Ballers

2010 Injuries...

colonel — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:03:56 GMT

From the AP...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers guard A.J. Price has undergone surgery on his left knee and will go through the rehabilitation process in Indianapolis.

The Pacers said Price had successful surgery Tuesday to repair a fractured patella. He is expected to be out four to six months.

The second-year guard averaged 7.3 points, 1.9 assists and 1.6 rebounds in his rookie season with Indiana. He started twice in 56 appearances and was a regular part of the team's rotation during the second half of last season.

Price was injured Saturday night while playing in a charity game in New York.

New league

broham — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:31:27 GMT

The minister of defense has birthed the first new league in the Association in four years.

If anyone's interested in grabbing a virgin team, click on the sign-up tab and select an expansion franchise.

In the meantime we should be working on a good league name - something we can savor given the rare occurence of this event.

...lost 27 pounds!

colonel — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:26:35 GMT

From RealGM...

Knicks guard/forward Bill Walker played up-and-down in Las Vegas this week as he looks to get used to playing at a significantly lower weight.

New York coach Mike D’Antoni asked Walker to slim down his solid frame and there have been reports that he’s lost as many as 27 pounds since the season ended.

“I was just looking to get used to playing without all that weight,” Walker said when RealGM asked him what he was looking to show at the summer league. “It’s a major adjustment. The more I play, I’ll get used to it.”

Walker, who estimated that he’s hovering around 200 pounds, added that he doesn’t feel having NBA experience really helps in the summer league.

“I don’t know that it helps,” he said. “This is kind of like pick-up, you don’t have a lot of time to gel with guys and stuff like that.”

Walker has split time between New York and Boston in his two seasons.

Jeremy Tyler

colonel — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:54:43 GMT

From the AP...

Former high school star Jeremy Tyler has signed with the Tokyo Apache of Japan's professional basketball league.

The team announced the signing Thursday on its official website. The 19-year-old Tyler will play for former NBA coach Bob Hill, who was hired by the team last month.

"We are extremely excited for Jeremy to join our team in Tokyo," the team said in a statement. "His athleticism and size will be a major presence in our frontcourt this season."

Tyler, who attended San Diego High School before leaving after his junior year, signed a one-year, $140,000 contract with Israeli team Maccabi Haifa in August 2009. He was the first American-born player to leave high school early to play professionally overseas.

Some had seen Tyler as a potential No. 1 overall pick when he's eligible for the NBA draft in 2011, but those projections have softened.

He left Haifa two months before the end of the season for personal reasons. In the 10 games Tyler played for Haifa, the 6-foot-11 power forward averaged only 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.6 minutes.

Summer League stars...

colonel — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:47:20 GMT

From netscoutsbasketball.com...

NBA Summer League All-Star Team

There were a lot of good individual performances throughout the week at the NBA Summer League Las Vegas and a few solid TEAMS as well, which is obviously a whole lot more important. I'm going to break down a few of my favorites from the week and a few not so good.

We'll hit on the team performances tomorrow.

MVP

John Wall, Washington Wizards: Averaged 23.5 points (tops in the league), 7.8 assists (also #1 in league) and helped elevate the game of JaVale McGee. He also sold out a couple games in the Cox Pavilion due to his presence and still played well. Well done.

ALL-STAR PERFORMERS

Reggie Williams, Golden State: The 6'4 lefty was a scoring machine for the Warriors at 22.6 per game second only to Wall.

DeMar DeRozan, Toronto: DD shot it extremely well (58%) on his way to 21 points per outing. He doesn't do a whole lot else on the floor and really needs work defensively as his man often matched his output.

Sam Young, Memphis: The 6'6 wing known for terrific defense also scored at 19.5 ppg and shot an efficient 54%.

JJ Hickson, Cleveland: Posted 19.3 points and 6.3 boards a contest, good young player with athletic ability, needs to become more consistent.

Sonny Weems, Toronto: One of the best athletes in the Summer League scored 17.5 ppg on drives, slash cuts, finishing the break, and even knocked down a pull-up J or two.

JaVale McGee, Wizards: The 7'0 athlete performed at his best this week. 19.5 points and 9.3 boards were 4th best in league and shot 69% from the floor. He runs the court and with Wall pushing tempo, he can find some PT for the Wizards.

Patty Mills, Portland: Although the numbers aren't eye popping, they are good, 14.2 ppg, 3.8 boards, 4.6 assists per game. He is a leader, he helped Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson develop a bit, and he toys with defenders...his use of ball/screens is excellent and his ability to pass off the dribble has really improved.

Omri Casspi, SAC: Quietly goes about his business, plays hard and scored 14.4 a game.

Gary Neal, San Antonio: The 6'4 Towson product led the Spurs to a 5-0 record while scoring over 16 per game and shot an amazing 50% from the floor and 50% from 3-land as well.

BEST BACKCOURTS

Dallas: Roddy Beaubois was great at times, average others (14.0 ppg, 3.0 apg) and needs to involve others better, Dominique Jones their 6'4 draft pick was nice with 16.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and 3.4 apg as well as working well on the defensive end. Jeremy Lin (6'3 Harvard) was also a solid player off the bench chipping in 10 points, 4 boards, and 2 assists per game...he should get a nice contract from this event internationally.

Denver: Ty Lawson played very well. It was obvious this guy played a lot last year and he is a guy who can play well with quality vets as well as rookies...some can't. He shot 59% from the floor on his way to 16.4 ppg and dished out 5 assists per game as well. Coby Karl played well also with 14 points, 6.3 rpg, 2.3 steals, and 3.3 apg. He should find a home in the league...doesn't Miami need some cheap insurance? Here's a guy to look at.

SLEEPERS WHO COULD STICK

Derrick Caracter, LA Lakers: The BIG MAN from UTEP played very well in Vegas and is in great shape. I disagree with DeMarcus Cousins being named Rookie of the Month for the simple reason that several bigs put up decent numbers but Caracter's 15.4 points, 8.6 boards and 59% shooting are better than the 14.5, 9.8, 33% shooting that Cousin's threw up. Wall was hands down the best rookie there.

Matt Janning, Phoenix: The 6'5 guard from Northeastern continues to play well in summer league and has received at least two TRAINING CAMP invites. He went for 13 points and 6 boards a game on one of the worst teams in Vegas.

