NBA Basketball Sports News in Philippines: January 2013

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

NBA News 2013: Cavs, HEAT Front Runners to Land Oden?

Greg Oden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat have emerged as the leaders to land former No. 1 pick Greg Oden.

The 7-foot Oden, who hasn’t played since Dec. 5, 2009 due to multiple knee injuries, is hoping to take a visit down to Miami to meet with Pat Riley and the Heat in the next week, a source told CBSSports.com.

Miami would likely offer a deal for minimum salary while the Cavs could pay up to nearly $4 million. The Boston Celtics are another team that has expressed interest, but the source said that Oden is leaning towards making a comeback with either Cleveland or Miami.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/cavs-heat-front-runners-to-land-oden/

Monday, January 28, 2013

NBA News 2013: Celtics PG Rondo out for season

Rajon Rondo, the 21st pick of the Phoenix Suns (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Boston Celtics announced Sunday that point guard Rajon Rondo will have surgery to repair a torn ACL and is out for the season.

Rondo, who hyperextended his right knee on Friday, will have surgery. It has not been determined when he will have the surgery or how long he will need to recover.

Rondo was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Miami Heat just before tipoff. He went to New England Baptist Hospital for an MRI and the team announced the severity of the injury during the second half.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

NBA News 2013: Kobe Unsure About Dwight's Future

English: Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during a shootaround before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, New York City. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kobe Bryant has made it clear that the culture of the Los Angeles Lakers and his personal leadership style will not change despite the presence of Dwight Howard.

"It's a matter of learning (for Howard)," Bryant said. "What I try to tell him is that it's not necessarily about what you (want), how you are as a person, or what's comfortable for you. It's really about what's going to help elevate us.

"So for us to have a team that's confrontational and on edge brings out the competitive spirit of everybody else, you know what I'm saying? If everybody is just relaxed and happy go lucky and this that and the other, then that's the personality we'll have as a team. And then you run into a team that's a confrontational team, and it's like a bus."

Bryant was asked if he still believes he can win a title with Howard.

"Yeah, for sure."

"It's a process for him," Bryant said. "He wants to be one of the greats of all time, and to do that you have to learn from the greats of all time – be it Bill Russell, be it Shaq. I mean Shaq was a moody, temperamental dude. So if you watch all the big men who have come before, you start to see a common denominator.

"Wilt (Chamberlain), God bless him, was phenomenal, but he didn't have (the same edge). Russell and (those) guys win repetitive – (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson), myself. You've got a little (expletive) in you. I want (Howard) to be great, so I'm trying to push him."

Bryant insists Howard remains part of the Lakers' future.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/225801/Kobe_Unsure_About_Dwights_Future_Commits_To_Helping_Him_As_Long_As_Hes_Here

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

NBA News 2013: Agent for Hawks' Smith speaks with Ferry

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks {| class="messagebox" style="margin: 0.5em auto; width: 100%; background-color: #f8f8f8; border: 2px solid #e0e0e0; padding: 5px; direction: ltr;" |align="center"| link=|25px → link=|25px | : File:File:LeBron James watches free throw.jpg. |align="center"| 100x100px|original file |colspan="3"| |} Category:Extracted images (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Josh Smith's agent spoke with Hawks general manager Danny Ferry on Wednesday to discuss what he characterized as "a lot of frustration" with the team's recent spiral, but stopped short of making a trade request.

"As far as moving forward and whatever changes will be made, that's more so management's job to field those calls and make the decisions they feel like are best to move forward," Smith's agent, Wallace Prather, told CBSSports.com.

While Prather made it clear that Smith is concerned about how the once-hot Hawks have rolled over in losing six of their last seven games and seven out of nine, neither he nor his client has asked for a trade. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, and barring an unlikely departure from Los Angeles for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, would be among the top players on the unrestricted market.

"I do know there are teams interested," Prather said.

Multiple rival executives confirmed that the Hawks have participated in trade conversations with several teams regarding Smith, a 27-year-old game-changing defender when engaged.

The Hawks hit rock bottom in their recent swoon Monday night with an embarrassing 97-58 loss to the Bulls in which they managed to score only five points in the second quarter. Afterward, coach Larry Drew promised changes, and said, "It's time that we do shake things up."

Drew may have unwittingly inferred that the changes could involve more than a tweak to the starting lineup or rotation.

