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Tag: NBA

  • Warren Moon Scammed For $200,000

    Warren Moon Scammed For $200,000

    During his 16-year career as a quarterback in the NFL, Warren Moon was considered Mr. Elusive for his impressive out-of-the-pocket-play and his ability to make defenders miss tackles and look foolish, but for some reason he wasn’t able to elude a scammer from robbing him of $200,000.

    Here’s how the whole caper went down: Moon was interested in four tickets to Miami Heat home games, which would get him four seats right on the floor. Somehow, the tickets were attached to an offer to own a five percent minority stake in the Heat, which really should have raised Moon’s suspicions right there.

    But for some reason it didn’t, so the hall of famer had his agent wire $200,000 to a guy named George French Jones, but nothing was ever recived, not by Moon or his agent. And of course this set off all kinds of alarms.

    Eventually, Moon found out that Jones had no official ties to the Heat whatsoever, and the whole thing was a great big scam, and afterwards, the NBA and the Heat got word of what was going on, and contacted the FBI. Later it was determined that Jones was part of an ongoing con, involving a team of criminals based in Los Angeles.

    Reportedly, the scammers also tried to con NFL players Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders and Jarvis Green of the New England Patriots, but apparently, the two football players were never fooled ,and never sent any money to either French or any of his partners.

    For now, Moon is choosing to keep silent about the scam, which is probably for legal reasons, but his company Sports 1 Marketing is suing Jones. And based on all of the facts released so far, it shouldn’t be too hard to prove that Jones never had any connection to the Miami Heat or the NBA.

    Hopefully, Moon will be a little more vigilant when it comes to his fiances and new business deals in the future, and hopefully he chooses to properly vet anyone who’s offering him some sort of business deal.

    Image via YouTube

  • Michelle Obama and LeBron James Team Up in Videobomb

    We all know that Michelle Obama has a playful side. After all, who can forget when the First Lady did the “Dougie” dance with some students or the time she did the “Mom Dancing” video with Jimmy Fallon? This time, however, Michelle has outdone herself by joining forces with LeBron James to videobomb his Miami Heat teammates.

    Members of the Miami Heat took a trip to the White House to work with the First Lady on her “Let’s Move!” campaign, which is an effort to encourage healthy eating habits and exercise in kids. The NBA has worked with Michelle Obama on the campaign in the past and also sponsors NBA Fit, a program that offers advice on exercise and nutrition.

    Everyone knows that James is an avid videobomber–he and Dwyane Wade made headlines for videobombing Heat teammate Chris Bosh just last month–but Michelle? Apparently she has some videobombing skills herself. While Wade and Ray Allen were being interviewed, Michelle and James did a little videobombing that included the First Lady doing a slam dunk.

    Check out Michelle’s skills below.

    The video has been viewed almost 1 million times and has earned Michelle the new nickname “Air FLOTUS.” As you can tell from some of the Twitter comments, people are loving seeing the First Lady’s silly side come out again.

    If you enjoyed the Michelle Obama slam dunk video, check out some more of her funny videos below.

    Image via YouTube

  • The Sacramento Kings Are Putting Google Glass on Their Players, Mascot, and Dancers

    The Sacramento Kings are officially the tech geeks of the sports world.

    Just a few days ago, the Kings organization became the first professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin (people to purchase tickets and merch with the digital currency). Now, they’re strapping Google Glass on people and broadcasting the action on their jumbotron.

    From the Kings:

    The technology will allow fans at the game, and viewing at home, to witness the courtside experience through the eyes of Slamson, Kings dancers, sideline reporters and others closest to the action live as they stream their first-person views through Google Glass. The Glass broadcasts are the latest new technology feature the Kings are testing to improve the in-arena experience for fans.

    The experience will be powered by CrowdOptic, a software platform which analyzes the real-time Google Glass feeds and curates them by their subject matter and quality, exporting only the highest quality live footage to the arena scoreboard.

    “Fans could simply aim their smart devices to inherit someone else’s Google Glass view, or evaluate concessions lines. It is just a matter of time before Google Glass is an integral part of the fan experience of watching live sports. We are very excited about the many future possibilities working with CrowdOptic,” says Kings President Chris Granger.

    From the preview video below (filmed at a recent home game), it looks like players are going to wear Google Glass too – though I doubt the wearable tech will make an appearance during actual gametime.

