South Carolina on Tuesday, Marbury and other players said it was time for the team to move past the off-court controversy. Thomas was expected to arrive Wednesday.
"It's a tough situation and the only thing we can do now is go forward," Marbury said.
Forward Malik Rose predicted the team would rally behind Dolan and Thomas.
"We all know what kind of guy 'Mr. D' is," he said before the jury awarded punitive damages.
"We all know what kind of guy Isiah is and how they treat us. I'm sure all you guys agree this is a first-class organization."
MSG is owned by Cablevision Systems Corp., based in Bethpage, N.Y., and Dolan is Cablevision's CEO. Shares fell 35 cents, or 1 percent, to $34.71 in afternoon trading.
Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister in New York and Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C. contributed to this report.
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