Landry Fields, NY Knicks: A blue-collar guy with some skill. He works hard, he's smart (Stanford guy), and is sneaky athletic. He blew buy DeRozan a time or three in their match-up...averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 boards and shot 53% which is a nice stat for a rookie adjusting to the NBA game.

Deron Washington, Milwaukee: I was tempted to put him on the All-Star team, he played very well. Already a freak athlete, his stroke is much improved (46% shooting). He scored 13.2 ppg and grabbed nearly 5 boards a game. Coach Skiles will get him to defend and he can run and finish at the rim...he could make it.

Omar Samhan, Dallas: I would never have thought I'd be saying this after seeing him live on multiple occasions in college, but he played very well. 10.5 points, 7.5 boards, 1.0 block and he's smart, competitive, and outplayed guys who were lottery picks. He's the perfect example of why it's important to evaluate guys playing 5-on-5 as well as in "workouts." He's a team basketball player. By comparison, Hasheem Thabeet had similar numbers and played 5 more minutes per game...not to mention he is on the books for about $3.5 Million more than Samhan would receive. Another point on Thabeet, in the Grizzlies last game versus the Spurs, his +/- rating was a -28! I don't care who you are, that is ridiculous.

Solomon Alabi, Toronto: He played exactly half the minutes per game as Thabeet and put up 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds. Double it and he'd blow Thabeet out of the water. The point is, the Raps investment into a few minutes per game defensive center (chosen in the 2nd round) is much better than the Grizzlies investment into the #2 pick of the draft.

Reggie Williams

zzRay — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:58:09 GMT

Looking for some objective answers about this guy. I have him as a 10th round keeper in a couple leagues. I thought he put up a promising .738 in the 24 games he played since being brought up from the CBA, where he put up some amazing numbers. Watching him play, I saw what seemed to be, a guy that has the hunger, and can put numbers on a stat sheet. In other words, IMO, at least a possible guy that could make my rotation early on in the KFBA. (3rd man). Am I seeing some because I want to see it, or am I a shit when it comes to looking at players upside? Like the Broham says, I shore do lack tha talent! Whatchall think bout Reggie?

The biggest three

younggod — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:45:28 GMT

What's the consensus on the KFBA implications of LeBron, Wade and Bosh forming the biggest three ever? They can't all average 1.000 + or can they? Who's going to lose the most? My guess is that Bosh is at best a 18/8/3 guy in 38 min which would make him a third rounder KFBA at best.

Thoughts?

Stoudemire's Story Made for This City

colonel — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:05:06 GMT

From the Wall Street Journal...

The Knicks were prepared.

On Monday afternoon, mere hours after Amar'e Stoudemire agreed in principle to join the team and attempt to reinvigorate this long-dormant franchise, an image of him in a Knicks uniform went up on the marquee outside Madison Square Garden. Inside the arena's presentation center, Mr. Stoudemire—the man himself, and not a Photoshopped version—conducted interviews before a large banner that bore a slogan, "Stat City."

It was a play on his self-proclaimed nickname, STAT, an acronym for "Standing Tall and Talented." And for $100 million over five seasons, the Knicks are hopeful, if not absolutely convinced, that Mr. Stoudemire, who has long been one of the league's most productive power forwards, will deliver.

There are inherent risks involved whenever teams commit huge sums of money—nine figures, in this instance—to new employees, let alone one who has undergone major knee surgery. But the Knicks have spent two years shedding onerous contracts with the goal of rebuilding their roster. And as the team continues its high-stakes pursuit of LeBron James, Mr. Stoudemire figures to be a piece of the puzzle at best and a centerpiece at worst.

"The best thing about him is that he will accept the challenge, and he will not shy away from it," said Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, who coached Mr. Stoudemire for four seasons with the Phoenix Suns. "You put an obstacle in front of him—whether it's his knees, his eyes, coming into the league as a rookie, New York City—and he'll find a way with hard work and just bravado to overcome it. That's the biggest thing."

The 27-year-old Mr. Stoudemire averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds for the Suns last season, his eighth in the NBA. A five-time All-Star, he underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee in 2005, raising concerns about his long-term health.

He also has worn protective goggles since suffering a detached retina in February 2009. But he appeared in every game the Suns played last season, and his life story offers some evidence that he will continue to produce, to overcome long odds, to surmount his pockmarked past.

"I'm totally confident in my leadership abilities," Mr. Stoudemire said.

He had no choice but to rely on himself from an early age. When Mr. Stoudemire was 12, his father died. His mother has been in and out of the court system for much of her adult life. His older brother has also served time. Burney Hayes, a police officer in Lake Wales, Fla., where Mr. Stoudemire grew up, became a mentor and surrogate father of sorts.

Asked how Mr. Stoudemire somehow avoided the pitfalls of his hardscrabble childhood, Mr. Hayes said: "He listened. A lot of kids don't listen."

Mr. Stoudemire was 13 when he met Mr. Hayes, and he was already a looming presence. Mr. Stoudemire stood 6 feet, 4 inches, spoke with a rich baritone and was struggling in school. The family moved around and Mr. Stoudemire jumped from school to school without stability or structure. "He missed a lot of basic fundamental education," Mr. Hayes said.

Another issue, according to Mr. Hayes: Mr. Stoudemire, thanks to his sheer size, intimidated his teachers, who were reluctant to give him the attention he needed. Mr. Hayes said he began to recognize that Mr. Stoudemire was in danger of playing out the rest of his life as an urban stereotype.

But Mr. Hayes sensed potential. He said he had Mr. Stoudemire tested for a learning disability, which showed that Mr. Stoudemire had an extremely high I.Q.—"one point less than 'brilliant,'" according to Mr. Hayes. And in the version of Mr. Stoudemire's life story that borders on hagiography, this moment has taken on huge significance.

At the same time, it was becoming clear that Mr. Stoudemire, despite having been dealt a harsh hand in so many other ways, had won the genetic lottery. He was big, strong and fast, and he grew to love basketball. It might sound like a cliché, but the game became an escape from the grim realities of his life.