    This isn’t the first time we’ve seen how Google Glass can take sports fans inside the experience. Last year, NFL punter Chris Kluwe showed us training camp through Glass, a top NBA prospect wore the tech to the Draft, and Google Glass took a trip to Wimbledon.

    Google has acknowledged Glass’ “potential in the sports realm” to connect athletes, coaches, and fans in new ways. What do you think?

    Image via Sacramento Kings, YouTube

  • Kevin Durant Scores A Career High 54 Points In Big Win Against The Warriors

    Kevin Durant is doing a good job of showing why he is the leading scorer in the NBA. The All-Star bound Oklahoma City Thunder star put delivered in a huge game against the Golden State Warriors by scoring 54 points in their win.

    The Oklahoma City Thunder won in an important game as the Warriors were on a streak, and are rising as one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Kevin Durant came up big with his career high as the Thunder defeated the Warriors 127-121.

    As a leader in the NBA since being drafted from Texas in 2007, Kevin Durant has been the league’s leader in scoring during three seasons. His big night on Friday also marked the most points scored by a single player during the 2013-2014 season.

    After his big night, Kevin Durant was interviewed about the performance and said “My teammates were throwing me the ball with two or three guys on me and I still tried to make a play. Those guys sacrificed their bodies setting screens for me, to get me open, it’s my job to finish for them. I saw the bench jump up every time I hit a shot, that’s one of the best feelings.”

    It was one of the most impressive performances in recent history, and the best of his career. In addition to Durant’s 54 points, he also had six assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block in 44 minutes.

    The last time someone scored 54 points in a game, it was done by Stephen Curry, who plays for the Golden State Warriors. It occurred on February 27th, 2013 against the Knicks.

    The game was also the third time in Kevin Durant’s career that he has scored over 50 points in a game, but this was the first time that he had done it in regulation. His previous career high of 52 points was set on January 18th against the Dallas Mavericks.

    After defeating the Warriors, the Oklahoma City Thunder have improved to 30-10 on the season, and are currently sitting in third place in the conference, behind the Spurs and the Trailblazers.

    Following his last explosive performance with 54 points, Kevin Durant leagues the lead in scoring, and averages 30.6 points per game. The crowd was chanting “MVP” during the end of his wild performance and if his average continues, there is no doubt that he will be in the running for the award, and would likely get it.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • NBA Rush Is The Weird Spiritual Successor To Space Jam You Never Knew You Wanted

    Space Jam may just be the best film of the 90s. Sure, it was pretty awful if you look at it objectively, but it’s just so much fun to watch. Michael Jordan teaming up with the Looney Tunes to take on the Monstars with a soundtrack inspired by all the best/worst music of the 90s came together to give us something truly special.

    Unfortunately, we’re never going to get another Space Jam. We’re coming ridiculously close, however, with the release of NBA Rush. The latest mobile title from RenRen Games puts players into the role of 90 NBA players as they protect the world from invading aliens with slam dunks.

    Let me repeat that – you kill aliens with slam dunks.

    Outside of this new and truly innovative gameplay concept, NBA Rush is your standard infinite runner. Players will run forward on a set path avoiding obstacles and collecting coins while killing aliens with their boom shakalaka-inducing slam dunks.

    While there’s no gameplay yet, here’s a screenshot that gives you the only reason you need to play this game:

    NBA Rush Is Weird

    NBA Rush is currently available only on iOS. There’s no word yet if this amazing title will make its way to Android, but there’s a solid chance it will.

    [h/t: Polygon]
    Image via NBA Rush/iTunes

  • Rajon Rondo Will Likely Return To The Celtics By Friday

    Rajon Rondo is finally nearing his return to the Boston Celtics after his injury. He could be ready as soon as Friday, and there is no doubt that he is needed on the floor with him being one of the top point guards in the league.

    The Celtics have struggled without him, and after injuring his right knee about a year ago, he may be ready to return to the lineup.

    The Celtics clearly need Rajon Rondo back after currently being on a nine-game losing streak, and while maintaining a record of 13-26. The loss of their other star players and the inexperience on the team has been hurting the Celtics.

    He tweeted a message on Monday that could suggest that he is ready to return to the lineup on Friday, with the tweet being a number of seconds.

    He posted a number that is equal to about 338 days, and would stretch from the time he was injured, February 13th, to this Friday.

    Rajon Rondo would not give a specific date, but he has previoulsy said that he planned to make it back to the floor before the All-Star break, and the Celtics’ last game before the All-Star break is on February 12th.