The Hawks face a dilemma with Smith, whose love-hate relationship with playing his entire NBA career thus far in his hometown of Atlanta will be put to the ultimate test if the Hawks continue to struggle. Smith's $13.2 million falls off the Hawks' books after the season, into an already massive abyss of cap space that the team has cleared to revamp the roster after trading high-priced All-Star Joe Johnson to the Nets.

Teams with such room and flexibility -- including the likes of the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Bucks and Jazz -- are beginning to examine the potential free-agent options and reconsider their strategies. Unless Ferry were able to land either Paul or Howard this summer -- a long shot in both cases, even though Howard, too, is from Atlanta -- someone in his position might decide it's best to parlay assets into players now.

Among the teams that would appeal to Smith are Dallas, Houston and Memphis, a league source told CBSSports.com. The Grizzlies, in the midst of establishing the value of Rudy Gay on the trade market in the face of massive luxury tax bills on the horizon, are not among the teams that have spoken with the Hawks about Smith, one of the sources said. Despite owner Mark Cuban's comment this week that "the bank of Cuban is open," the Mavs also have not yet expressed interest in trading for Smith, another source said.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey said on Twitter this week that Houston would be "likely more stable than in the past" as the Feb. 21 trade deadline approaches.

The Hawks have more than enough cap room to re-sign Smith and add pieces around him. If they let him walk as a free agent, Atlanta would have a league-high $36 million in cap room. But what would they spend it on? Re-signing a 27-year-old borderline All-Star to a max deal might wind up being Ferry's best move, provided he can sell Smith on a vision for the future and how the team will use the remaining flexibility to get better.

"I want to be clear that I'm not pushing a trade," Prather said. "This is not a trade request or anything, but there are frustrations in Atlanta."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ken-berger/21563892/agent-for-hawks-smith-speaks-with-ferry-stops-short-of-trade-request

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

NBA News 2013: Is Terrence Jones NBA Ready?

English: Patrick Patterson following a game against Clarion University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The life of a rookie, even a first-round pick like Terrence Jones, can be a humbling and trying experience in today’s NBA. When the Houston Rockets drafted two more forwards this past June to add to the already packed stable of hybrid bigs on their roster, one of those picks – Jones – had to expect a battle to remain on the roster. More than two months into the 2012-13 NBA season, it’s been just that: a struggle to stay on the active roster and off the Rockets’ Developmental League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipors.

Even with fellow first round pick Royce White AWOL for the majority of the season, Jones has seen his fair share of D-League action over the course of two separate stints in Rio Grande Valley. The good news for both the Rockets, and Jones for that matter, is that the 21-year old rookie out of Kentucky is treating it like a learning experience and taking it all in stride.

“It’s been real beneficial,” Jones told HOOPSWORLD. “Just being able to get up and down, to get more experience and a chance to just get better has been great.”

Over the course of 11 games this season with the Rockets, Jones averaged just 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in limited minutes while looking every bit like a rookie in need of some polish. As a result, Houston has given Jones a direct message for his stints with the Vipors: make good use of increased playing time and develop your skills.

“Rebounding, scoring, defending and everything they want me to do when I get back [to the NBA],” Jones said of the Rockets’ expectations.

So far, Jones has done a solid job of trying to get better in each of those areas. In nine contests with the Vipors, Jones is averaging a double-double with 19.2 points and 11 boards per contest and his team was invited to the D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada this past week.

“It’s very similar [to college],” Jones said. “Guys are going real hard, still fighting trying to get [to the NBA] and I see a lot of the same guys that I saw in college so there’s a lot of talented guys out there.”

In just a few weeks worth of action, Jones has established himself as one of the better players in the D-League, ranking among the league leaders in both rebounds per game and total double-doubles. Even though he’s not matching up against cream of the crop, NBA-level talent on a nightly basis in the D-League, it’s clear that Jones is taking the initiative to try to get better and make his way back to Houston.

“Yeah,” Jones told HOOPSWORLD as to whether or not he believes he can be an asset for the Rockets this season. “I know we’ve been doing very well right now, winning, so just whatever I can do to help”

Playing under Rockets’ head coach, and former Boston Celtics championship power forward, Kevin McHale has also benefitted the 6-foot-9, 250 pound Jones. Jones says McHale’s tutelage has played an important role early on in his development as an NBA four.

