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Yup, Danny Ainge is a Genius

By Celticsfanatic | July 3, 2009 | Celtics 17

Marbury feels (short) Celtics days are done.Bill Strickland, Sheed's agent, on the contract offer.I used to hate -- no, DESPISE -- Danny Ainge. After his deal which sent the then-admirable Antonie Walker packing, to then only sign Brian Scalabrine, it was clear to me that this guy was just not a fit for the Celtics.Then came the 2006-07 season, a year where the Celtics not only had shameful results, but left a humiliating mark on both their legendary name and Boston's fans. And just when I thought both Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers were "outta here," a meeting was arranged between Celtics star Paul Pierce, and Danny Ainge himself. Pierce told Ainge that "he wanted to be a Celtic for life," but if the C's didn't find veteran help for him that offseason, he'd prefer leaving Beantown and heading to a contender.Little did he know that Mr. Ainge expected a...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Al Jefferson, Antoine Walker, Bill Walker, Boston Celtics, Brian Scalabrine, Danny Ainge, Delonte West, Eddie House, Glen Davis, James Posey, Justin Reed, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Lester Hudson, Mikki Moore, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA Draft, Orlando Magic, Paul Pierce, PJ Brown, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Scot Pollard, Seattle SuperSonics, Stephon Marbury, Tony Allen

Gortat verbally commits to Mavericks

By David Thiessen | July 3, 2009 | Project Spurs

Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting that Orlando Magic center Marcin Gortat has verbally committed to sign an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs were interested in the 6'11'' Polish center who made a name for himself last season as Dwight Howard's backup. However, they are more interested in Rasheed Wallace or Antonio McDyess. It does hurt some to see a division rival pick up a big, young center....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Free Agency, Marcin Gortat, NBA, San Antonio Spurs

2009 Offseason Whirlwind Continued

By Rey-Rey | July 2, 2009 | The No-Look Pass

All right. The whirlwind offseason continues. These are just verbal deals and they can't officially sign until July 8. People might still pull a Carlos Boozer. Anyway... ***Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to Detroit*** The signing of Ben Gordon, I think, effectively ends Richard Hamilton's stint as a Piston. I don't know what to make of this team as everyone seems to be going their separate ways. Rasheed Wallace is going somewhere for sure and Tayshaun Prince seems to be on the trading block. As for Charlie Villanueva, he's a great scoring option... but it's really hard to gauge this team until the offseason is over. Plus they still don't have a coach. ***Marcin Gortat to Dallas*** Erick Dampier seems to be on his way out... and Gortat earned his contract by playing well in the postseason. I guess, in the meantime, Dallas is just hoping that they don't get...

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Ben Gordon, Carlos Boozer, Charlie Villanueva, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons, Dwyane Wade, Erick Dampier, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Ron Artest, Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash, Tayshaun Prince, Trevor Ariza

One More Thing -- Hoopsvine.com Interview with Jay Bilas

By Zach Harper | July 2, 2009 | Talk Hoops

Before I leave you for the Fourth of July celebration weekend, I wanted to make sure that everybody checks out the Hoops Vine interview with Jay Bilas about the NBA Draft. The Hoops Vine brand name has been around for a while but the new and improved Hoops Vine social basketball network is a growing entity powered by the genius and hard work of Lang Greene. Lang is a friend of Talkhoops and has even let me be so kind as to let me answer a mailbag for his readers (last April). Lang is a really smart basketball mind and great at covering the sport and furthering the discussion. I highly recommend this interview with Jay Bilas and Hoops Vine in general. It should definitely be a part of your daily internet rounds. Lang: I wanted to get your thoughts on the draft. What were your initial feelings when the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: 2009 NBA Draft, Hoops Vine, Jay Bilas, NBA

The 8th Seed Podcast -- Volume Two

By Zach Harper | July 2, 2009 | Talk Hoops

There is a joint venture going on through some people who I met at Blogs With Balls back in June. It involves a pretty great crew of people -- eight people in fact. Here's the crew: - The Incomparable Jared Wade from Both Teams Played Hard- The Impossibly Tall John Karalis from Red's Army- The Blogs With Balls Project Spurs-Chronicles of Crotty Hybrid Drinking Contest Champion Michael De Leon of Project Spurs- The Man who will assuredly represent us when we get sued for liable because of this podcast Jeff Garcia from Project Spurs- The Ladies Man of Twitter Rey Moralde from The No Look Pass- The Man I Want to Be when I grow up Adam Best from Fansided- The Man with the fastest growing internet show Glenn Moore from Dugout Sports ShowThose men plus myself make up the 8th Seed. A clusterf*&k of opinions about the NBA and...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: 2009 NBA Draft, Both Teams Played Hard, Dugout Sports Show, Fansided.com, NBA, Project Spurs, Red's Army, The No Look Pass