    He recently said “It’s just a feeling. ‘I’ll probably just wake up (one) morning and play.” He may be making the return before fans expected, and would be a great surprise for the Celtics franchise.

    Rondo and the Celtics will be host to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Rajon Rondo’s return to the court is much-anticipated after the team lost him to the injury last year, which ended his season, and the Celtics were later eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

    Following their loss in the playoffs, the Celtics went into the rebuilding stage, and traded away Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, while also losing Doc Rivers to the Clippers. Brad Stevens took over as the head coach. There were also reports recently of Rondo possibly heading to the Knicks, and being recruited by Carmelo Anthony.

    Rajon Rondo is a four-time All-Star and a four-time All-Defensive selection, and a big contributor to the success that the Celtics have had in recent years. His return has been uncertain ever since the team announced that he would be having season-ending surgery following their win against Miami on January 27, 2013.

    Image via Facebook

  • Wilt Chamberlain: Extra Footage Of 100-Point Game May Exist

    University of Memphis head of basketball Josh Pastner has surprisingly revealed that there may be a video of one of the most famous NBA basketball games ever played.

    Basketball fans have long savored the meager video footage of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point-game on March 2, 1962. That night, the Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knickerbockers 169-147. If you weren’t one of the lucky fans in attendance that night there was no chance you would ever see one of the most incredible feats in all of sports…until now…maybe. There may finally be a full film of the game after all.

    Pastner told the Delaware County Daily Times that his father, who was a ball boy for Philadelphia Warriors in 1962, taped the game reel-to-reel that night when he realized that the game might be a special one. Apparently, the tape might be misplaced somewhere or lost.

    “They started when he had like 30-something; they thought it was going to be a special night. They gave it to Wilt — the 100-point game — and Wilt gave it back to my dad and my dad’s dad. He gave it back to them, they boxed it up, and he’s still trying to find it. He’s got all kinds of boxes, and he doesn’t know if he lost it.” Pastner said.

    Pastner also revealed that Chamberlain believed someone was trying to poison him and that is why he had to make his father (Pastner’s) taste the drinks before he drank any of them.

    “Wilt always felt someone was trying to get him by poisoning his drinks and he always drank 7-Up or Sprite. So he made my dad taste (his drink) before he would take it and make sure my dad didn’t conk out.” Pastner said.

    Wilt Chamberlain is the most dominant basketball player in the NBA. Ever.

    Watch the video.

    http://youtu.be/U7HsrqY3DP4

    Image via YouTube

  • Did J.R. Smith Really Learn A Lesson After Being Benched?

    It’s no secret that New York Knicks’ shooting guard J.R. Smith has quite the reputation. The man has a list of run-ins with the law, in addition to a long lineage of suspensions, league fines, and backlash from the media due to his prolific antics.

    However, his latest suspension may have denoted a change toward a more positive direction. If his performance in Saturday night’s Knicks’ game was an indicator, it definitely proves that he’s making great strides in the right direction.

    Smith’s stellar performance put 14 points on the board, with six assists, which ultimately contributed to the Knicks’ 102-92 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. However, his statements to the press throughout the day may have blemished his performance on the court.

    According to CBS News, following the Knicks’ game last night, the 2013 ‘Sixth Man of the Year’ told media reporters what he’d learned from his recent experience of being benched. Unfortunately, his admission came with little sincerity.

    “Don’t goof around, I guess. Be serious. Be a professional. And just don’t take this opportunity here you have for granted,” he said. “There’s a lot of people in this world that want our jobs. You can’t take it for granted. It can be taken away just that fast.”

    Smith’s teammate, Carmelo Anthony also chimed in on his perspective of the incident. “I thought he was a real pro tonight, man, despite everything that’s going on,” said Anthony. “For him to bounce back the way he did today and obviously put that stuff behind him and move forward, that was big-time for him as a person.”

    “This is a situation that really opened his eyes up, he looked himself in the mirror and hopefully he wants to change, he’s got to change,” Anthony said. “It’s up to him now.”

    “It’s the worst feeling in the world,” Smith said in reference to being benched. Earlier this week it was also reported that Knicks’ head coach Mike Woodson expressed his frustrations toward Smith’s behavior. He referred to Smith as “unprofessional,” saying that he needed to “grow up.”