Though he played just two years of high school basketball, Mr. Stoudemire—an athletic marvel at 6 feet, 10 inches with a soft touch and spring-loaded legs—bypassed college and jumped directly to the NBA. He was drafted ninth overall by the Suns in 2002, then went on to win the league's Rookie of the Year award.

"He's probably one of the best, if not the best, finisher in the league," Mr. D'Antoni said.

In recent seasons, Mr. Stoudemire had been fodder for the trade-deadline rumor mill—though he never seemed particularly upset about it. In fact, he reveled in the attention. That was apparent when Phoenix played host to the NBA All-Star Game in 2009. During pregame media availability, more than 30 reporters surrounded him—a marked change for a player accustomed to plying his trade in one of the NBA's mid-size markets. He was peppered with questions about all the trade speculation.

"It's all good," he said at the time. "I like it. I mean, who not? I got 20 teams, maybe even more, calling my agent every day about acquiring me. It feels good to know that teams want me and actually appreciate my game."

In light of his knee surgery, he also was asked about his shelf life: "If it's the Lord's will, I've got 15 more healthy years left."

In Phoenix, Mr. Stoudemire was sometimes criticized for being high-maintenance, for playing lackluster defense and for having topsy-turvy relationships with his coaches. On Monday, both he and Mr. D'Antoni dismissed the idea that they had any lingering issues from their time together.

"Zero," Mr. D'Antoni said.

"There was nothing really negative between me and Mike at all," Mr. Stoudemire said. "I always spoke highly of him."

He has his share of high-profile advocates. For example, he has a close relationship with Kentucky coach John Calipari, who nearly recruited Mr. Stoudemire to play for him at the University of Memphis. Mr. Calipari often uses Mr. Stoudemire as a teaching tool with his players, especially those who appear reluctant to put in long hours over the offseason.

One of his favorite stories: During a visit to Memphis a few summers ago, Mr. Stoudemire—already an All-Star, already ridiculously wealthy—got into the gym on campus and spent over an hour working on … skip passes.

"Skip pass after skip pass," Mr. Calipari said in an interview last year, shaking his head. "Talk about a guy who's dedicated to improving himself."

And whereas some of the NBA's other upper-crust stars famously support entourages that could fill small gymnasiums, Mr. Stoudemire maintains a tight inner-circle by design. "He has enough to deal with," Mr. Hayes said. "That's more than any seasoned adult would need to deal with, let alone a young man who's still growing, still maturing."

As much as Mr. Stoudemire has tried to insulate himself, he cannot totally divorce himself from his past. Now he is relocating to New York as a high-profile citizen in a high-profile town.

"I'm confident he can handle this," Mr. Hayes said. "But I'm also concerned that he may be distracted—that he might not be able to fully concentrate on the task at hand. New York is New York. You're in the biggest media market, and a lot of good things can come out of that if you stay true, stay real, stay righteous. Otherwise, the distractions can overwhelm you."

Open Trading!

colonel — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:27:56 GMT

The trading season is open!!! You have picks and keepers!!!

Check out this crazy trade that's already gone down... http://kfba.net/kfba/WebModules/Trades/Trade.aspx?TradeID=29968

Setting a standard

mrobison — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:41:59 GMT

Short version:

In the equivalent of one Major League season; 281 innings, she was 43-1, with 35 shutouts, 15 perfect games, while striking out 597 batters while walking SEVEN!!! and giving up 12 earned runs while driving in 42. She pitched every batter of every game for a state championship team, AND hit well over .400 in a sport where 1-0 games are common. The previous state record for CAREER perfect games was 11; Chelsea had 15 in one season. Or, more than 1/3 of the team's games, she threw a perfect game. This includes the state championship run, a city "all classes," invitational, and playing in a league where half the schools were in a larger size category.

She was chosen as the top pitcher in the state of Michigan this year.

And, yes, it's my home town and my daughter's graduating class. :)

quote= Lansing State JournallOlivet pitcher Chelsea Sundberg has set a new standard for area softball pitchers after leading the Eagles to the Division 3 state championship, and posting numbers in a senior season that may never be matched.

Sundberg, the Lansing State Journal softball Player of the Year, finished with 1,724 strikeouts for her career, ranking her third in the history of the MHSAA.

In her senior season, in which she posted a record of 43-1 and was also named Miss Softball, she became the state's all-time single-season leader in shutouts (35) and perfect games (15, smashing the previous record of seven, also breaking the previous career record of 11). She also ranks second among single-season leaders in wins (44 is the record) and third in strikeouts with 597

. . .

On the Eagle’s wing: Olivet senior Chelsea Sundberg had a 43-1 record and 0.30 earned-run average for the Division 3 state champions. She struck out 1,724 batters in her four-year varsity career and will attend Central Michigan in the fall. (Kevin W. Fowler/For the Lansing State Journal)

She can hit, too: Olivet's Chelsea Sundberg hit .448 with 23 extra-base hits and 42 RBI in her senior season. (Kevin W. Fowler/For the Lansing State Journal)

Darko resigns...

colonel — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:56:07 GMT

From ESPN...

The Minnesota Timberwolves have made a verbal agreement with free agent Darko Milicic on a four year, $20 million deal sources close to the process told ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Free agents can't formally sign contracts until July 8.

The fourth year of the contract is only partially guaranteed, sources said.

The deal for Milicic is extraordinary considering that in February he wasn't playing and said he was giving up on the NBA and returning to Europe.

Timberwolves general manager David Kahn and head coach Kurt Rambis decided to take a chance on Darko and traded for him at the trade deadline. Within a week Darko was in the starting lineup and averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds in March and April. Milicic just turned 25 years old in June and the team believes his best days are still ahead of him.

The deal is the second for the Wolves in the first 24 hours of free agency. Earlier this morning the team agreed to a four year, $13 million deal with their 2008 second round-pick, Nikola Pekovic.

With the two moves, the Wolves just spent $33 million to shore up their middle.

The Milicic and Pekovic deals severely cut into the Wolves' cap room this summer. Starting July 1 with $13 million under the cap, Minnesota now has a little under $5 million left to use on remaining free agents.

The Wolves are hosting free agents Rudy Gay and David Lee in the coming days. However, the only way they'll be able to sign either is through a sign-and-trade. Sources say the Wolves will use forward Al Jefferson as the trade bait to both the Grizzlies and Knicks.