“It’s been good,” Jones said of learning from McHale. “Just to be able to get advice from a guy with experience, who knows the game from hands on experience and it’s just good to be able to have him as my coach.”

Despite a recent three-game skid, the Rockets have exceeded expectations this season featuring a 21-17 record – good for eighth in the brutally talented Western Conference. Second-year player Marcus Morris and third-year man Patrick Patterson have received the majority of run on the Rockets at the four positions, but it may not be wise to count Jones out just yet. As he showed last March in helping the Kentucky Wildcats to win a National Championship – and subsequently being drafted with the 18th overall pick – Jones has all the tools to succeed in the NBA.

The key will be how Jones responds to his stints in the D-League once he finds his way back onto the Rockets NBA roster. So far, Jones has shown that he’s willing to put in the time to be a better player but time will only tell if that will translate on an NBA floor.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/is-terrence-jones-nba-ready/

Monday, January 21, 2013

NBA News 2013: Would Mavericks Consider Rudy Gay Trade?

English: Jump ball before the Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks game, Dec. 23, 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Just over a month away from the 2013 NBA Trade Deadline, trade winds are already stirring as one of the most controversial owners in sports has come out virtually guaranteeing his team makes a move. Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban has come out and publicly stated that his team is going to be extremely active over the next month exploring trade options.

“There’s a 100 percent chance that we’re going to look to do something,” Cuban told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News recently.

Cuban wasn’t finished there.

Just a day later, Cuban reinforced that he’s committed to making changes to the Mavericks, who currently sit at 12th in the Western Conference with a disappointing 16-23 record.

“We’re letting everybody know the Bank of Cuban’s open,” Cuban told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “And if it’s the right deal, we don’t mind taking back money. But we’re not going to do a trade just to do a trade. It’s got to be worthwhile.

“Every day, I’m going through rosters, trying to come up with ideas for [Mavericks' General Manager] Donnie [Nelson],”

Despite Dallas putting together a nice little three-game winning streak over the past week, it’s clear that the Mavericks owner hasn’t been a fan of what he’s seen from his team so far this season

Even Mavericks’ head coach Rick Carlisle has iterated recently that he believes this season is going to continue to be an uphill climb with the team currently in place.

“It’s going to be work for us,” Carlisle said before Monday’s 113-98 blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I’m not under any false presumptions that we’ve got it figured out and that’s not how this year’s going to be. Every game’s going to be challenging.”

Looking at the Mavericks’ roster, it may be easier said than done trying to put together enticing trade offers to propose to other teams around the NBA. As the “Bank of Cuban” statement alluded to, Dallas has plenty of expiring contracts to allow another team to make a salary dump that includes a talent the Mavs are interested in. While that’s a solid starting point, the Mavericks don’t exactly possess the young talent to go along with expiring contracts that perspective teams generally covet.

One name that’s been thrown around quite a bit, not just with Dallas, but across the NBA has been Memphis Grizzlies’ small forward Rudy Gay. Despite featuring the fourth best record in the brutally talented Western Conference at 24-12, the Grizzlies have seemingly been dangling their budding young superstar most of the season.

For the Mavericks, a team looking for that second superstar to place next to former NBA Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki now and hope he becomes the face of the franchise later. If Memphis were to find a group of players they covet on the Mavs that came close to his roughly $16.4 salary this season, the 26-year old Gay is seemingly an excellent fit.

Still, it’s difficult to see Memphis disposing of Gay in what would amount to nothing more than a salary dump. With a team that’s right in the thick of contention in the West, it’s mind boggling that the Grizzlies are even discussing a deal behind the scenes for one of the most talented players on the roster.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/would-mavericks-consider-rudy-gay-trade/

Sunday, January 20, 2013

NBA News 2013: Lakers’ Dwight Howard Unhappy?

Washington Wizards v/s Orlando Magic February 4, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There have been numerous reports of unhappiness between Dwight Howard and Laker star Kobe Bryant, although both have tried to defuse that idea in their own way.

However, with the NBA Trade Deadline roughly a month away, there is a sense of uneasiness surrounding Howard’s future.

For Howard’s part his camp says he is happy and content in LA with the Lakers and he’ll likely re-sign there as soon as he is able.

