Author: John Paulsen (Page 538 of 937)

      League suspends Ray Allen for one game

      April 14, 2009 /

      The NBA has handed down a one-game suspension for the elbow Ray Allen threw at Anderson Varejao’s family jewels.

      Allen, who averages 18.2 points and 3.5 rebounds, will serve his suspension when the Celtics visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Allen will be docked more than $167,000 in salary. Kevin Garnett also will miss the game to rest his strained knee.

      Varejao flung Boston’s guard to the floor, and Allen responded with a well placed elbow into the forward’s groin area. Both players jawed at each other before getting technical fouls.

      “It was a dirty play,” Allen said. “He locked my arm and threw me to the ground. I wasn’t going to allow him to think he could do whatever he wanted. I’m always going to stand up for myself. It’s one thing for a team to be beating us, but they’re not going to walk all over us.”

      The frizzy-haired Varejao had his own take.

      “You don’t hit a man in his [groin],” he said. “He doesn’t like Brazilians or he doesn’t like my hair.”

      Holy crap: Ray Allen makes $167,000 per game. Amazing.

      It was a cheap shot, but given Varejao’s actions, I still think Allen’s elbow was justified. Though I don’t know that it was worth $167 K.

      NBA, News

      Predicting the 2009 NBA year-end awards

      April 14, 2009 /

      The end of the NBA season is almost upon us, so it’s time to hand out a few year-end awards.

      Rookie of the Year
      Early on, this was a battle between Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo, but a few other players – namely, Russell Westbrook, Brook Lopez, Kevin Love and Marc Gasol – played their way into the conversation over the course of the season. Still, this award should go to Rose, who was immediately asked to run the Bulls and handled the job admirably. He averaged almost 17 points per game to go with six assists and shot almost 48% from the field. More importantly, he never hit the rookie wall, and his fine play in April (19.0 ppg, 6.8 apg, 55% shooting) helped Chicago sneak into the playoffs. The rest of these guys are heading home for the summer.
      My choice: Rose
      My prediction: Rose

      Most Improved
      This is always a tough one. Usually, it goes to a player that entered the league without a lot of pomp and circumstance (i.e. they were non-lottery picks) that makes the jump from role player or starter to star or superstar. The last eight winners are: Hedo Turkoglu (16th pick), Monta Ellis (40th), Boris Diaw (21st), Bobby Simmons (42nd), Zach Randolph (19th), Gilbert Arenas (31st), Jermaine O’Neal (17th) and Tracy McGrady (9th). A few of the names being bandied about are Devin Harris (5th), Danny Granger (17th), Kevin Durant (2nd), Nene (7th), Thaddeus Young (12th), Brandon Roy (6th) and Roger Mason (31st). Durant, Harris, Roy, Young and Nene all came into the league as lottery picks, a fact that works against them in this case. They’ve all made leaps this season, though I think everyone was expecting Durant, Harris, Roy and Young to make those jumps. Nene is more of a comeback player than an MIP. He’s been battling injuries his entire career, so the fact that he’s playing well while healthy is no surprise. The last few winners indicate that the MIP usually goes to a player who makes an unexpected leap, so I think it will go to Danny Granger, though his late season run in 2007-08 works against him. He averaged 22.4 points in March of ’08, and 24.8 ppg in April of ’08, so if you dig into the numbers a little, his play this season isn’t as big of a surprise. Still, I don’t think that he had the same expectations as Durant, Harris and Roy, so I think he’s our guy. Mason might be the darkhorse.
      My choice: Granger
      My prediction: Granger

      Continue reading »

      NBA

      Isiah Thomas takes head coaching job at FIU

      April 14, 2009 /

      In an effort to revive his career, Isiah Thomas has signed a five-year deal with Florida International University.

      Thomas has been out of basketball since an unsuccessful five-year run as president of the New York Knicks, spending his last two seasons as coach before being fired in April 2008. He was 56-108 as Knicks coach and 187-223 overall, including a stint with the Indiana Pacers. Thomas still had two years and $12 million remaining on his Knicks contract after this season.

      “Coming back to the college game has always been a dream of mine, and I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to go somewhere where we can build a basketball legacy together,” Thomas said in a statement. “A lot of people don’t know that FIU is one of the 25 largest universities in the country, with a tremendously strong alumni community standing behind us. Most important, I think we can get good players from across Florida and around the country to buy into our plan to make this a top-tier basketball program. I’m committed to growing something here, and strongly believe that over time, we’ll put a team on the floor that everyone at FIU can be proud of.”

      It’s good to see Thomas focus on one of his strengths — coaching. For all of his trouble as general manager of the Knicks, he has a reputation for being a pretty good coach. At FIU, he’ll have an opportunity to grow in that area while utilizing his eye for talent in the recruiting game. Thomas was responsible for a few good draft picks while guiding the Knicks. It was the trades that he had trouble with.

      College Basketball, NBA, News

      Steve Nash wants to stay in Phoenix

      April 13, 2009 /

      Eliminated from the playoffs, it’s time for the Phoenix Suns to look forward to next season. For his part, Steve Nash says that he would like to stay…

      After missing the playoffs, Nash could decline an extension if he is unhappy with the offer or the off-season plan. He wants to play four more seasons.

      “My first priority is to sit down and listen to Steve and (Suns Managing Partner) Robert (Sarver) and hear what their wish is and what their plan is for the team,” Nash said. “I can be a part of us revamping here.

      “I’m under the impression they want to talk an extension, and I do, too. Hopefully we can find ourselves in a position where we can revamp and be back in the playoffs and hopefully be a contender. Hopefully I’ll be a part of the plan.”

      Nash, 35, still is a special offensive player. If he maintains his fifth consecutive 50 percent field-goal shooting season in the final two games, Nash would become the first player in NBA history to record three seasons in which he shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Nash went from averaging 13.8 points under Porter to 19.1 once interim Alvin Gentry restored the team’s Nash-and-dash style. Nash’s assist-to-turnover ratio went from 2.6 -to 1 to 3.7 -to 1.

      I have been critical of the Suns’ brass — namely Steve Kerr — all season long.

      Continue reading »

      NBA, NBA Draft, NBA Finals, Rumors & Gossip

      Ray Allen elbows Anderson Varejao in the groin…

      April 13, 2009 /

      …and I don’t blame him.

      You can see that Varejao locked Allen’s elbow and wouldn’t let go, throwing him to the floor. Everybody focuses on the elbow to the groin, but what Varejao did was just as bad. Why is he locking Allen’s arm up on the free throw? Is he trying to injure him? If Varejao releases Allen’s arm there, nothing happens.

      NBA, NBA Finals, Video

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