    On Saturday morning before the game, Smith was asked of his sentiments of Woodson’s remarks, he said, “He’s been telling me that since I got here,” Smith said Saturday morning. “Honestly, ‘growing up,’ I don’t know if I really understand the true meaning of it.”

    So, now the looming question is, “did J.R. Smith really learn a lesson after being benched?” If he doesn’t really understand Woodson’s frustration, then the answer is he did not! Hopefully, he makes the needed changes to move forward in a positive directions for the sake of his career.

    Image via Twitter | J.R. Smith

  • J.R. Smith Helps Lead Knicks To Victory After Suspension

    Throughout his career, J.R. Smith has been known as one of the most problematic players in the league. His on and off-the-court incidents are catching up to him again, and most recently, he was fined $50,000 for attempting to untie the shoelaces of multiple opponents.

    After returning from his suspension, J.R. Smith had an excellent performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks were down when Smith entered the game, and he eventually led them to a 102-92 victory. He is constantly criticized for what he does wrong, but Smith is a great scorer too.

    Punishing him may have worked this time as he returned to the court with authority, embarrassing the 76ers and outscoring them by 20 points when he was on the floor.

    Things were certainly not going to his way coming into this game since he averaged only 11.3 points per game while shooting 34.8 percent from the field.

    After the game concluded, J.R. Smith had 14 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists during 27 minutes of action. He shot 5 of 8 from the field, and made 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

    Before the game, there were talks of trading the scoring guard, and whether this performance is enough to silence those rumors is a mystery, but Smith is doing what he can to stick with his team.

    Speaking about the game, he said “I’m still trying to find myself, trying to find the right way to be a professional. It’s a short span we get to play this game and I can’t be selfish with it, got to think team first.”

    J.R. Smith also came out with a serious tone in this game and played as if he truly cared about basketball, leaving behind his goofy lightheartedness, and perhaps showing that he cares about being a member of the New York Knicks.

    The Knicks have been struggling all year, but after two wins in a row, their season may begin to turn around along with J.R. Smith’s attitude as a player. Next up, they play the Phoenix Suns at home.

    Image via Facebook

  • Miami Heat Lose in Double OT to Brooklyn Nets

    After a loss to the New York Knicks earlier in the week, the Miami Heat suffered its second consecutive loss in a 104-95 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets. The game went into double overtime.

    Lebron James fouled out during the first overtime, and after the game he said the team fought hard, but couldn’t overcome the absence of Dwayne Wade and a couple of other starters.

    “We’re a no-excuse team,” he said, “But right now we have three starters that didn’t play. Even though we’ve got a lot of depth, it is hard to make up for three starters being out.” James ended up with 36 points and five assists before fouling out.

    King James also got into a heated exchange with Mirza Teletovic, when the Nets forward intentionally grabbed him to slow down one of his one-man-fast breaks. Afterwards, James charged at Teletovic, but both teams broke it up before things could escalate. “He went around my neck. It’s not a basketball play,” James would later say about the foul, which was later deemed a flagrant one.

    Amazingly, the Brooklyn Nets have won their last five games, and Shaun Livingston, who helped his team with strong defensive play and a couple of blocked shots, said the team is doing the best it can to capitalize off of the momentum. “[Our win], it was huge,” he said. “We’ve obviously been playing better as of late. I think our momentum that we were carrying into this game, we’re trying to ride that wave.”

    Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said even though James fouled out, he didn’t believe it meant an automatic loss for the team, since other players, namely Norris Cole, really stepped it up. “They made bigger plays going down the stretch in the overtime,” said Spoelstra. “When we pushed it to that point, even with LJ out, we thought we had a chance. Guys really competed down the stretch.”

    Image via Facebook

  • He Got Game May Finally Get A Sequel After 16 Years

    Spike Lee’s big film that shot Ray Allen to stardom may finally be getting a sequel. It has been teased about for some time, but good news may be coming for fans of the original He Got Game.

    Since the film’s release, the NBA star and film director have talked about a possible sequel coming. Spike Lee is a huge basketball fan, and has been known to show his constant support for the New York Knicks.

    Ray Allen was a player for the Seattle Supersonics at the time that he made He Got Game in 1998, while Spike Lee had perhaps already climaxed with his career after directing Malcolm X in 1992, along with other hit films such as Do The Right Thing in 1989.

    Allen finally opened up about the idea of a He Got Game sequel when saying “Sequels to most movies are always fluff and not as good as the first. But it’s something we’ve been talking about for the last couple months. If we get a really good story line and are able to bring everybody back, then it would be something worth doing.”