If that’s genuinely true, he’s done a terrible job conveying that to the Lakers because while publicly they are talking up their confidence in keeping Howard long-term, there is still a sense that until he’s signed on the dotting line, Howard is just too unpredictable to bank on

http://www.hoopsworld.com/lakers-dwight-howard-unhappy/

Saturday, January 19, 2013

NBA News 2013: LeBron James the youngest to reach 20,000

English: Wizards v/s Heat 03/30/11 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LeBron James, 28, became the youngest player in the history of the NBA to score 20,000 points when he hit a floater in the lane late in the second quarter at Golden State on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.

In a symbolic reminder that he is the farthest thing from a one-dimensional scorer, James – who has been assaulting the record books since he was drafted first overall by Cleveland in 2003 out of St. Vincent St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio – also surpassed the 5,000-assist mark against the Warriors. By doing so, he joined a club that – according to Basketball-Reference.com – has a total of 13 members. James surpassed the 5,000-rebound mark last season, and is now one of 11 players in the 20,000-point, 5,000-assist ,5,000-rebound club.

Thirty-eight players have reached the 20,000-point mark in all, with seven of them active (including James’ 37-year-old teammate, Ray Allen, who entered play with 23,336 points). James’ 5,000th assist came midway through the first quarter, when he found Dwyane Wade for a dunk that put the Heat up 8-7.

His scoring was versatile as always – a converted alley-oop via Wade from midcourt early, a three-pointer atop the key late in the first quarter that stretched the Heat’s lead to nine, and a stepback 17-footer that gave him 17 points and put Miami up 41-29 with 4:24 remaining in the second quarter.

James – who was the youngest player to be drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 at 18 years old, the youngest to win Rookie of the Year, and the youngest to score both 1,000 and 10,000 points – has long since cornered the market on becoming the youngest player in the game’s history to achieve such feats. He is marching past the milestones in what is already a remarkable career.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/lebron-james-the-youngest-to-reach-20000-points/

Friday, January 18, 2013

NBA News 2013: Kings' likely move leaves players, fans in limbo

Sacramento Kings logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Aaron Brooks has been in an awkward spot since news surfaced that the Sacramento Kings could be sold and moved back to his hometown of Seattle.

The Kings guard has no answers for family and friends who have been calling and texting for information. Even the excitement his brother, Alvertis, had when he showed up for a visit evaporated once he realized those in Sacramento might feel the same sorrow as when the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City in 2008.

"Seattle does need a team. But you would hate to have a team leave a city you know wants a basketball team," Brooks said. "It's unfortunate."

For Sacramento players, coaches and fans, this is not an easy time.

The Kings hosted the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in the first game since the latest -- and perhaps most serious - round of relocation talks began, with chatter around the aging arena seemingly centering on everything but basketball.

Newspaper and television reporters from Seattle showed up looking for more answers along with an increased local media presence. Fans contemplated whether they should keep supporting a team they love. Ushers and parking attendants who depend on the team for work approached reporters asking if they knew what might happen.

Even players and coaches couldn't deny all the attention made it difficult to focus on the game.

"It's definitely going to be a distraction," said Kings coach Keith Smart. "But we're pros. We've got to figure out a way how to separate the two and then get ready to play."

Seattle investor Chris Hansen has contacted the Maloof family about buying the Sacramento Kings, people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because no deal has been reached.

One person said the Kings could sell for more than $500 million. The Kings' future in California's capital city has been uncertain since the Maloof brothers, who own the team, backed out of a tentative deal with Sacramento last April for a new $391 million arena in downtown.

Yahoo! Sports first reported the discussions between the Kings and Hansen, saying a possible sale could land the Kings in Seattle for the 2013-14 season, where the team would play at KeyArena as a temporary home until a new arena is constructed.

Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas, who is from Tacoma, Wash., and played at the University of Washington in Seattle, said the news has been difficult to ignore.

"I've seen the Sonics go. I've seen when a team gets taken away from a city and devastates the fans. It's not a good thing," Thomas said. "I don't wish moving a team on anybody."

Perhaps the most difficult decision has been placed on fans.

The Kings, once home to one of the most fervent fan bases of any sport in the country, have not made the playoffs in seven seasons. Since the collapse of last year's arena deal, attendance has been down, and apathy has been up. Sacramento ranks last in the NBA in average attendance at 13,177 per game.