Lakers 3 On 3 Basketball Tournament Presented by Nike and Fan Fest -- Aug. 14 - Aug. 16

By Zach Harper | July 2, 2009 | Talk Hoops

INAUGURAL LAKERS 3 ON 3 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NIKE AND FAN FEST TO TAKE PLACE FRIDAY, AUG. 14 - SUNDAY, AUG. 16 AT L.A. LIVE IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES Team registration is currently open to all participants and closes Friday, July 31 LOS ANGELES - Ever fantasized about being a basketball world champion? Here is your opportunity. The 2009 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers will play host to the first-ever Lakers 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament presented by Nike and Fan Fest, Friday, Aug. 14- Sunday, Aug. 16 at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles. The spectacular event will be spread across multiple city blocks with approximately 70 outdoor basketball courts in and around L.A. Live to accommodate the thousands of athletes who will compete for bragging rights, prizes and chance to be named champion. Players young and old, men and women, elite and beginner are able to participate...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: 2009 Off-Season, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Things to do this summer

Pistons sign Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva

By Zach Harper | July 2, 2009 | Talk Hoops

What in the hell happened to the Detroit Pistons?What in the hell happened to Deeeeeeetroit Baaaaaaasketbaaaaaallllllll?This was a hard-nosed group of perfect role players, committed to defense, rebounding, and being tougher than the other team. It was a well-coached team that was putting together streaks of holding opponents under 70 points. And now?Now, they've spent over $90 million to acquire Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva - two good basketball players but two players that don't exactly scream blue-collar basketball like Motown once did. Now, the two players that the Pistons have agreed in principle to add to the roster on July 8th aren't bad by any means. Ben Gordon is a really good scorer off the bench who can win games for you by taking over in the fourth quarter. In fact, BG was 17th in fourth quarter scoring this past season, So you know he can fill it up....

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: 2009 Off-Season, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Detroit Pistons, NBA

Today's Rumors and More: A Run-Through

By Celticsfanatic | July 2, 2009 | Celtics 17

NEW RUMOR: Gary Tanguay reporting from Twitter -- Garnett, Danny Ainge, and Wyc Grousbeck will all make the trek to Michigan to meet with Rasheed Wallace. It's unknown whether or not Paul and Ray make the trip too. If they do, then I'd say Ray Allen will be a Celtic next year. Why would the Celtics bring him along if they were planning on trading him anyway?Cavs very interested in Artest, Ariza.According to several league sources, the Cavs are attempting to land Houston Rockets free-agent forward Ron Artest, and the pitch included a meeting with LeBron James on Tuesday night in Los Angeles as both were in Southern California for various events. In addition, a league source indicated the team is trying to attract Los Angeles Lakers swingman Trevor Ariza, who appears to be disgruntled with the Lakers' early attempts to re-sign him. Ariza's agent, David Lee, told the Riverside,...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Avery Johnson, Ben Gordon, Bill Laimbeer, Boston Celtics, Carmelo Anthony, Chicago Bulls, Chris Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers, Danny Ainge, Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzles, NBA, Paul Pierce, Quentin Richardson, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Ron Artest, Tayshaun Prince, Trevor Ariza, Zach Randolph

NBA Outsider: Memphis Grizzlies Draft Follow Up

By Staff Report | June 30, 2009 | MVN Outsider

3 Shades of Blue tells how this years draft picks are not super stars but certainly upgrades.WHEN THE DRAFT GIVES YOU LEMONS..... The Memphis Grizzlies exercised all three of the picks with which they entered the 2009 NBA draft-nos. 2, 27, and 36, selecting Hasheem Thabeet, Demarre Carroll, and Sam Young. Sure, when the year 2020 comes around, the potential for this year's draft crop to be viewed as one of the best ever is pretty low-but as the title states, the draft might give you lemons...and sometimes the lemonade takes a bit longer to make and isn't quite as good as Grandma's on a 90-degree day, but it should still be pretty tasty. What Michael Heisley has stated many times is that he wants to field a more defensive-oriented team (a philosophy with which I heartily agree), and this draft bears his mark in bold ink. Thabeet, Carroll, and...Read more

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Memphis Grizzlies, NBA, NBA Draft, NBA Outsider

NBA Rumor Mill: T-Mac Trade Talks Heat Up, Rondo Stays in Boston & Kidd Wants Greener Pastures

