Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers remembers being in a couple of fights in his playing days, so he understands what was going through Kevin Garnett’s mind when he pushed off from a referee who was trying to make peace. “Right afterward, I felt like a dunce,” Rivers said. “At the time, though, there was nothing in me that didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do.” The rough-and-tumble playoff… Read Original Post Here
Walking through a mall, DeShawn Stevenson learned quickly he’s made more than LeBron James mad. The whole city dislikes him. Stevenson has been branded Public Enemy No. 1 in Cleveland for calling James “overrated” and then committing a flagrant foul against the Cavaliers’ star in Game 4 on Sunday. He also was fined $25,000 by the NBA for making a throat-slashing gesture in the first quarter of… Read Original Post Here
The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, the first of what’s likely to be many offseason moves after the team with the league’s highest payroll again flopped in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson leaves with an impressive resume after three-plus seasons, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban couldn’t tolerate two straight years of first-round exits — or the fact that Dallas has gone…
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While crisscrossing the country in job after job, Larry Brown has always placed heavy emphasis — and criticism — on his point guards. Raymond Felton, you’re next. Brown’s success or failure with the Charlotte Bobcats in his latest reclamation project rests in large part on how he’s able to develop the inconsistent Felton and cultivate big man Emeka Okafor. Read Original Post Here
The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, the first of what’s likely to be many offseason moves after the league’s highest payroll produced a second straight first-round knockout from the playoffs. Johnson leaves with an impressive resume after three-plus seasons, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban couldn’t tolerate a bottom line of being 3-12 in the playoffs since blowing a 2-0 lead in… Read Original Post Here
Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics has been chosen as the NBA Rookie of Year, The Associated Press has learned. The person with knowledge of the vote requested anonymity because the official announcement has not been made. The honor was first reported by The Seattle Times in Wednesday’s editions.
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Tim Duncan was not all smiles after the San Antonio Spurs eliminated the Phoenix Suns yet again from the playoffs. Written on the big man’s face was only one thing: relief. “Just happy we’re done with them,” he said. Really, was there ever any doubt? The Spurs dispatched the Suns with a 92-87 Game 5 victory Tuesday in what has become almost a postseason ritual for the defending champions.
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The Houston Rockets didn’t need a big fourth quarter from Tracy McGrady to stay alive in their playoff series with Utah. McGrady scored 29 points and got plenty of help, and the Rockets staved off elimination Tuesday night by routing the Jazz 95-69 in Game 5 of their first-round series. Luis Scola added 18 points and 12 rebounds, Rafer Alston scored 14 points and Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 10 rebounds…
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Tony Parker scored 31 points, Tim Duncan added 29 points and 17 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 92-87 Game 5 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The third-seeded Spurs will meet the No. 2 seed Hornets in a second-round series that begins Saturday at New Orleans.
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