Nikola Pekovic signs with Minnesota...

colonel — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:57:14 GMT

From ESPN...

The Minnesota Timberwolves reached a verbal agreement on a three-year, $13 million contract with their 2008 second-round pick Nikola Pekovic, two league sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

Pekovic is a big, 6-foot-11 bruising center who has had an impressive career playing in Greece the past two seasons. Pekovic averaged 14.8 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game in 23 minutes per game for Panathinikos in Euroleague play last season.

One league source said that had Pekovic been in this year's draft he would have been a top-10 pick.

"He's one of the most dominant big men in Europe right now and I think he can have an immediate impact in the NBA," said the source.

Pekovic was drafted with the first pick in the second round by the Timberwolves in the 2008 NBA draft. He was widely regarded as a potential first-round pick, but slid in the draft thanks to concerns about his contract situation with Panathinikos. Two years later, it looks like he's finally headed to the NBA.

Team president David Kahn would not say that a deal is in place.

"I don't feel comfortable saying that without anything written on a piece of paper," Kahn said. "He's somebody who could really help us."

The Wolves' work this summer isn't done. The team will also work hard in the coming days to re-sign Serbian center Darko Milicic while simultaneously exploring trades for Al Jefferson, according to sources.

Kahn said he spoke to the agent for center Milicic on a busy night and is working to bring the 7-footer back to Minnesota.

Given his first extensive playing time in years, Milicic averaged 8.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 24 games with the Wolves. Rambis was impressed with Milicic's versatility and presence on the defensive end, and was vocal in his desire to see him return.

Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein, said Wednesday that his client is definitely open to returning to Minnesota.

"I know he really enjoyed his time in Minnesota and would be happy to come back if everything worked out," Cornstein said.

"Darko, we think, could be our starting center this year and we'd like to have him back," Kahn said. They are also bringing free agents Rudy Gay of Memphis and David Lee of New York in for visits this week.

Kahn says Gay will come to the Twin Cities on Thursday and stay through Friday and Lee will arrive on Saturday and spend the day.

Shortly after the free agent market opened at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, Kahn called representatives for Gay and Lee and both accepted the invitations.

"They clearly were the two players I felt we wanted to meet and wanted to get to know better and have an opportunity to have a dialogue with," Kahn said early Thursday morning. "I'm very pleased that both of them accepted."

Gay averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds last season for the Grizzlies and fits what Kahn says the team is looking for in a young, athletic wing player with a versatile offensive game. He is a restricted free agent, so the Grizzlies would have the right to match any offer made.

"He's a player that's been on our radar from a distance for quite some time," Kahn said.

The invitation to Lee could be further proof that Jefferson's days in Minnesota are coming to an end. Lee averaged 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds for the Knicks last season. Kahn thinks his skills fit the up-tempo offense Rambis wants to run better than Jefferson, who thrives in the halfcourt as one of the best low-post offensive players in the game.

"It is fluid. We don't know what will occur there," Kahn said of the possibility of trading Jefferson, who averaged 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in his first season back from major knee surgery. "David Lee plays a style of play that fits very well with who we are and who we aim to be. He's very productive. He runs very well. He's strong around the basket. Exceptional passer. We thought he would also be a very obvious fit for us going forward."

Gay is expected to visit the Nets and Knicks on Friday and Saturday, and the Miami Heat would like to meet with him in the coming days as well. Lee will almost assuredly take other visits before making a decision and Kahn said it was still far too early to say if any offers would be made.

Miami or Chicago will meet with Lee first, on Friday, and he also has a meeting lined up with the Nets.

I just kinda found this intriguing

mrobison — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:56:31 GMT

While Lamar Odom has turned into David Lee:

Season   Team       Gms   FG%   FT%   3P%   Mins/G   Pts/G   Assts/G   Rbds/G   Stls/G   Blks/G   KFAvg
2009-10   LAL (Odom)   82   46%   69%   32%   31.0   10.8   3.3   9.8   0.9   0.7   0.820
2006-07   NYK (Lee)   58   60%   82%       29.3   10.7   1.8   10.4   0.8   0.4   0.821
2007-08   NYK (Lee)   81   55%   82%   0%   28.6   10.8   1.2   8.9   0.7   0.4   0.767

David Lee has turned into Lamar Odom, and then some:
Season   Team       Gms   FG%   FT%   3P%   Mins/G   Pts/G   Assts/G   Rbds/G   Stls/G   Blks/G   KFAvg
2004-05   LAL (Odom)   64   47%   69%   31%   36.3   15.2   3.7   10.2   0.7   1.0   0.850
2005-06   LAL (Odom)   80   48%   69%   37%   39.8   14.8   5.5   9.2   0.9   0.8   0.787
2006-07   LAL (Odom)   56   47%   70%   30%   39.0   16.1   4.8   9.8   0.9   0.6   0.823
2008-09   NYK (Lee)   81   55%   75%   0%   34.4   16.0   2.1   11.7   1.0   0.2   0.905
2009-10   NYK (Lee)   81   55%   81%   0%   36.8   20.2   3.6   11.7   1.1   0.5   1.009

Bucks busy...

colonel — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:50:02 GMT

From ESPN...

MILWAUKEE -- Seeking a scoring threat and willing to take on a significant contract, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired forward Corey Maggette in a trade with the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

The Bucks also got a second-round draft pick from the Warriors, giving up guard Charlie Bell and center Dan Gadzuric in return.

Maggette played in 70 games with 49 starts for Golden State last season, averaging 19.8 points per game. He will be expected to provide offense for a team that may lose John Salmons, who can opt out of his contract and become a free agent.

Salmons is going to opt out of his contract with the Bucks, Bucks general manager John Hammond told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

"Corey has been a consistent scorer throughout his career," Hammond said in a statement. "He shoots a solid percentage from the field and has shown the ability to get to the free throw line. We're looking forward to having him in a Bucks uniform."

Tuesday's deal leaves the Bucks with three selections in the second round of Thursday night's NBA draft.

Maggette, an 11-year veteran, ranked 19th in the league in field goal percentage (.516) last season and had the league's highest scoring average for a player who logged fewer than 30 minutes per game. He has three years and approximately $31 million remaining on his contract.