    While it may not be possible to replicate the quality of the first film, there is no doubt that fans of the film and Ray Allen would love to see another film with him starring as Jesus Shuttlesworth.

    Interestingly enough, as some people reading this may wondering what the film is, the film was never a big success at the box office, or critically acclaimed.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muEaclIjsTU

    He Got Game tells the story of Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by Ray Allen, the most sought after high school basketball prospect in the nation. Jesus and his dream to make it to the big ranks in professional basketball are overshadowed by his father (Denzel Washington), who simply wants him to go to college in order for him not to end up in prison the way that he did.

    While Spike Lee seems to be into the idea, and could use another hit in his career, Ray Allen is playing for the Miami Heat, and after winning the NBA championship again, he is already in a good spot.

    The nickname has stuck with him throughout his career, and he will even be wearing J. Shuttlesworth on the back of his jersey during a game that will have all of the players from the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets using their nicknames for one game, showcasing a variety of nicknames that have developed over years in the league. The game will also feature Lebron “King James” James and Kevin “KG” Garnett, among others.

    Ray Allen was 22-years-old in his first time acting with Spike Lee, and after 16 more years playing in the NBA, he should be ready to make a return to the big screen for a He Got Game sequel. Would they be making the right decision?

    Image via Youtube

  • He Got Game Sequel? Spike Lee and Ray Allen Are Considering It

    Does anyone remember the 1998 Spike Lee movie He Got Game starring shooting guard Ray Allen? Well if you didn’t see the first one, you may have a chance at seeing the sequel, because Lee and Allen are seriously mulling over taking the film back to the big screen.

    According to the Associated Press, the fictitious basketball phenomenon Jesus Shuttlesworth could be lacing up his sneakers to hit the basketball court again in the near future.

    Allen has even stated that he and the famed film director have spent time discussing the potential film over the past few months, making a collaborative effort to come up with storylines and concepts for the film.

    ESPN reports that Allen briefly touched on the subject of the possible file before the Heat-Pelicans game last night. “Sequels to most movies are always fluff and not as good as the first,” said Allen. “But it’s something we’ve been talking about for the last couple months. If we get a really good story line and are able to bring everybody back, then it would be something worth doing.”

    Lee has even hinted toward a ‘Jesus Shuttlesworth return’ with several pictures he’s posted on his Instagram account. Back in Dec., the Jungle Fever film director shared a picture of a customized Miami Heat jersey with Allen’s #34 on the back. However, the name ‘Shuttlesworth’ was stitched on the back of it.

    The picture’s caption read, “For A Few Select Games My Main Man Ray Allen Will Wear JESUS SHUTTLES WORTH On THe Back OF His Jersey. The Legend Of HE GOT GAME Continues To Grow.Da Greatest Joint About BALL Ever Made.YA-DIG? SHO-NUFF.”

    Back in October, Lee posted an image of Allen holding up the fictitious Lincoln High School jersey from the movie. He stated that he and Allen were having dinner. The picture was posted twice with two different captions. The captions read, “Ray”Jesus Shuttlesworth”Allen Holds Up The Jersey He Wore In He Got Game. Dinner With Jesus Shuttlesworth In New York.”

    However, the Instagram picture Lee posted back in August was a definite hint that the two are considering the sequel film. The “Malcolm X” director said, so himself. The caption read, “Jesus And I At The US Open Tonight. We Talked About The Possible Sequel To HE GOT GAME.”

    Fans of the original film will have to wait how the details unfold over time. But, it looks as though the sequel may definitely be a go!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons | He Got Game (Movie)

     

  • Dennis Rodman Has Angry Interview With CNN’s Chris Cuomo

    Former NBA player Dennis Rodman strongly rebuffed claims that his trip, to North Korea Tuesday was political, amidst an emotional torrent.

    Rodman, along with 10 other former NBA players, were in North Korea to play in an exhibition basketball game against a North Korean basketball team. The game will be played Wednesday and coincides with the birthday of the country’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

    The CNN interview, aired via satellite, turned out to be quite interesting when Rodman was asked whether the trip was political. Rodman was surrounded by the former players during the interview and the point he seemed to be making was that the trip was purely for the purpose of basket diplomacy. “One day, one day this door is going to open because of these 10 guys here,” he told Chris Cuomo, CNN reporter.

