Sports Blog Net: A Sports Blog Network » NBA

Celtics Earn Extra Rest in Blowout of Jazz

sportsblognet — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:55:31 +0000

The Celtics were rewarded with a three day mini vacation after enduring eight games in 12 days. Apparently it wasn’t long enough though. The Celts came out on fire to bury the Jazz 105-86, which allowed for a 4th quarter extension of the vacation for most of the Celtics starters. In a game in which Boston never trailed, [...]

Top 3 Must for Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:59:23 +0000

While watching VU’s 91-56 beatdown of Alabama Huntsville, my blogging-blood started pumping. I really want to see some more of this team, and was so eagr to write about a Commodores’ squad that maybe - just maybe - is one of our best ever. This is odd, because usually it takes a little while for me to get into basketball [...]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar discusses his leukemia with Keith Olbermann.

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:30:04 +0000

I have noticed quite a few people have been googling ‘Kareem+Cancer’ and ending up here, so when I saw that the basketball legend was discussing his illness with the great Olbermann tonight, I naturally decided to steal the content and post it here for my legion of accidental fans to enjoy. I know, I know, I’m the real hero here…so please return often out of gratitude, won’t you? And, by the way, those ads to the left don’t click themselves.

Technorati Tags: Clubhouse Cancer,MSNBC,Los Angeles Lakers,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Keith Olbermann,leukemia,cancer,basketball,Magic Johnson

Shaq, wife headed towards divorce

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the biggest stars in the NBA. He's won NBA titles, MVP Awards and has been a 15-time All-Star.

Despite all his success and accolades on the court, life off the court, including those heinous Comcast commercials, has been anything but smooth.

His wife of 7 years, Shaunie O'Neal, has filed for legal separation with all intentions of getting a divorce in the coming months.

This isn't the first time the couple has publicly expressed their marital unhappiness. In 2007, Shaq initiated a split after allegations of Shaunie's infidelity and money hiding tactics.

The couple reunited in 2008 and gave it another try but irreconcilable differences, the reason expressed on the separation decree, brought the relationship to an end, at least for now.

Shaunie O'Neal is also seeking custody of their four children and is expected to request spousal and child support in the near future.

The soon to be ex-wife of Shaq and the kids have left their Florida home and moved back to California. The only question that remains is, how much will she get?

Shaquille O'Neal's Wife Files for Separation (People)

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The Pre-Funk: Blazers at Timberwolves 11/11

blazeoflove — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:17:00 +0000

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest. We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

If you thought Minnesota looked D-League level against the Blazers on Sunday then you should have seen them the next night where they got more than fondled by 41 points at the expense of the Warriors. Should we expect something else from them now that they've returned home? Probably not. Johnny Flynn remains their only bright spot through 8 games and will likely stay that way until Al Jefferson decides to wake up. Still no Kevin Love, and a Ramon Sessions proving to be as overrated as Mike Conley, you should chalk up a 4th straight double digit cruise-fest for the Blazers.

And not a ton of coverage with the team and its slew of writers on the road for a back-to-back, so we'll turn to the blogs for some action.

On Tap...

Game preview from Dave. [Blazers Edge]
Sheed's Shakedown. [Bust a Bucket]
Pre-thoughts. [Rip City Project]
Enemy coverage #1. [Canis Hoopus]
Enemy coverage #2. [TWolves Blog]

Cheap Shots....

Michael Jordans other son suspended for two games.

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:07:19 +0000

This is kind of a long, boring story which I have little interest in typing out, but the gist is that MJ’s eldest son Jeff Jordan, who quit the Illinois hoops team and then changed his mind recently was suspended by the NCAA for the first two games this season for playing in an unsanctioned AAU event this past summer, when he wasn’t even officially a NCAA student athlete.

