Sonics CEO Barth paints gloomy financial picture for team
BY ERIC D. WILLIAMS Eric.williams@thenewstribune.com Here’s a revelation: The Seattle SuperSonics likely will continue to lose millions of dollars if the team is forced to stay in Seattle for two more seasons and honor terms of the KeyArena lease. Danny Barth, CEO of the Sonics,…
June 18, 2008, 11:30 PM ET from Sonics Insider by Frank Hughes
An (SOS) attorney's perspective
Aaron Wolff, a criminal attorney in the Seattle area who does work for Save Our Sonics, has been in court following the case and was kind enough to take a few minutes with me to share his perspective. Although several media reports have been critical of attorneys for the city's performance at…
June 18, 2008, 6:15 PM ET from Sonics Insider by Frank Hughes
Bennett 'deeply disappointed' arena plan failed
Here’s a wrap up of an eventful morning in court so far in the third day of the trial between the City of Seattle and the Sonics over terms of the KeyArena lease. Sonics chairman Clay Bennett was back on the stand for all of the morning session, and began with Brad Keller, lead attorney for…
June 18, 2008, 5:00 PM ET from Sonics Insider by Frank Hughes
Post-Finals Thoughts
So there you have it. The Boston Celtics: your 2008 NBA Champions. From rock bottom a year ago to the top of the mountain today. Here's a few thoughts knocking around my brain as I wonder how I'll survive three-plus months without NBA basketball... 1) First and foremost, congrats to…
June 18, 2008, 4:00 PM ET from Hornets247.com Blog
Post-Game 6 poll: Where do Lakers go from here?
Well, that was ugly. (There are several other adjectives I can think of, but I can’t print any of them here.) But what’s done is done. The Celtics were the better team. The Lakers can learn lessons from their inglorious NBA Finals defeat, but it’s counterproductive to look back…
June 18, 2008, 3:15 PM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Lamar Odom has sore right knee
BOSTON — For all the attention being paid to Paul Pierce’s right knee in this series, far under the radar has been Lamar Odom’s sore right knee. Odom had an electric stimulation unit taped to his knee just now before Game 6. Odom missed 21 games last season with a sprained medial…
June 18, 2008, 3:00 PM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Phil Jackson’s pre-Game 6 interview
Q. I’m sure you’ve heard about these little things the Celtics are going through with the travel delays yesterday and obviously their injuries. Do these things stack up going into a game like this? COACH PHIL JACKSON: You know, I don’t know. I really…
June 18, 2008, 2:45 PM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Now it’s time to pay up, Lakers fans
The Lakers did you wrong. You believed in them. You stuck your neck out. You got burned. You made a wager that you HATE paying up this morning. Do you have to shave your head? Do you have to paint your car green? Get a Celtics tattoo? Or did you go old school and lose serious amounts of cold hard…
June 18, 2008, 2:30 PM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
It’s time to retire Amir Johnson’s jersey …
It’s time to retire Amir Johnson’s jersey — his high school jersey, that is: “Celtics rookie guard Gabe Pruitt will be going back to Los Angeles this weekend to be honored with the retirement of his jersey number at Westchester High School (not far from LAX) during a charity…
June 18, 2008, 11:30 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Michael Beasley holds court
Full Q&A from the Daily Herald. He's definitely affable. Not much more to read into it...not that we all won't try, heh. Interesting tidbit from him on our coach Vinny: ""He's real cool, a real laid-back guy. I didn't think he was that laid back, but he told a couple jokes. He's a really…
June 18, 2008, 11:30 AM ET from Blog a Bull
Herrmann and Brezec updates
From Ball in Europe last Friday: Walter Herrmann, the current Detroit Piston confirmed to Greece’s Gazzetta newspaper that he has an offer from a Greek team. There are, of course, only two possibilities: Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. Herrmann, who averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in…
June 18, 2008, 11:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Billups stumps for Obama
Who says athletes today aren’t as political as they used to be? With the Wallace-Kander campaign failing to gain momentum, Chauncey Billups was at Joe Louis Arena stumping for Barack Obama on Monday night. (Thanks to DBB reader joejoejoe for the link)
June 18, 2008, 11:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
The Iowa floods
This isn’t related to sports but definitely worth your time: Mike Payne, a long-time reader and valued member of the DBB community, shares his personal experience of the Iowa floods over at GearCrave. I hope all DBB readers in Iowa have been as fortunate as he has.
June 18, 2008, 11:00 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Will Chauncey miss the Olympics?