    But things got emotional when Cuomo asked Rodman whether he would defend Kenneth Bae, an American, who is being held by the government for unknown reasons.

    “Do you understand what he did?” an agitated Rodman asked Cuomo. “You tell me! You tell me! Why is he held captive?”

    Rodman then added by saying that it wasn’t his business to know what Bae did. All he cared about was that he and the former NBA players had “dared” to go to North Korea.

    The heated interview seemed to make the other players surrounding Rodman uncomfortable. One of the players, Charles Smith tried to cool down tensions by saying the purpose of the game was outside politics.

    “We’ve said numerous times that we’re not here for any political aspects,” Smith said.

    Essentially, Smith was echoing Rodman’s sentiment but in a calmer manner. Smith also said that the date of the game and Kim’s birthday were purely coincidental.

    Image via YouTube

  • Luol Deng Acquired by Cleveland Cavaliers in Trade

    Luol Deng Acquired by Cleveland Cavaliers in Trade

    Ever since LeBron James left the city of Cleveland, Cavaliers fans have been bitterly disappointed. The team tried to resurrect its franchise by drafting point guard Kyrie Irving but has failed to add the necessary pieces to create a playoff-caliber team. The Cavaliers hope to change that situation with their most recent acquisition, Luol Deng.

    Following failed negotiations from the Bulls to extend Deng’s contract, the Bulls decided to trade the small forward to the Cavaliers for Andrew Bynum and 3 draft picks (1 protected from the Sacramento Kings, and 2 acquired by the Cavaliers from the Portland Trail Blazers).

    In picking up Deng, Cavaliers’s GM Chris Grant has clearly indicated what his intentions for his team are – win now, not later. Deng has played for the Bulls for 9.5 seasons (his entire career), alongside the core of Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah. Despite playing next to more highly touted players throughout those years, Deng has been voted to 2 NBA All-Star teams (2012 and 2013) and has also been named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2012).

    This season, Deng is averaging a career-high 19 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists, while shooting 45% from the field.

    That being said, Deng is in his 10th NBA season. His already lengthy tenure in the NBA, along with the fact that Deng has played more minutes than anyone else in the league the past 2 seasons (38.7 minutes per game over the past 5 seasons), means that Deng is not the long-term solution to Cleveland’s woes. However, Deng does offer a great short-term solution to Cleveland’s pathetic production from the small forward position, with Earl Clark and Alonzo Gee combining for 9.8 ppg at that position thus far this year.

    While the Cavaliers made the trade to secure immediate, short-term success, the Bulls pulled the trigger as a matter of simple economics. As has been previously stated, Deng turned down a 3 year, $30 million contract extension with the Chicago Bulls, indicating that his wishes were to fully explore his free-agency at the end of this season.

    In order to get something instead of simply losing everything, Chicago thought it would make most sense to trade Deng. By moving Deng and waiving the recently acquired Bynum, Chicago cleared enough salary cap to get below the luxury-tax limit of $71 million. With Chicago unlikely to make the playoffs this year due to the injury of Derrick Rose, it made the most sense for them to clear salary room to acquire players which will help the Bulls move forward – something they have been struggling to do with their core players of Rose, Boozer, Noah, and Deng.

    Image via YouTube

  • Portland Trail Blazers Set New 3-Point Record Against Charlotte Bobcats

    The Portland Trail Blazers routed the Charlotte Bobcats 134-104 during a Thursday night thriller. The Blazer’s victory gave the Bobcats its fifth straight loss this season after being whipped by the Clippers 112-85 the previous night.

    Wesley Matthews made 25 points and contributed to 5 of Portland’s 21 3-pointers. “Making shots is contagious,” said Matthews. The Blazers made a record 63.6 percent of their 33 3-point attempts.

    The 21 3-pointers also matched the team’s 3-point record against the Philadelphia 76ers, who they beat 139-105 on Dec. 14. Both wins make Portland the first NBA team to have two games in one season with 20 or more 3-pointers. The current NBA record in a single game is 23 3-pointers.

    Portland now ups its record to 26-7 to move to the top spot in the Western Conference.

    After Thursday’s loss, Bobcats team coach Steve Clifford said that the team lacks solid defense.”Our team is thinking too much about offense, we have individual guys who need to build their games around their defense, and they’re worried about their offense,” said Clifford. If we’re not going to commit to defense and rebounding, then we’re limited in how good we can be.”