Bell played in 71 games with 39 starts for Milwaukee last season, averaging 6.5 points, 1.5 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game. Gadzuric appeared in 32 games with six starts, and averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

"Charlie and Dan are two high-character veterans who can provide us with some of the intangibles that we need on our squad," Warriors general manager Larry Riley said in a statement. "They are both experienced veterans who will be welcomed additions to our very young team. Additionally, while we certainly wish Corey well and thank him for his outstanding contributions the last two years, this will help alleviate a log-jam that we have at small forward and, more importantly, power forward, where we expect both Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph to return from injuries and play an increased role on our team next season."

Gadzuric will make $7.2 million in the final year of a massive contract that Hammond inherited from the team's previous front office. Bell will make just under $8 million for the next two seasons.

Bell was generally well-liked by Bucks fans but had a few uncomfortable moments with the team. Earlier this year, he was benched in Game 7 of the Bucks' playoff series against Atlanta for disciplinary reasons. Bell also bristled when the Bucks matched an offer sheet from the Miami Heat in 2007.

Bell thanked Bucks fans in a post to his Twitter account, writing, "Thanks Bucks fans for all your support over the years. We had our good times and bad but I will always love the city of Milwaukee."

Miles away from returning...

colonel — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 00:28:55 GMT

From the news services of ESPN...

Portland Trail Blazers forward Darius Miles, who has not practiced or played with the team this season, is not offering details about the right knee injury that has kept him sidelined.

But Miles told The Columbian of Vancouver, Wash., in a story in Thursday's editions that he has seen four specialists and that the team has told him not to do any workouts that put stress on the knee.

"It's serious," Miles told the newspaper. "If it wasn't that serious, I think I'd probably be playing right now."

"I don't know," he said when asked if the injury could leave him out for the season. "Hopefully I can play."

The exact nature of the injury has not been revealed, but Miles said it is not related to surgery he had last year to repair cartilage damage in the knee.

"It's something completely different. It's real frustrating," Miles told the newspaper.

Miles said he is no longer experiencing pain or swelling, but both he and Blazers coach Nate McMillan said Miles can't play right now.

"I think there's enough there that we can't bring him or suit him up," McMillan told the newspaper.

2010 Vegas Summer League Schedule...

colonel — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:48:33 GMT

2010 NBA Summer League Game Schedule:

All Times listed are local Las Vegas time.

Friday July 9

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Dallas

3 PM – Houston vs. Phoenix

5 PM – Detroit vs. LA Lakers

7 PM – Golden State vs. New Orleans

Saturday July 10

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Toronto vs. Phoenix

3 PM – LA Lakers vs. Denver

5 PM – Detroit vs. Golden State

7 PM – Dallas vs. Houston

Sunday July 11

COX Pavilion

1 PM – New York vs. Denver

3 PM – Portland vs. Houston

5 PM – Washington vs. Golden State

7 PM – Miami vs. New Orleans

Monday July 12

COX Pavilion

1 PM – LA Lakers vs. New York

3 PM – Sacramento vs. Detroit

5 PM – Dallas vs. Milwaukee

7 PM – Washington vs. LA Clippers

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – San Antonio vs. Minnesota

5:30 PM – Phoenix vs. NBA D-League

7:30 PM – Memphis vs. Atlanta

Tuesday July 13

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Chicago

3 PM – Cleveland vs. NBA D-League

5 PM – Milwaukee vs. Memphis

7 PM – Portland vs. New Orleans

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Houston vs. Toronto

5:30 PM – Sacramento vs. LA Lakers

7:30 PM – Golden State vs. Miami

Wednesday July 14

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Houston

3 PM – New York vs. Toronto

5 PM – LA Clippers vs. Chicago

7 PM – Sacramento vs. Minnesota

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Atlanta vs. San Antonio

5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Phoenix

7:30 PM – Detroit vs. Miami

Thursday July 15

COX Pavilion

1 PM – LA Lakers vs. San Antonio

3 PM – Golden State vs. Phoenix

5 PM – Washington vs. Dallas

7 PM – LA Clippers vs. Portland

Thomas & Mack

5:30 PM – Atlanta vs. Milwaukee

7:30 PM – NBA D-League vs. Memphis

Friday July 16

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Detroit vs. New York

3 PM – Toronto vs. Sacramento

5 PM – Washington vs. New Orleans

7 PM – Memphis vs. Minnesota

Thomas & Mack

5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Chicago

7:30 PM – Milwaukee vs. Miami

Saturday July 17

COX Pavilion

1 PM – New York vs. Washington

3 PM – Miami vs. Cleveland

5 PM – LA Clippers vs. San Antonio

7 PM – Minnesota vs. Portland

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Toronto vs. New Orleans

5:30 PM – Sacramento vs. Chicago

7:30 PM – NBA D-League vs. Atlanta

Sunday July 18

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Cleveland vs. Milwaukee

3 PM – Chicago vs. Portland

5 PM – Dallas vs. Sacramento

Thomas & Mack

1:30 PM – San Antonio vs. Memphis

3:30 PM – Atlanta vs. Minnesota

5:30 PM – LA Clippers vs. NBA D-League

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

All Times listed are local Las Vegas time.

2010 Left NBA

colonel — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:56:11 GMT

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/402410-sergio-rodriguez-has-signed-with-real-madrid

New York Knicks point guard Sergio Rodriguez has signed a three-year contract with Spain's Real Madrid. He decided to go back to Spain knowing he will be a free agent on July 1st.

It is reported that he will be paid $1.8 million for each season.

Rodriguez was drafted as the 27th pick in the 2006 draft by the Phoenix Suns and later his rights were given to Portland.

He spent three seasons in Portland before being traded to Sacramento.

He failed to establish himself in Sacramento and was overshadowed by teammates Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih.

He was traded with Tracy McGrady and went to New York before the deadline and filled Chris Duhon's role on the team.

Sergio became a starter for the Knicks and ended the season with them.

What do you think about his decision to go back to Europe?

I believe it's the wrong decision because he's only 23 years old and he has the talent to become a good player in the NBA.

...added 20 pounds of muscle!

colonel — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:04:35 GMT

From ESPN.Com...

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors have had discussions about a trade that would send forward Anthony Randolph to the Timberwolves, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the talks.