Chris McCosky doesn’t think Chauncey Billups will make the final cuts for the Olympics. Chris Sheridan agrees, and puts Tayshaun Prince on the bubble, as well.
June 18, 2008, 11:00 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Pistons reveal which players have worked out
Pistons director of player personnel George David spoke to the Free Press about which players the team has already worked out: David wouldn’t divulge every prospect the team has worked out, but he did give some names: Vanderbilt shooting guard Shan Foster, Tennessee-Martin combo guard Lester…
June 18, 2008, 10:45 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Thursday’s Layup Drill
Real life is keeping me away from the computer, but the internet doesn’t stop! A few topics worthy of discussion: All this Tim Donaghy stuff. I don’t really know what to think anymore. For the most part, I have a hard time believing there’s been some kind of league-wide…
June 18, 2008, 10:45 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
In search of dance partners for Joe Dumars
Continuing in a series of cameos by DBB readers, here’s LawyerBoy — MW By: LawyerBoy Let me start off with a disclaimer as to avoid subsequent questions/criticisms. All trades were verified by the ESPN TradeChecker (Draft picks can’t be included in the program. If restrictions exist on them…
June 18, 2008, 10:30 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Michael Curry answers questions
Keith Langlois has a lengthy Q&A with Michael Curry on Pistons.com. Some highlights: Langlois: You also said the other day you had opportunities to be an assistant coach when you retired yet you decided to go the administrative route with the league office for two years. Just talk about why you…
June 18, 2008, 10:30 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Chauncey Billups pulls out of Olympics
Chauncey Billups has pulled out of the Olympics citing a personal family issue. From Ric Bucher at ESPN.com: “It’s a matter of what you want to do and what you need to do,” said Billups, who declined to be more specific about the family matter prompting his withdrawal from the…
June 18, 2008, 10:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Bill Walker injures his knee
In Chad Ford’s latest mock draft on June 9, he had Bill Walker of Kansas State going to the Pistons, which is why this report from Andy Katz caught my eye last night: Representatives for Kansas State redshirt freshman Bill Walker were scrambling to secure a commitment from a team drafting…
June 18, 2008, 10:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Curry on Rome
Curry on Rome: “I’m not just saying we are going to do it my way, I’m just saying we are going to do it the championship way.”
June 18, 2008, 10:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
17
It’s not often you see a team dominate the rest of the league from wire-to-wire, but the Celtics were hands down the best team in the world from the first game of the regular season to the end of their 39-point thrashing of the Lakers last night. Congrats to the team and its fans for winning…
June 18, 2008, 10:00 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
More Melo/Billups rumblings
The Denver Post’s Woody Paige wants to swap Carmelo (… and Camby, Kenyon and Atkins) for Billups (… and Tayshaun, Rasheed and this year’s first-rounder), but ‘Melo’s agent continues to deny that his client is on the block.
June 18, 2008, 10:00 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Rasheed present at Curry’s presser
Rasheed Wallace was apparently the only Pistons player to show up at Michael Curry’s introductory press conference. There’s no reason to attach any meaning to that, but all things considered I still found it interesting.
June 18, 2008, 09:45 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Michael Curry is saying all the right things
Keith Langlois has a solid round-up of all the inspirational soundbites from today’s press conference: Curry said he hoped he would “never get the chance to read one of you all say the team didn’t play hard, they pick and choose when they want to play, they play up to the level of their…
June 18, 2008, 09:30 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Amir Johnson now realizes how productive he is
Remember that “Stat geeks love Amir Johnson” post from a couple of weeks ago? I’ve been sitting on this for a while, but before Game 6 of the Celtics series I asked Amir if he realized he was near universally regarded as one of the most productive players in the league. Not…
June 18, 2008, 09:15 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
It’s time to retire Amir Johnson’s jersey …
It’s time to retire Amir Johnson’s jersey — his high school jersey, that is: “Celtics rookie guard Gabe Pruitt will be going back to Los Angeles this weekend to be honored with the retirement of his jersey number at Westchester High School (not far from LAX) during a charity…
June 18, 2008, 09:01 AM ET from Detroit Bad Boys
Lakers lose in NBA Finals
Congrats to Eddie House. Sun Devils everywhere are proud.Now on to the draft!