    On the other hand, Portland played great defense and offense throughout the game. They led from the start, making  four straight 3-pointers to lead 23-9 in the first quarter. By the fourth quarter they were up 100-77 against the Bobcats but never allowed themselves to lose momentum. At the final buzzer the Portland Trail Blazers won by 30 points.

    Watch The Blazers Rain On ‘Em

    Image via YouTube

  • Dwyane Wade Has A New Baby. Gabrielle Union Is Not The Mother

    Just last week Dwyane Wade announced his engagement to actress Gabrielle Union. Now this week, Wade confirms that he fathered a son with a woman other than Union. Apparently Wade sought comfort in the arms of another woman during a one-month break in his relationship to Gabrielle Union. The child is about one month old now.

    When asked if he had seen his new son yet, Wade responded,”Yeah, I’ve got a chance to see him. You know me. I’m involved in my kids’ lives. When my kids were living at home with me, or wasn’t living at home with me, I tried to do everything I could to see them. Obviously I got custody of them for different reasons, but nothing changes with my life. Like I’ve said, this is something that my family knows and my now fiancée worked through when we got back together, and understood that we wanted to continue our lives together and continue supporting our family and we’re going to do that. That’s what I’ve always done.”

    The Miami Heat star is also a father to two other children, Zion and Zaire, from a previous marriage with Siohvaughn Funches. Wade was awarded custody of the kids after a three-year court battle with Funches.

    The NBA star is all too aware of the public scrutiny that comes with fathering a child with someone other than his soon to be wife but he says he is prepared to face it. Right now, he says he is focused on being a great father and making sure he is involved in his kids’ lives.  “I’m always going to be a father first. That doesn’t change.” said Wade

    Wade published a book called A Father First in 2012 in which he talks about how his life became bigger than basketball after becoming a father.

    Image via DwyaneWade.com

  • Cleveland Cavaliers Excuse Andrew Bynum

    Cleveland Cavaliers Excuse Andrew Bynum

    The Cleveland Cavaliers have indefinitely excused mystifying center Andrew Bynum for “conduct detrimental to the team,” after temporarily suspending him on Saturday. Bynum was subsequently banned from all team activities, which hints at an end to his two-year, $24.79 million contract he’d signed with on July 19. Cleveland will seek to trade the 7-foot center.

    Bynum got off to a rocky start with the Cavaliers, scoring only 3 points with 3 rebounds in 8 minutes during his October 30 debut. On November 30, Bynum logged his season highs with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 97-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

    Bynum’s indefinite status isn’t too shocking, considering his lackluster, seemingly disinterested play – Bynum didn’t play at all during his stint last year in Philadelphia, and had spoken openly about retirement, due mainly to troublesome knee injuries.

    Bynum displaying a glimmer of reclaiming dominance as a center with the Cavs against the Bulls:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_r-8z-QQXg

    Bynum, of course, will still be paid by Cleveland, while not actually playing:

    The Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat are rumored to be interested in acquiring Bynum:

    NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has something to say about the Bynum situation, but one has to check his Facebook page, as 140 characters isn’t enough:

    Cleveland coach Mike Brown commented on Byrum’s status, “He’s on an indefinite suspension and I’m not trying to be funny, but you know what indefinite means – We’ve got 14 guys in that locker room who are very focused and determined and ready to take on any challenge that’s in front of them. They’re great guys, they’re focused guys and they know how to play the game the right way and that’s what I’m focused on, just helping those guys win.”

    The 26-year-old Byrum spent 7 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, after being selected 10th overall in the 2005 NBA draft. Though with the Cavs, he is averaging only 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 games this season.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Lebron James Strains Groin Against Kings, Status Unknown

    Well, it appears that the King James is human after all, and has suffered a groin injury in their recent game against the Sacramento Kings.

    The Miami Heat lost a major contributor in their offense when Lebron James strained his groin during their game on Friday night.

    In the game, he aggravated his left ankle injury in addition to the groin strain. The Heat lost to the Kings 108-103 in overtime, and as the injuries continue to pile up, they are set to head to Portland for a big game on Saturday night.

    With Lebron James being absent from any games during the Heat’s season, it is a big deal, as he has been one of the top players in the NBA for every year that he has been in the league.

    He is also one of the toughest players in the league, with it being uncommon for him to sit out due to injury, and he has actually played in no less than 91 percent of all available regular season games each season since he entered the NBA in 2003.

