Robert Pera defended the decision to trade Rudy Gay, from Marlon W. Morgan of The Commercial Appeal: “He was awesome,” Pera said of Gay. “But … going back to basketball and how it’s a team sport and all the pieces fit together, the offense we run is really traditional. It’s inside-outside, a grinding type of offense. Rudy’s talent, his potential really couldn’t be maximized in our system.”I think it was good for him and I think it was good for the team. I think the pieces we got back were much stronger. I wouldn’t say the players we got back were necessarily better than Rudy. Rudy’s a special talent. But for our team and for our fit, I think the personnel and the team we have constructed now is probably the best Grizzlies’ team when you’re looking at the total team and chemistry and how it fits our style of play.”
Pera used the Lakers to provide an example of why throwing big money out isn’t always the answer: “On his financial approach to the team: “I run my real business, Ubiquiti Networks, for profitability. For the Memphis Grizzlies, I definitely don’t want to profit in any way. The primary goal is to win and to make the city of Memphis proud. … But whether I’m worth a billion dollars or 10 billion dollars, I don’t think throwing money is the way to get a best result. You look at the Lakers. They threw together all these stars and a huge payroll, and it’s not working out so far. I think you can’t be cheap, and I don’t think we are cheap. Compared to some of the top teams, the Spurs, the Thunder, the Clippers, aren’t we on par with about the same payroll?”
It has been confirmed that Leandro Barbosa suffered a torn ACL, from A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE: “The MRI results on Leandro Barbosa’s left knee confirm that he has suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury. In the third quarter of Boston’s 94-91 loss at Charlotte, Barbosa fell to the ground after making a move that did not draw any contact. It appeared he planted awkwardly and soon went down in severe pain. The Celtics suspected he had some torn ligaments in the knee following Monday’s loss, but he needed to have an MRI to see whether it was an ACL, MCL or PCL-related injury.”
Thunder players were asked how they felt about the last-second halfcourt heave that many player stay away from, from Royce Young of Daily Thunder: Kevin Durant: “It depends on what I’m shooting from the field. First quarter if I’m 4-for-4, I let it go. Third quarter if I’m like 10-for-16, or 10-for-17, I might let it go. But if I’m like 8-for-19, I’m going to go ahead and dribble one more second and let that buzzer go off and then throw it up there. So it depends on how the game’s going.” Russell Westbrook: “No. Nope … If I was considering about [statistics] I’d do a lot of shit different.”… Kevin Martin: “Yes, I’ve noticed it a lot. For myself? I like to be considered an efficient scorer, so I think that’ll answer your question on how I approach that shot.”
- Speaking of the Thunder, reporters may want to ask their questions in a very careful manner when Russell Westbrook is in a foul mood, breh:
Kevin Garnett had a cryptic message about his run as an All-Star player, from Jessica Camerato of CSNNE: “Kevin Garnett on this being his last All-Star Game: “Ya’ll don’t know what I know”. KG: “This is definitely my last All-Star Game.” [Reporter: Why do you say that?]. KG: “Why not?”. [Reporter: Because you still have two years left.]. KG: “Yeah, ya’ll don’t know what I know, though. Put it like this, I’m more than grateful. I’m not going to act like I’ve got more All-Star Games in me. So I’m actually going to enjoy this one with some friends and family.”
Chris Webber believes the Heat will win the championship even though the Thunder have a better team, from Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel: “Webber on LeBron James’ streak of scoring 30-plus points and shooting better than 60 percent over his previous five games: “The best way for me to put it into perspective is to say, ‘Michael Jordan didn’t do it.'”… Webber on the Heat: “I don’t think their team is better than OKC, as a whole team. [But] I still think Miami is going to win the championship.”… Webber, on how LeBron makes his teammates more valuable: “I don’t know if there’s ever been a better teammate. Does any player make their teammates as valuable as LeBron? I think LeBron is the most valuable player, he has a great teammate in Wade and I don’t know if anyone gets more out of their teammates than these two guys.”
Why was Webber so mesmerized by LeBron? Here’s one reason, from Tim Reynolds of The AP: “When LeBron James first heard about this streak of games with at least 30 points and 60 percent shooting, he did not immediately think about who was on the list. He thought about who wasn’t. Wilt Chamberlain? Not there. Michael Jordan? Not there. Shaquille O’Neal? Not there, either. In NBA history, only Adrian Dantley and Moses Malone had put together five straight 30-point, 60-percent efforts – that is, until James joined their super-exclusive club. It kind of blew my mind,” James said. “To see how small the list was and for me to even be a part of the list, to start off, it’s like, ‘Wow.'”