No trade is imminent, but the Timberwolves have strong interest in acquiring the 20-year-old Randolph. The Warriors, who own the sixth pick in this year's NBA draft, would like to move up to get a higher selection. Minnesota has the fourth pick.

The 6-10 Randolph, who left LSU after one season, played only 33 games last season, averaging 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

In December, ESPN.com reported that the Warriors had interest in dealing Randolph and that the team and representatives of Randolph had met to discuss concerns over Randolph's playing time. The team reportedly was unhappy with his maturity.

"If Golden State wants to trade Anthony, we're not opposed to that," his agent, Bill Duffy, said in December. "He hasn't asked for or demanded a trade, but if the Warriors feel it would be beneficial to them to trade him, we wouldn't be opposed to that at all."

Golden State has asked a high price for Randolph in the past. A team source said that continues to be the case.

Minnesota is high on Randolph and has been monitoring his offseason workouts in Dallas, his hometown. Randolph, who weighed 210 pounds last season, has added 20 pounds of muscle, according to two sources.

The discussions between the two clubs took place last week when several teams, including the Warriors, sent representatives to Minnesota to watch 42 potential draft picks work out at the Timberwolves' practice facility.

Measurements...

colonel — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:24:25 GMT

Name	Ht w/0 shoes	Ht w/ shoes	Weight	Wingspan	Standing Reach	Body Fat
Hassan Whiteside	6-10.5	6-11.5	227	7/7	9/5	5.5
Dexter Pittman	6-9.5	6-11.5	303	7/6	9/3	20.8
Larry Sanders	6-9.25	6-10.5	222	7-5.75	9/4	4.6
DeMarcus Cousins	6-9.5	6-10.75	292	7-5.75	9/5	16.4
Jerome Jordan	6-11.5	7-0.75	244	7-5.25	9/5	6.9
Solomon Alabi	6-11.5	7-0.75	237	7/5	9/5	5
Cole Aldrich	6/9	6-11.25	236	7-4.75	9-3.5	8.5
Ekpe Udoh	6-8.75	6-9.75	237	7-4.5	8-10.5	8
Keith Gallon	6-8.5	6-9.5	302	7-4.5	9-1.5	15.1
Daniel Orton	6-8.75	6-9.5	269	7-4.25	9-2.5	13.8
Derrick Favors	6-8.75	6-10.25	245	7/4	9/2	6.5
Jarvis Varnado	6-8.25	6/10	210	7-3.5	9-1.5	9.5
Al-Farouq Aminu	6-7.25	6-8.5	216	7-3.25	9-0.5	8.2
Greg Monroe	6-9.75	6/11	247	7-2.25	9-0.5	11.2
Charles Garcia	6-8.25	6-9.25	232	7-1.75	8-11.5	7
Ryan Richards	6-10.5	6-11.75	230	7-1.5	9/2	8
Patrick Patterson	6/8	6-9.25	240	7-1.25	8/11	5.3
Wesley Johnson	6-6.25	6-7.25	206	7/1	8/10	4.6
Artsiom Parakhouski	6-10.25	6-11.75	268	7/1	9-1.5	6
Lazar Hayward	6-4.5	6-5.75	226	7-0.75	8/6	7.5
Damion James	6-6.25	6-7.75	227	7-0.75	8/11	9.6
Derrick Caracter	6-8.25	6-9.5	280	7-0.25	8-11.25	12.8
Devin Ebanks	6/7	6-8.25	208	7-0.25	8-11.5	7.9
Gani Lawal	6-7.5	6/9	233	7/1	8-11.5	6.3
Stanley Robinson	6-6.5	6-7.75	213	7/1	8-11.5	8.3
Craig Brackins	6-8.5	6-9.75	229	7/1	9/1	7.9
Ed Davis	6/9	6-9.75	227	7/1	9/1	10
Paul George	6-7.75	6-8.75	214	6-11.25	8/11	5
Luke Babbitt	6-7.5	6-8.75	218	6-11.25	8-8.5	5.6
Xavier Henry	6-5.25	6-6.5	210	6-11.25	8/9	4.7
Trevor Booker	6-6.25	6-7.5	236	6-9.75	8/10	7.3
Luke Harangody	6/6	6-7.75	240	6-9.5	8/10	11.1
Darington Hobson	6-5.25	6-6.5	204	6-9.25	8-8.5	6.2
Greivis Vasquez	6/5	6-6.5	211	6/7	8/5	8.6
Jon Scheyer	6-4.75	6/6	180	6-3.25	8/3	5.4
Andy Rautins	6-4.25	6/5	192	6/7	8/4	6.2
Terrico White	6-3.75	6/5	203	6/9	8/5	3.7
Sylven Landesberg	6-4.75	6-6.25	210	6/9	8-4.5	11.6
James Anderson	6-4.75	6-5.75	208	6-8.5	8/8	7.9
Evan Turner	6-5.75	6/7	214	6/8	8-7.5	8.6
Lance Stephenson	6-4.5	6-5.75	227	6-10.5	8/7	9.3
Gordon Hayward	6-6.75	6/8	211	6-7.75	8/7	6.9
Mikhail Torrance	6/4	6/5	209	6-7.5	8/7	7
Manny Harris	6/4	6-5.5	185	6-7.25	8/6	3.8
Dominique Jones	6-3.25	6/5	216	6-9.25	8/5	5.9
Jordan Crawford	6/3	6-4.5	198	6/7	8/5	4.9
John Wall	6-2.75	6/4	196	6-9.25	8-5.5	5.6
Willie Warren	6-2.5	6-3.75	208	6/6	8-3.5	7.6
Avery Bradley	6/2	6-3.25	180	6-7.25	8-2.5	4
Armon Johnson	6/2	6-3.25	19	6/8	8-3.5	5.6
Eric Bledsoe	6-0.25	6-1.5	192	6-7.5	8/2	5.6
Sherron Collins	5-10.25	5-11.75	217	6-2.5	7/10	9.2

LeBron ousted... again...

broham — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:33:14 GMT

Well what I can say – I’m still shocked! Shocked! Shocked!

How can LeBron not win the title? I still can’t get that through my head. He’s supposed to win the title. That’s the way basketball works. That’s the way the NBA has worked for 50 years. Best player, best point differential, best team, wins it all. This isn’t the NCAA tournament, this isn’t Any given Sunday. These are seven game series grinded out over a week and half.

