It was an odd time for a players-only meeting — minutes after a blowout victory over Portland — but the Los Angeles Lakers felt they needed to clear the air. So, according to sources, team leaders Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher gathered everyone together in the Lakers’ locker room Monday night and tried to set the tone for the second half of the season. ESPN.com Their message was clear: Trade rumors do not matter; your feelings about management or the coaching staff don’t
Derrick Rose scored 23 points in his return as the Bulls handled Atlanta. It was a makeshift lineup for the Hawks, with Marvin Williams (personal) replaced in the starting five by Willie Green. Then Joe Johnson left early with a sore knee, though it doesn’t sound too serious. Neither Jeff Teague nor Kirk Hinrich had a great afternoon; seldom-used Jannero Pargo outplayed them both. After complaining in public about his playing time, Tracy McGrady got almost 22 minutes. Around the League Deron
The NBA announced Friday the teams and participants for the Shooting Stars competition, which annually kicks off All-Star Saturday Night. Here are the teams, which are made up of an NBA player, a WNBA player and a former player: ATLANTA: Joe Johnson, Lindsey Harding, Steve Smith NEW YORK: Landry Fields, Cappie Pondexter, Allan Houston ORLANDO: Jameer Nelson, Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Dennis Scott TEXAS: Chandler Parsons, Sophia Young, Kenny Smith Atlanta is the defending champion, but the New York entry appears to be the favorite because the event
Kevin Love will be in the Three-Point Contest. The field was announced by the NBA on Wednesday, and Love is among the six gunslingers who will be hoisting on All-Star Saturday night Feb. 25. Known more for his rebounding, Love is shooting 36 percent (44-of-122) from 3-point range this season, slightly below his career mark. The All-Star forward of the Minnesota Timberwolves is participating for the first time. Also in the field are defending champion James Jones and Mario Chalmers of the Miami
Dirk? Apparently, the Western Conference coaches chose this year’s All-Star reserves based upon last year’s accomplishments. The 14 All-Star reserves were announced tonight on TNT, and there were a couple of surprises. None was bigger than the selection of Nowitzki, who is averaging the lowest numbers since his sophomore season. His points per game (17.6) are down 5.4 from last season, his field-goal percentage has dropped from.517 to .461, and whose 3-point percentage has nosedived from .393 to .211. He even acknowledged recently
In a stacked 13-game appetizer for tomorrow’s Super Bowl, two playoff-bound teams look to bounce back from uninspired losses when the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. On Friday, the Sixers (16-7) fell to Miami for the second time this season, 99-79. Philadelphia proved it can hang with big boys by beating contenders Orlando and Chicago earlier this week, but Thaddeus Young’s 18 points weren’t enough to keep up with the Heat in the Sixers’ third straight tough game. After a
Fans who took part in All-Star balloting, take a bow. You got nine out of 10 right. Yes, you again chose with your heart instead of your head, as you have done on an annual basis for as long as we can remember. But unlike past years – when your infinite wisdom voted undeserving players such as A.C. Green, Dan Majerle, Steve Francis, Ben Wallace and an injured Yao Ming as starters – at least this time your choices won’t cost anyone
The foremost reason fantasy league owners are typically challenged making trades is due to the varying opinions of player values. Everyone loves his or her own guys, most notably following the draft. League drafts have now long since passed and at this point, so too have pre-draft valuations and player expectations. That guy you drafted in the second round might not be more than a Top 70 player at this point (that would be you, Amare Stoudemire!) and that late round