June 18, 2008, 08:15 AM ET from The Rising Suns
Game 6: Celtics 131, Lakers 92
BOSTON — The Lakers played their last game of the season as if they had nothing left, but even the most diehard Lakers fan would have trouble viewing that as meaning they made the most of themselves. Strong favorites to take the NBA championship, the Lakers instead fell in six games to a…
June 18, 2008, 04:15 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Third quarter: Celtics 89, Lakers 60
BOSTON — It’s time for the Lakers to start thinking about the future, and we’re not talking about the fourth quarter here. Pau Gasol just had a third quarter that made even clearer that he is miscast as a center right now – something he has mentioned in recent days – because he lacks the…
June 18, 2008, 04:15 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Second quarter: Celtics 58, Lakers 35
BOSTON — The Lakers had expected to have a big advantage in the transition game this series, but too often they’ve been unable to go aggressively or get back wisely in the games, especially in Boston. This was a major problem in the second quarter that could lead to the end of this…
June 18, 2008, 04:00 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
First quarter: Celtics 24, Lakers 20
BOSTON — Derek Fisher said the Lakers’ first task tonight was to hang in against what was an expected game-starting emotional surge from the Celtics as they seek the championship in Game 6. The Lakers did that — with Kobe Bryant recognizing the need situation and leading a shaky…
June 18, 2008, 04:00 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Phil Jackson’s post-Game 6 interview
COACH PHIL JACKSON: Well, there’s not much to say, actually, at the end of this except to recap kind of the season which we felt like was a remarkable one for us, remarkable for the Celtics. Congratulations to them, their staff, their players. They showed their strength tonight in…
June 18, 2008, 03:45 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Kobe Bryant’s post-Game 6 interview
Q. We’ve seen you do the impossible, 30 points in a quarter, 81 in the game, two game‑winners against Phoenix. When did you sort of concede that tonight you guys weren’t going to be able to come out of the hole? KOBE BRYANT: Not sure. I don’t know.…
June 18, 2008, 03:45 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Pre-Game 6 poll: Will Lakers extend it?
Once the Lakers collapsed in Game 4, this consensus prediction emerged: Lakers win Game 5. Celtics close it out in Game 6. Of course, if it were all preordained, there’d be no reason to play or watch, right? The Lakers still believe they can win this series — hey, when you’ve…
June 18, 2008, 03:30 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Derek Fisher previewing Game 6
I say the key to Game 6 will be energy — which team has more of it. I thought entering the series that the Lakers would have the late-series edge through youth, lighter regular-season drive and shorter postseason grind (Boston about to play its record 26th postseason game). Now the Celts are…
June 18, 2008, 03:15 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Lamar Odom has sore right knee
BOSTON — For all the attention being paid to Paul Pierce’s right knee in this series, far under the radar has been Lamar Odom’s sore right knee. Odom had an electric stimulation unit taped to his knee just now before Game 6. Odom missed 21 games last season with a sprained medial…
June 18, 2008, 03:00 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Phil Jackson’s pre-Game 6 interview
Q. I’m sure you’ve heard about these little things the Celtics are going through with the travel delays yesterday and obviously their injuries. Do these things stack up going into a game like this? COACH PHIL JACKSON: You know, I don’t know. I really don’t. …
June 18, 2008, 02:45 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
And you thought Lakers faced tall odds
If you had one wish, it wouldn’t be stupid to return to July 17, 2007. On that day, had you gone to Las Vegas, you could have walked into the MGM Grand sports book, and they would have handed you a sheet of paper offering some (in hindsight) astonishing odds. Last July 17, the odds for the…
June 18, 2008, 02:30 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Watch parties canceled at Staples Center
Who says Lakers fans aren’t rowdy? The Lakers have decided not to hold any more watch parties at Staples Center during the NBA Finals. It’s possible the video below had something to do with it. (more…)
June 18, 2008, 02:15 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Game 6: Celtics 131, Lakers 92
BOSTON — The Lakers played their last game of the season as if they had nothing left, but even the most diehard Lakers fan would have trouble viewing that as meaning they made the most of themselves. Strong favorites to take the NBA championship, the Lakers instead fell in six games to a…
June 18, 2008, 02:00 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Third quarter: Celtics 89, Lakers 60
BOSTON — It’s time for the Lakers to start thinking about the future, and we’re not talking about the fourth quarter here. Pau Gasol just had a third quarter that made even clearer that he is miscast as a center right now – something he has mentioned in recent days – because he lacks the…
June 18, 2008, 01:30 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
Second quarter: Celtics 58, Lakers 35
BOSTON — The Lakers had expected to have a big advantage in the transition game this series, but too often they’ve been unable to go aggressively or get back wisely in the games, especially in Boston. This was a major problem in the second quarter that could lead to the end of this…
June 18, 2008, 00:30 AM ET from Lakers: Locker Talk by Kevin Ding
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