Who cares? Really. The bigger issue to me is the douchey entitlement issues of the Jordan boys. One flat refuses to wear his school’s official apparel and the other seems to decide at whim whether or not to grace the Illini squad with his presence. I would say that these kids are in line for a huge dose of reality when they get out of college, but let’s face it…that’s not even close to true. Marcus and Jeff Jordan will continue doing whatever they please for the rest of their lottery-winning lives and assholes like me will persist in filling up the blogosphere with their exploits. I need to find a quiet place to cry now. (cbssports)

Technorati Tags: Clubhouse Cancer,NBA,Chicago Bulls,NCAA Basketball,Marcus Jordan,Jeff Jordan,Michael Jordan,Illinois Fighting Illini

The Afterparty: Blazers/Grizzlies Game 8

blazeoflove — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:25:00 +0000

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much greater.

Just now watching the game as I was out replacing a broken laptop last night so I'll make this quick. This first half has been ugly and Portland even appears to be falling back into bad habits of weeks past. Fortunately, this Memphis team is showing why they've managed to grab just one win this season. I'm still trying to figure out why they are so awful though, especially when you look at all of the young talent stacked on this roster. Maybe it all comes back to coaching? Should we start appreciating what Nate McMillan has done with this young group now?

With a back-to-back in progress, we'll jump right to the links and highlights. We also tossed in Travis Outlaw's lone field goal and in case you missed it, you'll know exactly why.

Anyone else like hearing "difference maker" and Oden together? [Jason Quick]
Nice to start to this first long road trip. [Mike Barrett]
Game recap from Dave. [Blazers Edge]
Enemy frustrations. We feel you. [3 Shades of Blue]
And Hasheem Thabeet got KTFO. [Fanhouse]

Recap. Box Score...

Highlights...

And Travis Outlaw went Rodney Carney again...

Tweet of the Game...

NBA POWER RANKINGS – WEEK 2

DocksquadSports — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:29:00 +0000

For the 2009-10 season, we here at Docksquad Sports will be doing a weekly power rankings in collaboration with our friends over at Cavalier Attitude.

We'll give you our take on all 30 teams in the NBA, and we will rank them every Wednesday as decided by our very own NBA committee.

The committee consists of myself (Vik Chokshi), Suman Vellanki (also from DSS), as well as Amar Panchmatia and Rahul Phanindra from Cavalier Attitude. Teams will be ranked for their performance through last Sunday, and the previous week's ranking will be listed after these initial rankings.

TIP-OFF:

1. (10) Phoenix Suns (6-1)

Are they the best team in the league? Probably not, but they are playing better than anyone right now. Wins at Boston and at Miami in the same week clinches them the top spot, and Steve Nash is back in MVP form. Tougher schedule than the Lakers thus far. (SV)

2. (2) Boston Celtics (7-1)

Loss to Suns wouldn't have been that alarming had Phoenix not dropped 110 on their "vaunted" defense. Otherwise, they've enjoyed good health so far (knock on wood) and are looking almost exactly like the 07-08 team that roared out to a dominant start and never looked back. (AP)

3. (1) Los Angeles Lakers (6-1)

Despite injuries to Gasol and Bynum, this squad is 6-1. Three words why... KOBE DOING WORK! Kobe leads the league in scoring right now, but he is having to do too much, too early in the season. Hopefully they get everyone healthy again, so Kobe doesn't wear out by the playoffs. (VC)

4. (6) Miami Heat (5-1)

The people of Wade County have a reason to be excited about El Heat. A nice early season win against the Nuggets on the resume, with the sole loss coming against Los Suns calientes. Very impressive with the +7.8 differential and seven players with 9+ points per game. (RP)

5. (3) Orlando Magic (5-2)

Tough week for the Magic, including a blowout loss to the Thunder. But they are dealing with injuries to key players including Vince. Rashard Lewis is coming back next week, and when he does they will be deeper than any team in the league. Pause. (SV)

6. (8) Atlanta Hawks (5-2)

Instead of fizzing out after last year's breakthrough season, the Hawks are taking the next step in their transformation as a legitimate threat. Atlanta went into Portland and dropped a legitimate Blazers club in their own building, which is never an easy task on a West Coast swing. Jamal Crawford has fit the team like a glove as the Sixth Man, and that depth is a big reason why the ATL is looking better than last year's 47-win crew. (AP)