I’m still positive that in some parallel Lost universe he’s playing the Magic on Sunday. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the real universe and I’m typing this up in the parallel.

I did watch the whole game – and it did most definitely feel totally surreal throughout – even if the cavs were within striking distance most of the time.

In spite of his gaudy counting stats this was most definitely not Real LeBron. Not in his play, or body language or anything at all.

I have seen him play at least a few dozen games over the course of his seven year career.

I can’t remember even once seeing him fumble the ball on the catch of a good pass or unable to pick up his own crossover, or dribbling off of his foot, all of which he did on multiple occasions last night.

I can’t remember even once seeing a totally errant pass that had no shot at being caught by any Cav player whatsoever. And I counted at least three of these – crazy Delonte West style – passes last night.

I can’t recollect him missing to the right of the rim by a foot on his jumper – and again this happened multiple times last night.

So clearly this was not real LeBron. Either his elbow hurts, or he’d run out of steam (he sure looked tired out there) or he was sick. I don’t know.

He was working hard – those rebounds came because he was jumping 10 feet in the air over everyone else to make sure he secured the ball. He was launching himself from one side of the court to the other to deflect passes and create fastbreaks…

But in true Bizarro fashion he was most definitely not running full steam ahead when he had the ball in those breaks… He’d run over half court and then stop and not even have a pass ready to go. It was like Mo Williams was playing in LeBron’s body.

And even more Bizarro – after 10 seconds of clock had already been dribbled away by his offensively challenged teammates the ball would arrive to him at the top of the key coming off a screen. And, get this, he would pretty much immediately pass it right back to one of his teammates, who would inevitably dribble another 10 seconds of clock off. I have never seen this. I still don’t understand it.

And in embarrassing Bizarro – The Celtics actually had Ray Allen guarding LeBron for most of that game. Ray freaking Allen!!! Giving LeBron about 3 feet of space too. Are you really going to tell me Real LeBRon wouldn’t have had a total field day being guarded by Ray Allen!?!?!?

And definitely most Bizarro of all. He was neither shocked nor visibly disappointed when the Celtics had a pretty much insurmountable lead with a minute and half to go, nor when the clock finally ran out. He made a point of hugging every Celtic and saying something into their ear (my guess? He said go get the Magic and/or congrats – you guys earned this – and/or I’ll be back next year with a better f’ing team so make the most of this opportunity).

Real LeBron – You might remember – stormed of the court in disgust after the magic defeated them in game 6. Wouldn’t even do a post game.

I think ultimately he must have realized that not being 100% (of even 85%) there was absolutely no chance he could win the title, even if he could get past the Celtics. Title or bust meant it didn’t really matter if it was 2nd round ouster or finals in 4. And I think he hates the coach and he was down on his teammates and pretty much just wanted to get the hell on with his life. Why play if I don’t really have a chance?

As far as the Cavs – My goodness! A little LeBron backslide exposed what a weak team they are.

Mo Williams was freaking awful. Awful! He came out looking for his own shot and made a few (got 20 in the first half) and he’s all cocky and shit. But he also dribbled the hell out of the ball and failed to get it to LeBron on multiple occasions – most notably on a horrific fast break where he decided to run through two Boston players and fumble it out of bounds rather than passing it to an open LeBron under the basket. I’m talking about a play any one of us could have made. Just a basic I’m running down the court, I just crossed half court, there are two Celtics at the foul line and LeBron is at the basket. I mean even Celtics fans were a little disgusted. LeBron was definitely disgusted.

Antawn Jamison was even worse. He couldn’t make a layup or a floater, much less an open jumpshot. He got a couple of steals early, but otherwise was absolutely torched by KG. If he was a free agent coming off of that game – I’d venture to guess there would be no team in the NBA willing to sign him next season. Just unbelievable timid, and bad. Maybe his elbow hurt too. Or maybe he just absolutely choked in a big game. Or maybe he had no idea what the hell was going on and that piece of crap coach couldn’t design anything for him to get easy shots offensively.

Cavs second best player was Varejao – Who got limited run from their idiot coach – and was repeatedly exposed offensively by the Cavs penchant for running the high pick and roll with LeBron and Varejao. If there’s one lesson from the Orlando series last year its this: double LeBron and force him to pass to Varejao. More often than not, Varejao will not be able to complete a shot or the play. If you’re going to run a pick and roll 20 feet from the basket – freaking run it with someone that can shoot, pass and dribble (at least one of the three!) REtard. Still every Cavs line-up looked more legit when he was on the floor.

Also got to give Kudos to Shaq – He may be a lumbering Giant, but he played hard and smart. Like this game mattered and he knew what he was doing. Plus perkins is a real good matchup for him since he cant really exploit Shaq’s defensive weakness. At one point they had Shaq guarding KG, which did not work as well, but for the most part Shaq held his own. He went to the basket HARD every time he had the chance and when Perkins had the ball under the basket for a layup he fouled the shit out of him. Ended the game with 5 fouls I believe and everyone one of them counted. (Mo Williams on the other hand stood under the basket while Rondo laid it up on a fast break. Guess he didn’t want to ruin his manicure or anything. And besides what’s Rondo? A 55% shooter from the free throw line? Freaking embarrassing… Mo Williams sucks.)

And the freaking coach – He dusted off Ilgaukas and played him for what seemed like an eternity on TWO separate stretches. Needless to say it was a while before he was able to hit a freaking jump shot – given that’s he hardly played in 3 months and is almost 40. Every coach interviewed before the game pretty much said you can’t start Jamison on KG (which is exactly what he did and the Celtics proceeded to get the ball to KG as often as they could). Every coach interview said you have to make mo willliams guard rondo or get someone else to do it. Having Mo on Ray Allen gave the Celtics a 3rd offensive weapon. How can you let the other team have 3 offensive mismatches from the opening whistle?

And what the fans need to be worried about is – How can LeBron look at this team and the players on it and the lack of high draft picks or cap space or youth or upside potential and think this team is possible going to get any better? Is LeBron going to get better? He just had the 2nd best PER of all time – I’m going to say he’s pretty much peaking.