"What (the Maloofs) are doing is like throwing their problems away," said 26-year-old Kings fan Nicole Shearer, whose parents were season-ticket holders from the first season in 1985 until 2007. "I think they realize how this affects people, but they really don't care. It's been a series of continuous problems for them as owners. But if they really cared, they would try to stay and work things out."

Kasim Ersoy, who has lived in Sacramento for two years, said he became a Kings fan when he watched the Chris Webber-Vlade Divac combo on television growing up in Germany.

"It's horrible that the Kings could be leaving," Ersoy said. "Basketball is my favorite sport in the U.S., so it will be very sad to not have an NBA team any longer in Sacramento."

Some Sacramento fans launched a fight to keep the team -- again.

The grass-roots organization Here We Stay, which has worked to keep the Kings for two years, started an online petition drive urging the NBA to allow a Sacramento buyer to match any offer from Hansen and give Seattle an expansion team instead. The petition had drawn more than 4,000 signatures within 24 hours.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has said he would do all he could to try to find a buyer with a Sacramento connection to possibly purchase the team and keep it in California's capital city. It's not the first time Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, has faced a difficult challenge.

http://www.nba.com/2013/news/01/10/kings-sale-reaction.ap/index.html

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

NBA News 2013: Dwyane Wade Not Mad About Benching

Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat (in black) dribbles the ball against Toni Kukoc of the Milwaukee Bucks in a 2005 game. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Miami HEAT guard Dwyane Wade said Wednesday he has no ill will over coach Erik Spoelstra’s decision to sit him in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to the Utah Jazz.

In the 104-97 setback to the Jazz, Spoelstra decided to sit Wade and played forward Chris Bosh for just 40 seconds in the fourth quarter. The HEAT cut a 19-point deficit to two without their two stars before falling short.

Wade said Wednesday that he was frustrated about the loss, the HEAT’s sixth in the past 10 games, but there are no hard feelings over Spoelstra’s decision.

“It was the frustration of losing,” Wade said. “The fourth quarter was overblown. When I went to the bench, we were down 19 points and that team did a great job of coming back and making it a game. Obviously you want to play, but I could never get mad at my team coming back.”

http://www.hoopsworld.com/dwyane-wade-not-mad-about-benching/

NBA News 2013: Cuban: Mavs won't trade Nowitzki

English: Washington Wizards v/s Dallas Mavericks October 9, 2009 at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mark Cuban says he plans to keep star Dirk Nowitzki even though the Dallas Mavericks have their worst record since a few months after he bought the team in 2000.

Cuban said before Saturday night's game against Memphis that he wanted to be clear with Nowitzki that he was committed "through thick and thin" to getting the team back in contention.

Dallas recently fell 10 games under .500 for the first time since Nowitzki's second season in 1999-2000. Since then, the Mavericks have made the playoffs 12 straight years and won the title in 2011.

The Mavericks are playing with a revamped roster for the second straight season after Cuban decided not to bring back several key players from the championship team.

http://www.nba.com/2013/news/01/12/cuban-says-mavericks-wont-trade-nowitzki.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpts

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

NBA News 2013: Knicks’ Steve Novak, Bulls’ Nate Robinson beef

English: Nate Robinson playing with the New York Knicks (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the squabble between Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Celtics forward Kevin Garnett didn’t satiate your appetite for trash talking, here’s a quality second helping.

During the Bulls’ 108-101 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, Nate Robinson broke out the “Discount Double Check” championship belt celebration multiple times after knocking down jumpers. The celebration, popularized by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and turned into a national advertising campaign by State Farm insurance, has been co-opted over the last few years by Knicks forward Steve Novak, a three-point shooting specialist who uses it to put an exclamation point on his threes.

Needless to say, Novak wasn’t particularly pleased by Robinson’s antics and he let his thoughts be known in a candid post-game interview aired on the MSG Network.

“It warms my heart,” Novak said of Robinson’s celebrations. “It really does. The best part about doing the belt is hearing the stories about all the little kids who hit a three-pointer and do the belt. One day when Little Nathan grows up, his dreams come true and he can be just like me.”

The dis quickly got back to Robinson, who is listed at 5-foot-9 and is currently the shortest player in the NBA, and he went at Novak on Twitter, calling him a “clown.”

