Tag: Kevin Garnett (Page 6 of 11)

      Manu Ginobili out for season…and playoffs

      April 6, 2009 /

      The Spurs are going to have a tough time winning their fourth title in seven years without their star wing.

      The stiffness Spurs guard Manu Ginobili felt in his right ankle during Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers turned out to portend the worst possible news for the star guard and the Spurs: A stress fracture that will cost him the remainder of the season, and the playoffs.

      Ginobili had returned to game action March 25 in Atlanta after missing 19 games with a stress reaction in his right distal fibula. Sunday’s game was his sixth since returning to the lineup, and followed three games in which he had totaled 50 points. After scoring 16 in a victory in Indianapolis on Friday, Ginobili had reported that he felt “super.”

      When the ankle stiffened Sunday, he sought advice from the team’s athletic training and conditioning staff, and was sent back to San Antonio for a CT scan and MRI. The results of tests conducted Monday morning showed the stress fracture, and the determination that the team’s starting shooting guard would miss the remainder of the season.

      Laker fans will be dancing in the street when they hear this news. When healthy, the Spurs posed the biggest threat to L.A.’s title hopes. With Ginobili out and Kevin Garnett hobbled, it’s looking more and more like we’re destined for a Cavs/Lakers Finals.

      NBA, NBA Finals, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Celtics to “shut down” Garnett

      April 1, 2009 /

      Doc Rivers revealed that the Boston Celtics plan to shut down Kevin Garnett for a few games due to pain and swelling in his troublesome knee.

      Kevin Garnett will miss at least the next four games with a sore right knee and may return for the final three games of the Boston Celtics’ regular season.

      The emotional leader and defensive star of the defending NBA champions has missed 15 of the last 19 games, including the last two. The Celtics hope the rest will help him get healthy for the playoffs.

      “After watching him move today, we’re just going to shut him down,” Rivers said. “It probably won’t be for the year. He’ll probably play by the end, last couple of games or last three games. It’s just not progressing the way we anticipated it would progress.”

      The Celtics began the day in third place in the Eastern Conference, five games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and percentage points behind the Orlando Magic. They resume play Wednesday night at home against the Charlotte Bobcats.

      “We’re just going to shut him down until we feel like he’s ready,” Rivers said. “It’s nothing structural. It’s the same thing that it’s been. It’s just not reacting the same way we thought it would react. He didn’t react to the games we thought he would and he’s clearly not reacting to practice the way we thought he would.”

      The Cavs look like the favorite to come out of the East given the injuries that both the Celtics and the Magic have suffered this season. Boston will struggle if KG isn’t close to 100%, and right now he clearly isn’t. Orlando lost Jameer Nelson earlier in the season, but are still a threat after trading for Rafer Alston to fill his role.

      NBA, NBA Finals

      Pay attention! Cavs/Celtics tonight

      March 6, 2009 /

      The Celtics are a game back of the Cavs and are still without the services of Kevin Garnett, but they’ll have home court advantage tonight when they host Cleveland in the third of four regular season meetings between the two teams.

      The Cavs have won four straight and nine of their last ten, while the Celtics have split their last four, with losses to Detroit at home (ouch!) and to the Clippers in L.A. (double-ouch!). They are 4-3 without Garnett (if you count the game he was injured) and it’s unfortunate that he isn’t able to play in this crucial matchup.

      What’s at stake? Well, since KG is out, the C’s have a built in excuse if they lose, so the psychological impact won’t be great (unless, of course, Boston can pull out a win without one of its stars). So far, the home team has won each matchup this season with the Celtics winning back in October and the Cavs rolling at home in January.

      Home court is huge in the playoffs, so this game is doubly important. It’s one thing to win a game, but it’s another to win and hang a loss on your biggest rival for the #1 seed.

      Tip-off is at 8 PM on ESPN.

      NBA, Television

      Bill Simmons’ trade value column

      February 24, 2009 /

      Yes, it’s 12 days old and the trade deadline has passed, but if you haven’t had the chance to check out his annual trade value opus, it’s a good read. He ranks the top 40 players by total trade value (i.e. age, upside, salary, talent, etc.). Here’s what he has to say about Tim Duncan:

      4. Tim Duncan
      His finishes in the Trade Value column since 2001: No. 2, No. 3, No. 1, No. 2, No. 1, No. 3, No. 3, No. 4. Uncanny. Speaking of consistency, check out his 12 regular seasons (including this one) split into groups of three seasons …

      Duncan (first three years): 22-12-3, 52 percent FG, missed eight games.

      Duncan (next three years): 23-13-4, 51 percent FG, missed eight games.

      Duncan (next three years): 21-12-3, 50 percent FG, missed 31 games.

      Duncan (last three years): 20-11-3, 52 percent FG, missed five games.

      Then, remember that he also played 155 playoff games and averaged a 23-13-4 with 50 percent shooting, plus first-class defense and leadership. And sprinkle in the little fact that no Duncan team has ever lost even 30 games in a regular season. Translation: Greatest power forward ever, most consistent superstar ever and you cannot sleep on him in May and June.

      I do take issue with a few of his rankings…

      Yao at #7? Too injury prone.
      KG ahead of Deron Williams? Garnett is too old.
      Nash at #23 (ahead of Rondo, Devin Harris, Mayo, Kevin Martin)? Seems awfully high for a 35 year-old.

      There are a few others, but I’m not going to nitpick.

      Fantasy Basketball, Humor, NBA

      Spurs’ supporting cast keys big win in Boston

      February 8, 2009 /

      The Spurs posted an impressive win over the Celtics, 105-99, which marks the first time this season that Boston has lost two consecutive games at home.

      Check out the Spurs’ possessions down the stretch:

      3:20 Matt Bonner misses 25-foot three point jumper
      2:34 Manu Ginobili misses 23-foot three point jumper
      1:57 Matt Bonner bad pass (Kevin Garnett steals)
      1:19 Roger Mason misses 27-foot three point jumper
      0:45 Matt Bonner makes 14-foot two point shot
      0:20 Roger Mason makes 24-foot three point jumper

      It’s not often that you see an NBA team go away from their stars for that long in crunch time. The trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker only combined for one shot attempt in six possessions over three full minutes. The Spurs started that stretch leading, 90-87, fell behind 93-90, and then ultimately went ahead, 95-93, on the made shots by Bonner and Mason.

      Bonner co-led the Spurs with 23 points on 10-17 shooting, and led the team in shot attempts. George Hill was 3-3 and scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter with Duncan and Parker on the bench.

      Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 26 points, but after hitting two jumpers to give his team the lead, he missed a key 17-footer with 0:28 to play.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals

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