NEW YORK — J.R. Smith is joining the New York Knicks after reportedly turning down an offer from coach Vinny Del Negro to immediately step in as the starting 2-guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. Smith flew from China to America yesterday and was met at LAX by a Knicks team official, who then traveled with Smith with Las Vegas after learning that was where Smith was headed next, according to a report by John Canzano of the Oregonian. “NY Knicks it
Hamilton: In a break from Linsanity, a Tyson Chandler column
NEW YORK – The buzzer sounded and it was over. The Knicks had just defeated the Sacramento Kings, 100-85. For the Gotham Gang, it was their seventh win in a row. Although their leader played less than 30 minutes and took only six shots, his impact on the game was undeniable. Behind his efforts, the Knicks put away a team they had to beat in a game they had to win. After fueling gritty and improbable comebacks in Minnesota and Toronto,
Fantasy Spin: Friday Feb. 17
Before we look at last night’s games, you might want to add J.R. Smith to your team. It’s being reported that he will sign with the Knicks, and play on Sunday. It’s a great fit; instead of trying to guess between Bill Walker, Steve Novak and Iman Shumpert, you can be fairly confident that Smith will soon be the primary bench scorer. In addition to threes, he’s a decent source of STL and REB. Don’t go overboard dropping a productive
The Bulls continue to win without Rose; Chris Paul wills Clippers to victory
Teams usually struggle when starters and franchise players are constantly in and out of the lineup. But try telling that to the Chicago Bulls, who hold a record of 25-7, the best in the league. Derrick Rose missed his fourth straight game due to back issues Thursday night, but it did not matter as the Bulls improved to 7-2 without their franchise point guard and continued their dominance at home by defeating the Celtics 89-80. Granted, most of those wins without Rose
Tweet of the Day: JR Smith
Smith, back from his stint playing in China, is finally back in the USA and ready to make an impact in the NBA. This is nothing to sneeze at, however. Smith is a phenomenal athlete, and makes an immediate impact wherever he decides to land. The Knicks seem to be close to getting a deal done, which would make them an even scarier team down the stretch. With Smith, the Knicks could roll out a lineup of Jeremy Lin, Smith,
Jeremy Lin added to Rising Stars Challenge; rosters set
In a major upset, global sensation Jeremy Lin was added to the player pool for the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend. Lin, the second-year point guard of the New York Knicks, was a late addition to the pool, as was Miami Heat rookie guard Norris Cole. TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal served as GMs and chose from a pool of 10 sophomores and 10 rookies. Here are there picks (O’Neal had the first pick): TEAM SHAQ Blake Griffin Greg Monroe Markieff Morris Ricky Rubio Jeremy Lin Kemba
Iverson heading to Springfield?
So the news is out that Allen Iverson is willing to play in the D-League in order to prove he is still capable of playing NBA caliber basketball. (And to make some money after burning through $150 million). So in which D-League city would be end up? We have the answer. Under D-League guidelines, a player signs a contract with the league, and is put on waivers. While he is on waivers, NBA D-League teams can put in claims on that player based on
Notes from around the NBA
The Chicago Bulls (24-7) host the Boston Celtics (15-13) tonight (TNT, 8 p.m. ET), as the teams meet for the third time this season and the second time in the past five days. The teams split their first two games, both in Boston, with the Bulls scoring an 88-79 victory Jan. 13, and the Celtics winning 95-91 Feb. 12. According to NBA.com/Stats, the Celtics’ defense has been very effective against the Bulls. Inside, Boston has limited Chicago to 48 percent (33-for-69)