The NBA has decided to revise its media guidelines. Take notes everybody: “The new rules, sent to teams Friday, lessen the amount of times players are required to be available on game days but mandates they speak at least once while sidelined with a long-term injury. Coaches can shorten the length of time they have to open practice to reporters and won’t be required to meet with the media after morning shootarounds at home, but will still have to when they’re on the road. NBA senior vice president of communications Tim Frank said the changes were made in an effort to ”achieve consistency across the league.” ”It was time to take a fresh look,” Frank said. ”We’ve basically had the same rules for 30-plus years and with the changing media landscape it was clear there were redundancies and we needed to adjust.” The old rules required players to be available at the morning shootaround and before the game, though most picked only one and some did neither. Now, they can choose one, but if their team doesn’t hold a morning workout, they will be required to be available at pregame if requested.”
Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao is ready to finally get back to basketball: “A honeymoon in the New York area was scrapped when his wife got sick, so instead the couple returned here, where Varejao reported to the Cleveland Clinic Courts more than two weeks ahead of the start of training camp on Oct. 1. “I’m ready to get to work,” Varejao told The Plain Dealer on Thursday afternoon. “I’m excited and I’m ready for the season. I can’t wait.” No wonder. Varejao missed the last 56 games of the season after a quad injury and then a blood clot. It was his third straight season cut short by injury, coming on the heels of a fractured right wrist that limited him to 25 games in 2011-12 and a right ankle/foot injury that ended the 2010-11 campaign at 31 games. “My goal this season is just to stay healthy,” he said. “Everything else will come.” Varejao spent most of the summer rehabilitating his quad in Brazil and working to strengthen his leg. He has only recently started playing pick-up games and, though his quad feels good, he estimates he’s at about 70 percent heading into the start of training camp.”
Disappointing news out of Atlanta, guard Lou Williams has not been cleared for camp: “While Williams still could be cleared in time for camp, he most likely will not be ready to immediately assume the role he had last season. It could take a month for him to be at full strength. Williams’ season ended after just 39 games last season when he tore the ACL Jan. 18 against Brooklyn. Such an injury typically takes about nine months to heal. The shooting guard minutes will be split between Kyle Korver, John Jenkins and DeMarre Carroll but there is room for a fourth player in the rotation. Williams would have taken some of those minutes. The uncertainty of Williams’ status is likely the reason the Hawks gave a non-roster training camp invitation to guard/small forward Damien Wilkins. The veteran could fill that role if he makes the team. Wilkins averaged 6.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 18.0 minutes in 61 games with the 76ers last season. In the final two months of the season, he averaged 11.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 29.0 minutes in 26 March and April games.”
More injury news from around the league, Denver’s Danilo Gallinari does not yet have a timetable for his return: “Gallinari, who has done a significant portion of his rehab this summer in Italy, underwent an arthroscopic procedure in June for a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered late last season. He had the procedure done at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail. Initial estimates, after Gallinari tore the ACL on April 4, were that the Nuggets second-leading scorer last season (16.2 ppg) would miss half of the 2013-14 season. But in a Facebook post after the operation, Gallinari revised those expectations, saying the recovery time would be “completely different.” It is believed that revision was pushed to December, but Melchionni refrained from putting a date on Gallinari’s return. Gallinari, however, will report on time to Nuggets training camp, which begins on Oct. 1, and continue his rehab.”
Tony Parker and France have eliminated Spain in the Euro Semi’s: “France ended Spain’s reign as European basketball champion Friday with a 75-72 overtime semifinal victory behind 32 points from Tony Parker. Two-time defending champion Spain led by 14 points at halftime, but Parker made a 3-pointer to give France its first lead of the second half, 64-43, with two minutes left. After Marc Gasol made a jumper, Alexis Ajinca made a free throw for France with 40 seconds left to tie it. Both teams missed chances to win in regulation. Parker and Antoine Diot scored France’s last 8 points from the line in overtime, and Gasol missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. France will play Lithuania in the final. Lithuania reached its first final since winning the title 10 years ago by beating Croatia 77-62.”
Greg Oden is finally ready to roll into an NBA season: ““I’m just excited,” Oden told HEAT.com. “I’m just anticipating and ready to officially be a part of this team. They’re the world champs. I mean, who wouldn’t want to join this team?” In recent years, Oden hasn’t had much reason to smile. After undergoing five knee operations, including three microfracture procedures, he had sunk into a deep depression. He tried to drown his sorrows by drinking and became a self-proclaimed alcoholic. He was overcome with a feeling of hopelessness and bitterness. When fans would approach him for pictures or autographs, he would be annoyed, wondering why they’d want to interact with someone who was – as he put it – “nothing now.”
So Ben,let me get this straight. JR & Metta are all about “ego” but PP & KG are about “pride” You’re not showing your personal feelings toward these players,are you? Not a lot of non-bias by labeling!