As far as the Celtics they looked great. Major props to Rondo who has become a tremendous force. He took anyone he wanted off the dribble and when the Cavs put LeBron on him he said fine – stood two feet behind the 3 point line on the corner and handed the ball off to his teammates and let them go to work on the non-LeBrons. Just so controlled and with a remarkable basketball IQ (one that made you reminisce about Real LeBron). And he hit some 18 footers too. And he was certainly the best athlete on the floor. Honestly I can’t do justice to how good he was and just how much he controlled the game – and neither can the video game stats. He was a freaking revelation to watch.

Now KG, I’m just not sure what to say. He looked great. Repeatedly hit turnaround, fade-away 15 footers. I’m talking like three in a row to start the game. Hard shots. We couldn’t make 1 out of 50 if we were they only ones on the court. And he was mobile as all get out. I don’t understand how this is the same player I saw dragging his legs up and down the court two months ago. I mean someone must have spliced up some video somewhere showing just how different the two are. One looks 50 – like Bill Russell putting on a uniform and trying to play out there - the other looks 27. How is that possible? Not suggesting anything, but you got to admit it’s pretty fishy that his knees suddenly rejuvenated like that.

We’ll see how good this team is when the play the Magic. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do well – I mean they should have some of the same match-up advantages right? Neither Jameer Nelson nor Vince Carter has any hope whatsoever of containing Rondo. It’ll help to have Howard under the basket, but once the first defender is broken down, every subsequent helper leaves someone open and this Rondo guy got himself some Jason Kidd koolaid or something. And Derek Fisher won’t even try. They’ll start Kobe on him right away. (Isn’t this what killed the Lakers two years ago?) And yeah the Lakers have all the big men and all that, but I’d argue that KG in the league is the only player tall enough at the PF position to guard Gasol – and he might just have enough athleticism left in him too.

Draft picks, trades, mock draft, etc.

mrobison — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:52:39 GMT

When do we get going??????????

Sugar Ray Champs

jules — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:58:39 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

The following is a statement from the coach of the Wiscobich Pistones, Coach Jules;

Wow!!WOOOOOOOOO!! The Nature Boy!! It has taken me 2 full days to comprehend that the Pistones won the Sugar Ray 2010 championship. I guess that after 11 years of coaching a lot of teams in various sports and not winning a title, I was still waiting for some e-mail from the colonel telling me that there was a miscalculation, but after two days it’s official: Wiscobich Pistones and coach Jules 2010 champs. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

It’s been a long, sickening, frustrating road, filled with many tears, drunken nights and self doubt, but this championship makes it all worth it. It hasn’t been a big celebration in the streets of San Juan like all the partying, drunkenness, riots, arrests and the official three day city celebration that Baltimore had after the Brocheese second championship. But there are at least, besides me, three more people and a baby in Puerto Rico that are very happy about the Pistones. I want to thank my wife for beating me last year in fantasy baseball and teaching me that anything is possible. You lit a fire under me. Also, thanks to the Cowpokes and their coach Manuel, or “d pussy” as he is known in other circles, for having the vision of trading two of his stars players to our team for future all-stars. Special thanks to Amare for finally showing some cojones at the end of the season and to the Argentinean bulldozer Luis Scola, for quitting his second gig doing porn and sticking with basketball. Many thanks to Jason Richardson for doing less coke during the season; he followed the program and the results speak for themselves. And, thanks to Timmy for bringing his work ethic and great whiskey to our team.

Finally, a big Fuck U to Allen Iverson for lasting just three days with the team and leaving a big debt with a few casinos in the island; and the biggest Fuck U to Gilbert Arenas for trying to break the team spirit and for just being a complete irresponsible asshole. That being said: thanks to the Wiscobich’s and our 4 fans. Enjoy the off-season and see u next year. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

-Coach Jules

Ciwasko rising to the top!?

broham — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:47:05 GMT

After a sterling OR semifinals* that saw scores of 246, 240, 223 and 219, the finals have started off with a wimper...

Bynums still out, Monta has not played, Ginobili is down, CP3 is still not in game shape and Wade, Melo, Brandon Roy and Amare have all delivered underwhelming performances...

Tis a game of attrition after all.

In the Broham v Ciwasko undercard pitting many of the same actors, the Big Three are matched up against Connie Hawkins at Rucker Park for the Crazy 88s title... As in the OR Ciwasko holds the lead...

*"Are you ready to be fucked man? I see you rolled your way into the semi's. Dios mio man. Leum and me we're gonna fuck you up!"

Air Congo...

colonel — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:09:47 GMT

From the Oklahoman... http://www.newsok.com/article/3448556

Thunder rookie Serge Ibaka last week unveiled a new signature move following an emphatic dunk in Toronto.

Holding his arms out like an airplane, Ibaka calls it "Air Congo."

Ibaka pulled "Air Congo" again Monday night, but it was his blocked shot of Tim Duncan with 8.8 seconds left that gave the Thunder a chance to rally for a win. San Antonio held on for in a 99-96 win, but Ibaka held his own the fourth quarter against the Spurs' future Hall of Famer.

"Serge was terrific," said Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks. "That's one of the hardest players he will guard the next 15 years in this league even after Duncan is long gone, retired. He's a special player, one of the best ever... and Serge did a great job battling him."

Duncan has played in 965 career NBA games, 1,112 if you include the playoffs. Monday's game was Ibaka's 60th.

"Every game, he's learning something new," said Thunder teammate Thabo Sefolosha. "He's playing with more and more confidence."

Ibaka scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots.

It was an Ibaka's second quarter shift that OKC built its largest lead (14 points). Ibaka then played the entire fourth quarter showing why the 21-year-old power forward will be a key contributor not only in the future but this season.

Even though English, one of four languages Ibaka speaks, remains a work in progress, he explained why he came up with the "Air Congo" move.

"When you dunk, you fly," Ibaka said, smiling.

Draft Buzz

colonel — Wed, 21 May 2003 21:03:23 GMT

Hey yoh... Just wanted to get some draft buzz going... In two days, we'll know who won the LeBron lottery... But there are still plenty of other intriguing prospects out there... I wanna see where this Pavel Podkolzin ends up... This Russian kid is only 18 years old, but is already 7'4" & 300 lbs... Okay, so he's got no bigman skills right now, but at least he can run the floor...