    James leads his team in scoring, and even when playing through his injury on Friday night, the NBA All-Star scored 33 points, along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

    When asked about the injury, Lebron James said “It’s not feeling too well right now. I don’t know what happened in the first half. I played [much of] the second half and overtime, and strained my groin. I’ll see how I feel on our trip to Portland tonight and into tomorrow.”

    He has not yet announced whether he will be playing, but in a game that has been talked about for weeks, he would certainly like to be able to make an appearance. Ray Allen and Dwayne Wade both sat out during last night’s game due to knee injuries, and will hope to be able to play during tonight’s game.

    The Heat will be on the road in Portland tonight, playing a team with the best record in the league, and a chance for each team to prove that they are the best. He says that he plans to announce whether he will play or not near the tip in Portland.

    Despite battling several injuries that continue to nag him throughout the season, including his back and ankle, Lebron James has yet to miss a game during the 2013-2014 season. With a record of 22-7, the Heat are set to battle the Portland Trailblazers, and attempt to prove that they are still the best team in the league.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Russell Westbrook Has Surgery On His Knee Again

    Russell Westbrook, the star player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been forced to undergo yet another surgery on his right knee.

    As fans will remember, Russell Westbrook also got injured during the 2013 playoffs, leaving the first-round match-up against the Rockets. The Thunder would eventually lose to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semi-finals.

    Due to his most recent knee surgery, he will be forced to sit out until after the NBA’s All-Star break in the middle of February. The All-Star event is roughly seven weeks away.

    In addition to not being able to play until then, Russell Westbrook will have to sit out during All-Star weekend too, an event that he has attended numerous times in the past.

    His teammate and fellow All-Star, Kevin Durant, will have to attend the event without him, and after struggling without him last season, hopefully his absence will not hurt the Thunder too badly.

    The Thunder announced on Friday that Russell Westbrook had undergone arthroscopic surgery, which also marks his third surgery since April.

    Speaking on the necessary procedure that had to be done, Thunder president Sam Presti said “The consulting physician determined that arthroscopic surgery was necessary to address the swelling that was taking place. We know that Russell’s work ethic and commitment will help him return to the level of play that we have all come to appreciate.”

    With his current estimated recovery timeline, Russell Westbrook is expected to miss a total of 27 games. The Thunder are currently tied for the top spot in the Western Conference, and along with the Portland Trailblazers. However, with Westbrook out, that may change, and they are only a game and a half ahead of the San Antonio Spurs.

    After being led by two of the league’s best players in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder boast and impressive record of 24-5. The Thunder and Trailblazers lead the league.

    During the 2013 season, Russell Westbrook is averaging 21.3 points, seven assists and six rebounds during the 25 games that he has played in.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kevin Garnett Swears At Refs, Fan Tries To Shield Younger Fan From Hearing [Video]

    Complaining to the refs about a call that is made on the court is something that Kevin Garnett has been known for doing throughout his career. He has certainly had plenty to complain about this season after joining the Brooklyn Nets with the hopes of possibly having an incredibly successful season, only to see it go downhill very quickly.

    The Brooklyn Nets are in their first year under coach Jason Kidd, and after he brought in Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, the team had high aspirations for the season, and the opportunity to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and possibly the league.

    Instead, they now have a record of 9-19 after losing an ugly game to the Chicago Bulls yesterday. Although Kevin Garnett is well-known as one of the most foul-mouthed players in the NBA, it was a bit surprising to see him acting in the way that he did on Christmas day, with all of the fans close enough to hear.

    Garnett was letting the refs have it for a call that he thought was made incorrectly during the first quarter of the game, and as a result, a young boy in the audience was forced to shield his younger brother from the outburst and cover his ears. He was a Nets fan sitting close to the court as a young boy too, which makes things even more awkward for the veteran forward.

    The boy put “earmuffs” on what appeared to be his younger brother during the clip that saw Kevin Garnett flipping out at the refs. For those that are unfamiliar with the term, it has been popularized by popular culture since, but became common knowledge to most people after being used by Vince Vaughn’s character in the classic comedy, Old School.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Itn75dEorU

    The Brooklyn Nets are continuing to struggle during the 2013 season, and lost to the Bulls yesterday, ending with a final score of 95-78.

    There was simply nothing that the boy could do to shield his little brother from Kevin Garnett’s outburst, and the video has gone viral. Garnett has always been known for having fits like this one, but it is simply inexcusable in this situation, and he should know better by now.

    Image via Youtube