“I forgot u invented that move, [you] must play for the Packers and [your] name is Aaron [Rodgers],” Robinson said.

Who is in the right and who is in the wrong? It’s no easy task adjudicating a matter as important as this. Novak had a right to feel a little upset, not at the fact that Robinson was performing the same celebration but because Robinson’s method and timing could be read as showing up Novak. Robinson has all sorts of expressive celebrations over the course of a game, especially when he has his shot going, but knocking down a jumper in Novak’s face and then breaking out the belt is a pretty clearly mocking. Did Novak handle this properly? Well, that’s a tougher question because it’s difficult to stop laughing at the expression on his face when he delivers his punchlines. The “Little Nathan” line was a low blow and Robinson is in fair territory responding to that. It should probably end there. When all is said and done, both parties were wrong but neither terribly so, which makes this all the easier to enjoy.

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/12/steve-novak-nate-robinson-discount-double-check-belt-knicks-bulls/

Monday, January 14, 2013

NBA News 2013: Scott Skills Departure

Bucks logo from 2006–present (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scott Skiles has a way of bludgeoning his teams into his stylistic likeness through a cycle of cold criticism and uncompromising expectation. It takes some rosters longer than others to fall in line, but this year’s Bucks team had been positively Skiles-ian: from its better-than-anticipated defense to its ultimately doomed offense, complete with its overall lack of talent and veritable wealth of pluck. The roster itself may be confusing and flawed, but Skiles — as he has done at every coaching stop — made it oddly true to his weird type.

Yet hiring Skiles comes with the understanding that he won’t be around forever — a notion that came to fruition for Milwaukee literally overnight. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Skiles and the Bucks mutually agreed to part ways immediately, fulfilling a wish that Skiles had reportedly expressed since the offseason. As Jeremy Schmidt noted at Bucksketball, Skiles was a coach beaten back by his own frustrations, one visibly taxed by the task of keeping last season’s roster within his rigid mold.

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/08/scott-skiles-milwaukee-bucks-season-of-flux/

Sunday, January 13, 2013

NBA News 2013: Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and wife, Vanessa, reconcile

English: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, have announced a reconciliation that will put an end to divorce proceedings that began in Dec. 2011.

Vanessa Bryant made the development official on her Instagram account.

“We are pleased to announce that we have reconciled,” she wrote. “Our divorce action will be dismissed. We are looking forward to our future together.”

The note was signed “Kobe & Vanessa.”

The couple has been married for more than 11 years and has two daughters. The Associated Press reported on Dec. 16, 2011, that Vanessa Bryant filed divorce papers in California, citing “irreconcilable differences.” In June 2012, TMZ.com reported that the couple was working on a reconciliation.

Bryant, 34, is in his 17th season with the Lakers. He’s earned more than $221 million in NBA salary over his career and is making $27.8 million this season. The highest-paid player in the NBA, Bryant will make $30.5 million next season, the final year of his current contract. Bryant also takes in an estimated $28 million in endorsements annually, making him the fourth highest earning athlete in 2012 — behind Floyd Mayweather, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods — and the top-earning NBA player, according to SI.com’s Michael McKnight. Reports indicated last year that a divorce could have cost Bryant as much as $75 million.

Last week, Bryant finally joined Twitter. He used the social networking service to share photographs of his wife and daughters over the holiday season using the @NikeBasketball account.

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/11/kobe-bryant-vanessa-bryant-no-divorce/

Friday, January 4, 2013

NBA News 2013: Spurs' Stephen Jackson falls on waitress

Stephen Jackson warming up before a Warriors/Lakers game on March 23, 2008 (Photographed by Asim Bharwani, www.modenadude.com) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spurs forward Stephen Jackson left San Antonio's game against the Knicks after spraining his right ankle when he crashed into a waitress working the sideline in front of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Jackson was hurt in the first quarter Thursday night when he shot a 3-pointer from the corner. The shot missed and he stepped backward out of bounds and onto the waitress, who was kneeling in front of courtside seats.

It was unclear if the waitress was serving Bloomberg, who was seen eating a box of popcorn shortly after the play.

Jackson played just 2 minutes, 50 seconds, going 0-for-2 from the field, both three-point attempts.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/01/03/stephen-jackson-spurs-injured-ankle-waitress-knicks/1808227/

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