7. (5) Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Is this Mavs defense for real? I've watched them play, and this team looks a lot better defensively then it has in years past. Dirk is boc (balling on cats) like he always does, but if they want to advance in the playoffs, they will need to get tougher and play defense. The real question will be if they can keep this D up all year long. (VC)

8. (4) Denver Nuggets (5-2)

My main man 'Melo and company must have hit the club too hard in South Beach on Thursday Night. That's the only explanation for getting swept in the back-to-back over the weekend. No worries, they will be back. (RP)

9. (17) Chicago Bulls (4-2)

Losing Tyrus Thomas hurts, but it also opens the door for Taj Gibson and James Johnson. Derrick Rose is recovering from his ankle sprain, but you couldn't tell anything was wrong while he was twerking Mo Williams on national TV. Joakim Noah is playing admirably against the league's top big men. (SV)

10. (7) Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3)

To be fair, the Cavs were just a game better at this point last year, starting 5-2 after a 1-2 start. But this feels a little different, doesn't it? You're not used to seeing them lose at home, and although the Celtics loss was kind of excusable, the Chicago loss was not. They're far from the heavyweights that we expected, but it's only November. (AP)

11. (13) Portland Trail Blazers (4-3)

This team has a ton of talent, but if they want to contend come playoff time, they need to get a lot tougher. They also need more consistency from their core guys, most notably Greg Oden. Also, I still don't think this Andre Miller experiment is going to work out in the long run, but let's see how it goes. (VC)

12. (16) Houston Rockets (4-2)

So why did everybody doubt these guys before the season started? Isn't it the same team that gave the Lakers all they could handle (insert Ariza for Artest)? It will be interesting to see the expansion of Ariza's game, given the upgrade in number of shots he will see. (RP)

13. (15) Milwaukee Bucks (3-2)

With Blake Griffin out for at least the first 6 weeks, Brandon Jennings has vaulted into the top spot of the rookie standings. Andrew Bogut is turning heads with his strong inside play, and the Bucks are doing this without Michael Redd. (SV)

14. (27) Sacramento Kings (3-4)

Count me as one of those who doubted how much of an impact Tyreke Evans would make as a rookie. But after an 0-3 start, Evans has elevated what could arguably be labeled the NBA's least talented roster to three wins in their last four games, including a barnburner at Utah where he put up 32 points and seven assists while getting to the stripe 19 times. If you're going to say that Evans will at least keep Sacto in the hunt for the 8th and final playoff spot out West -- at least longer than anyone thinks -- then I'm not going to be one to argue anymore. (AP)

15. (14) Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

I love watching this team come together and grow up before our eyes. They battled the Lakers to the death, and have been in every game so far. Durant and co. will only get better with time. Watch out in the future. (VC)

16. (11) Philadelphia 76ers (3-3)

Tough to get a grasp on this team. They are still getting nice production out of five starters, but the defense is horrendous, giving up 105+ a game. (RP)

17. (19) Toronto Raptors (3-4)

Chris Bosh is playing all-star type ball right now, but the Raptors are still struggling to blend together. Losing to the Spurs without Parker and Duncan doesn't look good. Andrea Bargnani is coming alive as a second option, but it seems they are struggling to figure out whether Calderon or Turkoglu should be the main distributor. (SV)

18. (18) Utah Jazz (3-4)

Spanking the Spurs at Salt Lake looks like an awesome victory to draw from early on in the season -- until you figure in losing at home to Sacramento and blowing a double-digit fourth quarter lead at Dallas. Carlos Boozer seems like he's more about padding his stats in a contract year than helping Jerry Sloan's crew get W's. (AP)

19. (9) San Antonio Spurs (2-3)

I don't know if the Spurs are cruising and not trying right now, or if they are really just old and slow now. I guess we will find out a little later in the season if they are legit or just pretenders. One thing is for sure, something just doesn't look right with them. GWS. (VC)

20. (23) Los Angeles Clippers (3-4)

