Carmelo Anthony doesn’t think the Knicks should trade Iman Shumpert or anyone else, from Marc Berman of New York Post: “He shouldn’t be worrying about that,’’ Anthony said. “The Knicks shouldn’t even be in trade talks right now.’’ The Knicks don’t appear ready to move one of their bedrocks of the future, especially in a potential exchange for the Suns’ Jared Dudley and a first-round pick. But Knicks coach Mike Woodson felt it was important enough to talk to Shumpert before yesterday’s 102-88 loss to the Clippers in which Shumpert was assigned to Chris Paul and didn’t fare too well. Shumpert’s offensive slump continued as he scored two points on 1-of-4 shooting in 20:54. “He said, ‘Don’t worry about it,’ ’’ Shumpert said. “Rumors are rumors. I just got to play ball. Something I can’t control.”
Kobe Bryant scolded some fans on twitter about using the term “gay” as a slur, from Chris Chase of USA Today: “Kobe Bryant, who was fined two years ago for using a gay slur toward a referee, scolded two Twitter users for using homophobic language over the weekend. He tweeted: “Just letting you know @pacsmoove @pookeo9 that using ‘your gay’ as a way to put someone down ain’t ok! #notcool delete that out ur vocab.” Bryant was responding to a message from user @pookeo9, a 16-year-old Canadian, and a subsequent response from @pacsmoove. The first tweet was directed to the @kobebryant handle and read, “Let’s make out in bed Kobe.” @Pacsmove retweeted that message, adding “you’re gay” to the beginning. Bryant responded with the admonishment, then acknowledged his past issues with using homophobic language when confronted by another Twitter user. “Exactly,” he wrote. “That wasn’t cool and was ignorant on my part. I own it and learn from it and expect the same from others.”
When asked about his role on the offensive end, Howard didn’t have a whole lot to say, from Ben Bolch of Los Angeles Times: “As Howard’s production has dwindled, so have the postgame remarks of a once-chatty player. Reporter: “Are you getting as many shots as you would like right now?” Howard: “I don’t want to talk about that.” Reporter: “Are you happy with your place in the offense?” Howard: “I don’t want to talk about it.” Maybe it’s smart to stay mum given the limited offensive arsenal he unveiled Sunday. Howard’s baskets came on two putback dunks, two jump hooks, a dunk off a pass from Steve Nash and a driving layup. Are the Lakers getting enough out of Howard? “Trying to,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Trying to do the best we can do.”
Steve Nash wondered why the Lakers are having trouble getting Howard to play the pick-and-roll game, from Kevin Ding of The OC Register: “When you know that this whole team’s fate rides on Howard’s level of effort, are 39 years old and just faced your own basketball mortality with a seven-week broken leg (and yes, Nash came back and is playing through his own nerve damage in his left leg, as Howard regularly cites about his left leg), it’s enough to start steaming inside.Even if you’re known as the Greatest Teammate Ever. Nash is not convinced Howard is incapable of playing pick and roll. “We’d like to get him in the pick and roll more,” Nash said Sunday. “I think that’s how he was really good in Orlando. He’d pick and he’d dive and they’d swing and put it in to him, so he could get deeper catches and the help side has a more difficult time coming to him. “I don’t know. It’s been difficult really to get him into that game – running into pick and rolls, diving hard, looking for the ball. We really haven’t found that rhythm from him yet.”
Metta World Peace still thinks the Lakers are fighting for a championship, and compared LeBron James to himself. Mike Bresnahan of Los Angeles Times has details: “I’m like four or five years before my career’s over. I compliment after my career’s over,” said World Peace, who has one more year and $7.7 million left on his Lakers contract. “We’re actually trying to win a championship this year. When my career’s over, I’ll give praise to guys who dominated that I stopped and guys that had good games against me. Right now it’s just not appropriate for me to judge anybody positive or negative.” The closest World Peace came to complimenting James was a couple of days before the game. “He’s definitely strong,” World Peace said, trying to find the right metaphor. “He reminds me of a more athletic me.”
- Mike Bibby was escorted out of his son’s basketball game for poor behavior, from Cowbell Kingdom.
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