Tuesday, 30 July 2013

The First Basket in NBA History!

Posted by Unknown on 14:09 with No comments

On November 1, 1947, during the inaugural game played between the New York Knickerbockers and Toronto Huskies, Ossie Schectman of the Knicks scored the first points ever in NBA history.

About the NBA:
The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. The league is truly global, with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, as well as rosters that currently feature 85 international players from 36 countries and territories. For the 2012-13 season, each of the league's 30 teams will play 82 regular-season games, followed by a postseason for those that qualify.

The NBA consists of the following teams: Atlanta Hawks; Boston Celtics; Brooklyn Nets; Charlotte Bobcats; Chicago Bulls; Cleveland Cavaliers; Dallas Mavericks; Denver Nuggets; Detroit Pistons; Golden State Warriors; Houston Rockets; Indiana Pacers; Los Angeles Clippers; Los Angeles Lakers; Memphis Grizzlies; Miami Heat; Milwaukee Bucks; Minnesota Timberwolves; New Orleans Hornets; New York Knicks; Oklahoma City Thunder; Orlando Magic; Philadelphia 76ers; Phoenix Suns; Portland Trail Blazers; Sacramento Kings; San Antonio Spurs; Toronto Raptors; Utah Jazz; Washington Wizards.

The NBA offers real time access to live regular season NBA games with a subscription to NBA LEAGUE PASS, available globally for TV, broadband, and mobile. Real-time Stats, Scores, Highlights and more are available to fans on web and mobile with NBA Game Time.

Derrick Rose!

Posted by Unknown on 09:13 with No comments

While the entire city of Chicago was hanging on every modicum of hope that Derrick Rose would return during the Bulls' playoff run last season, it was widely reported that it was his confidence, not his physical health, that was impeding his return.

Given Rose's hesitancy to return early from the torn ACL he suffered in the previous playoffs, it has to be reassuring that, evidently, his confidence is back.

When asked in a rapid-fire, headline-inducing, 90-second interview with CNN who the best player in the NBA was, Rose didn't stutter, didn't hesitate, didn't even change his tone when he muttered, “Derrick Rose,” in his calm, reassured manner.

That didn't exactly jibe with what CNN's Pedro Pinto was expecting the former MVP to say, as he questions Rose's answer and then wondered who the toughest guy to defend was, to which Rose predictably answered, Lebron James.

Rose, James and Kobe Bryant are known as the three most competitive players in the NBA, so who could fault Rose for insinuating that he is, in fact, better than James, despite James' second-consecutive NBA championship this past June? Who cares if it's a preposterous claim seeing as Rose hasn't suited up in over a full season?

Maybe he knows something we don't.

Let's not take this interview for gospel, either. After all, Rose, a Chicago native, was asked who his "basketball idol" was, and was then asked how much he watched that certain someone as a kid. So we'll take this whole charade with a 12-ounce jar of Morton's salt. Or better yet, we'll consider it as significant as Rose throwing down a through-the-legs dunk.....on an eight-foot rim.

That being said, what to take away from this?

If nothing else, Rose's confidence is back, which is all Chicago fans needed to hear.

Warriors Wins The summer League!

Posted by Unknown on 04:29 with No comments

The Warriors are golden after two Las Vegas Summer League tourneys.

Golden State improved to 12-0 and took home the first Las Vegas Summer League Championship with a 91-77 win over the Phoenix Suns, Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Ian Clark, an undrafted rookie guard out of Belmont University, came off the Golden State bench to explode for 33 points, including 7-of-10 from downtown, a Las Vegas Summer League record. He also added two rebounds, two assists and a steal in just under 30 minutes, and was named the inaugural Summer League Championship game MVP.

Kent Bazemore stuffed the stats sheet with 18 points, four boards, five assists, two steals and a block, Draymond Green added 12 markers, eight rebounds and three dimes, while Cameron Jones also scored 12.

It was back-and-forth for most of the early part of the first half, until eight straight points by Clark put the Warriors up 50-40, with 1:07 left in the second quarter.

The Suns however countered with an 8-0 blast bridging the middle two cantos, before Bazemore broke their rhythm, scoring via a layup, under three minutes gone by in the third, 52-48. Phoenix knotted things again at 52-all, but they had to settle for a four-point deficit entering the fourth, as Bazemore added six more markers to widen the Warriors' lead, 65-61.

A three-minute scoreless stretch for Phoenix turned out to be the nail in their coffin, as they conceded 13 unanswered to Golden State, allowing the latter to go up 81-66 with 5:19 remaining in the game. The Suns were within twelve with 3:17 left, 84-72, but Clark nailed a lay-up and a three-pointer for a 17-point buffer, 2:19 on the clock, effectively ending the game.

Archie Goodwin, the 29th overall pick in this season's draft, led the Suns with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The Morris twins combined for 27 points and 13 rebounds, but they got precious little from their bench, just 18 points to be exact.

Metta World Peace A.K.A Ron Artest Joins New York KNICKS!

Posted by Unknown on 08:45 with No comments

Metta World Peace cleared waivers after being amnestied by the Los Angeles Lakers, became a free agent, and has quickly found a new home in almost no time at all. World Peace joined the New York Knicks' broadcast on MSG for their summer league game against the Charlotte Bobcats and announced he has indeed signed with the Knicks.

"I want to win in New York," World Peace told the Knicks fans on the telecast.

The Knicks and Clippers were thought to be the front runners for the man formerly known as Ron Artest, who averaged 12 points and five rebounds last season. If it goes through, the deal gives the Knicks another versatile forward to use defensively and a veteran who can create easy buckets, even if his shot has fallen off as he has gotten older.

It would also be a return home for the Queensbridge-raised World Peace, who joins another contender in New York, as the Knicks try to keep pace with their crosstown rivals, the Nets. The curious former star had been contemplating playing in China as well but apparenely signed with a team that keeps him in the race for another title.

The Knicks this summer re-signed Pablo Prigioni and J.R. Smith and traded for Andrea Bargnani. This would be one of the weirdest and most-entertaining 50-plus-win teams in NBA history with this collection of talent.

Chauncy Billups returns to Piston

Posted by Unknown on 10:14 with No comments

The Detroit Pistons have decided to bring back Chauncey Billups.

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars confirmed the move Thursday morning.

Billups has agreed to a two-year deal - the first season is guaranteed - for $2.5 million a year.

Detroit dealt Billups to his hometown Denver Nuggets early in the 2008-09 season and the team has struggled since making the unpopular trade. Billups was the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 when he led Pistons past the Los Angeles Lakers.

The five-time All-Star turns 37 in September. He bounced back last season to play 22 games for the Los Angeles Clippers after tearing his left Achilles tendon during the 2011-12 season.

NBA fines Houston Rockets! $150,000!

Posted by Unknown on 15:55 with No comments

The NBA fined the Houston Rockets $150,000 for talking about center Dwight Howard during the free-agency moratorium period, two people with knowledge of the fine told USA TODAY Sports.

They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the fine, which was announced in an email to team executives.

After Dwight Howard decided last week he would sign with Houston Rockets, which was first reported by USA TODAY Sports, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey went on Twitter and TV in Houston and discussed Howard's decision. That is against league rules during the moratorium, which lasts from July 1-10 this year.

While Howard's decision is common knowledge, teams cannot complete deals or talk about agreements reached during the moratorium.

Morey made at least five Tweets after Howard's decision was revealed and went on Comcast Sportsnet Houston to discuss Howard's decision.

The Rockets were also fined in June for tampering after a story on Houston's official team web site discussed players who were still under contract with other teams but were expected to be free agents in July.