Cold start, followed up by a sweep of three cellar-dwellers last week. As long as they stay afloat, the Clips have an outside shot at the playoffs when Griffin returns. (RP)

21. (20) Charlotte Bobcats (3-3)

Gerald Wallace hasn't stepped up to be The Man this year as he is only averaging 14.3 ppg. However, the Bobcats are getting points from everywhere as 6 Bobcats are averaging double figures. Big win against Atlanta last week is another building block. (SV)

22. (21) Detroit Pistons (3-4)

Still appear to have Orlando's number. If only the Cavs could figure out a way to get Dwight Howard out of the game so quickly...but I digress. Ben Wallace also looks rejuvenated right at home as he claims back his position as chairman of the boards (9.6 per game through seven games). (AP)

23. (29) Indiana Pacers (2-3)

I really see this team turning the corner next year. They got a good young core, and Granger is a stud(nh). They also look like they found a nice young big man in Roy Hibbert. Next year is their year. (VC)

24. (12) Washington Wizards (2-5)

I have no idea why Wizards management still thinks their core is enough to truly contend. Sure they are short-handed, but I don't really see Jamison and Miller helping that much. They sure could have used a W, after holding an 18-point first half lead at Club Q. (RP)

25. (22) New Orleans Hornets (3-5)

Chris Paul is getting his averaging more than 26 ppg and 9.8 assists. But there isn't much help. Peja has fallen off the Earth, and other than David West the Hornets aren't getting contributions from many. (SV)

26. (28) Golden State Warriors (2-4)

Add Stephen Jackson to the list of players who have had beef with Don Nelson at some point during Nellie's career. Sources say that Jackson could be traded within the next week, if not sooner, as the Dubs have pushed down on the accelerator in getting Jax out of town. Still a maddeningly inconsistent bunch with absolutely no regard for defense. (AP)

27. (24) Memphis Grizzlies (1-6)

Allen Iverson said he went to Memphis to “compete for a championship.” Really? (AP)

28. (26) Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

Not a lot to like from Minnesota thus far. They are getting absolutely crushed with that -13.4 point differential. I expect more than 15 and 6 from the Wolves' all-star caliber big man, Al Jefferson. (RP)

29. (25) New York Knicks (1-7)

The Knicks are lacking that elite point guard play that makes the D'Antoni offense go. Rookie Toney Douglas played well this week, but the Knicks haven't been able to close a game out yet. One more loss and they tie the record for worst start in franchise history. (SV)

30. (30) New Jersey Nets (0-7)

One thing that the Nets can say they have that the Knicks don't is young talent. Oh, and a high draft pick next spring that they don't owe anyone, like the Knicks do to Utah. Other than that, the Nets continue to be the other black eye for hoops in the New York metro area as the only team yet to win a game. (AP)

Please hit us back with your comments when you get a chance...

Vandy Basketball Tips-Off Tonight!

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:42:21 +0000

Ah, yes. Right after a disappointing football year, we can turn things over to the basketball squad. Yes, it’s only exhibition but let’s be honest, we’re already for some B-ball… Which tips-off tonight at 7 CT aginst Alabama-Huntsville. You can listen locally on 104.5 the zone(Tennssee’s Sports Radio) or use vucommodores.com boradcast. (That takes a little downloading, and is [...]

Jim Boeheim Joins The 800 Club

sportsblognet — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Thirty-three years after getting his first victory as Syracuse's head coach, Jim Boeheim became the 8th coach to reach the 800 win milestone in men's college basketball history.

Boeheim started his 34th season with the Orangemen with 799 wins and notched his 800th after his team defeated Albany 75-43 Monday night in the Carrier Dome.

The 65-year-old is third among active coaches in wins, only Mike Krzyzewski (833) and Jim Calhoun (805) have more wins than the Hall of Fame coach.

The all-time leader in wins is Bob Knight who amassed 902 victories before he left the sidelines. Knight's record is expected to fall to one of active leaders if they remain healthy, continue to recruit top-notch players, or don't retire.

Boeheim captures 800th win in Syracuse rout (AP via Fox Sports)

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