Latest News Updates

Lamar Odom to New York? Dwight Howard on the move? For now, it’s all talk (Ball Don't Lie)

Lamar Odom, master of his destiny and not at all a creature of habit and/or willing participant in whatever the heck Khloe Kardashian/E! Network/Ryan Seacrest Productions tell him to do, might want to play for the New York Knicks in 2012-13 and beyond. Dwight Howard, ruler of worlds, might be as good as gone from Orlando this summer, because the Magic's ownership group appears to have soured on dealing with the guy . Both rumors make plenty of sense, in basketball terms and in consideration of the respective players' personality, and history. Odom is from New York, cannot stand playing outside of major markets, and is ultra-sensitive who he runs with and under what circumstances. Howard, a year and a half removed from beginning to turn down contract extensions from the Orlando Magic, should have worn out his welcome with the team by now, and it makes sense for Orlando to have decided to move on. But, even in late May and just five weeks removed from the official start of the offseason, is any of this worth leaning on? Come on, guy.

 

Report: Sloan to meet with Bobcats' officials Friday (The SportsXchange)

Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he is scheduled to talk to Charlotte Bobcats officials on Friday about the Bobcats' head coaching vacancy, SI.com reported Thursday.

 

AP Source: Bobcats to interview Sloan on Friday (The Associated Press)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A person familiar with the situation says the Charlotte Bobcats will interview Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan on Friday for their vacant head coaching position.

 

Spurs and Thunder Will Square Off in Western Conference Finals: A Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

After two rounds of the playoffs, only two teams are left standing in the Western Conference - the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. So far, I have correctly predicted all of the winners out West, but picking the winner between the top two seeds will prove to be difficult. Nonetheless, here is my look at which team will advance to the Finals and why.

 

NBA roundup: Pacers president Larry Bird calls his team soft (The SportsXchange)

The worst playoff loss in Indiana Pacers franchise history had team president Larry Bird calling out his players, according to an Indianapolis Star report.

 

Orlando Magic coaching rumors include Jerry Sloan and Scott Skiles (Ball Don't Lie)

As now-deposed coach Stan Van Gundy's relationship with Dwight Howard fell apart, reports abounded that the Orlando Magic center had grown tired of SVG's demanding style. That wasn't terribly surprising — hardline coaches can get on players' nerves over time, particularly when there's not a clear progression towards a championship. When the Magic stalled, SVG's time ran out. If the Magic want to keep Howard in Orlando — which seems unlikely based on at least one report — then they might need to bring in a different kind of coach. With that in mind, it's a little surprising that two of the rumored possibilities are even more intense than Van Gundy. The first name, which surfaced Tuesday, is Utah Jazz legend Jerry Sloan. He's been nominally retired since abruptly resigning from the Jazz last season , but apparently he wants to get back to the sidelines . From Chris Tomasson for Fox Sports Florida :

 

Sloan expresses interest in coaching vacancies (The SportsXchange)

Jerry Sloan wants to coach again and is interested in the vacancies with the Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic, according to a Salt Lake Tribune report.

 

A closer look at a big night for Brandon Bass, who ate well because Rajon Rondo kept feeding him (Ball Don't Lie)

With injuries reducing Ray Allen to a shell of his former self and the combination of pain and enveloping Philadelphia 76ers defense limiting Paul Pierce to just 38 percent shooting from the floor through four games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Boston Celtics needed another source of offense to alleviate the pressure on primary scorer Kevin Garnett and primary facilitator Rajon Rondo if they were to take a series lead over the Sixers on their home court in Game 5. On Monday night, that source was Brandon Bass, who exploded for a season-high 27 points and six rebounds in a 101-85 win that gave Boston a 3-2 edge and put Philly on the brink of elimination as they head back to Pennsylvania for Game 6 Wednesday night. After the biggest performance of his seven-year NBA career — his 27 points matched a career high and set a new postseason high-water mark — the former LSU standout credited the attention drawn by his better-billed teammates for giving him the chance to operate. From Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press : ''We've got a few good players on the team that they had to focus on,'' said Bass, who left the game to a standing ovation with 2 minutes left and Boston leading by 18. ''That left me open, and I was able to take advantage of my opportunity.'' That was especially true during a third-quarter explosion that saw Bass hit 6 of 7 field-goal attempts and make all six of his free throws for a total of 18 points. That's the highest-scoring quarter for a single player this postseason and, as NBA.com's John Schuhmann noted , just the fifth time a player has scored at least 15 points in one frame during these playoffs, putting Bass alongside LeBron James (who scored 17 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the New York Knicks and 16 in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers), Tony Parker (16 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the Utah Jazz) and the man for whom Bass was traded this past offseason, Glen Davis (16 in the second quarter of Game 3 against the Pacers). It was an amazing effort at an absolute must-have moment by Bass, and it was also one orchestrated pretty deftly by Rondo, the Celtics' point guard and floor general, who repeatedly put Bass in position to make his monstrous contributions.

 

Spurs flirting with history on 18-game streak (The Associated Press)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Eighteen wins in a row, and eight more victories to go.

 

Thunder oust Lakers to reach NBA Western Conference finals (AFP)

The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the Western Conference finals, eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games with a dominating 106-90 victory night.