By Adam Sweeney | June 26, 2009 | MVN Outsider

The past week in the NBA showed us more moves than Michael Jackson, who we mourn the passing of. Richard Jefferson to the Spurs, Vinsanity to the Magic and Shaq Daddy to the Cavs can only mean one thing, more excitement for us next season. The NBA Draft had plenty of shocking moments and drama. So while you speculate on how the New York Knicks will get Ricky Rubio from Minnesota, check out the latest rumors around the NBA.T-Mac Getting Plenty of SuitorsAs a Houston Rockets fan, I kept waiting for the ball to drop last night on a trade involving Tracy McGrady. It didn't happen. Amare Stoudemire was rumored to be heading to Houston but that talk was dismissed when it became clear Amare's new destination is likely to be in Golden State. That doesn't mean teams don't want McGrady, or should I say they want his expiring contract...Read more

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Jason Kidd, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady

NBA Rumor Mill: Curry Wants to be a Knick, McHale Staying with T-Wolves & Carlisle Wants Kidd Back

By Adam Sweeney | May 15, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Stephen Curry Wants His Share of MSG, New York StyleHe was the darling of the 2007-2008 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament. Now Stephen Curry wants to win over Knicks fans' hearts. Word from SLAM Online is that the former Davidson star is excited about the chance to play at Madison Square Garden, and who would blame him, except for the fact that he'd have to be a New York Knick."That would be a dream come true," Curry told ESPN 1050 when they asked him about the possibility of New York drafting him. "One, to play with an NBA jersey; two, to play at Madison Square Garden every night; three, to play in front of the greatest NBA fans -- I think it would be something I would look forward to and I would work very hard to help my team, if that was the case, to be better," he said....Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd, Kevin McHale, Minnesota Timberwolves, Rick Carlisle, Stephen Curry

NBA Rumor Mill: Kidd Headed to Miami, Hating on Eddie House & Hornets May Have to Dump Players

By Adam Sweeney | May 10, 2009 | MVN Outsider

The NBA Playoffs have taken a more physical turn and we've seen our share of suspensions. While you learn the rule differences between a Flagrant 1 and 2 Foul, we are muscling up down low to give you the best and latest bunch of rumors in the NBA, and we won't even throw an elbow at you for reading. Bonus.The Heat Might Be On for Jason KiddThe Miami Heat made a dramatic turnaround this season but are still missing a key ingredient, a solid point guard. They may be looking for that in Jason Kidd, says the Miami Herald. The floor general will be a free agent this summer. The future Hall of Famer is still hunting for the elusive championship and has played with Dwyane Wade in the Olympics before, so the learning curve wouldn't be as great if Kidd headed to South Beach. Miami will also be looking...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Celtics, Chris Paul, Dallas Mavericks, David West, Dwyane Wade, Eddie House, Jason Kidd, Miami Heat

Chris Bosh Will Win a Title ... with the Orlando Magic

By Adam Sweeney | May 2, 2009 | MVN Outsider

We're headed into the heart of the NBA Playoffs, but that doesn't concern the crystal ball. What concerns me right now is one of the other big names in free agency in 2010. No doubt you've heard every rumor about LeBron James, who apparently is getting offers from Marvin the Martian now to play for the Mars Red Riders, but Chris Bosh is quite the free agency prize himself. There's talk that the power forward will be heading to Motown, but for some reason I don't see it. Detroit won't have the pieces to make a big playoff run, which is something I think Bosh will be looking at now that the Toronto Raptors have underwhelmed. New York is always a draw, but they will be too busy pushing for Bron to notice Bosh.There is part of me that says Bosh could be lured to Houston in a few years....Read more

Read more | 9 Comments | Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Dallas Mavericks, Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors

NBA Great Debates: Spurs, Jazz Disappoint

By Staff Report | April 30, 2009 | MVN Outsider

NBA Outsider's Joe Boikess and Adam Sweeney debate the issue: Which team was a bigger playoff disappointment, the San Antonio Spurs or the Utah Jazz?Joe Boikess believes San Antonio failed to live up to expectations:The Mavericks' wide array of scorers frustrated the Spurs, who lacked a lot of punch on offense because of the absence of Manu Ginobili. The Jazz fought hard during the two games in Salt Lake City to forge a split, but they needed to play at their best in Game 5 in L.A., and that's not an easy task for a team that's been pretty bad on the road all year long.It's hard to believe that two teams who had legitimate championship aspirations before this season could be ousted so quickly, but this week it became a reality. So which team was the bigger disappointment? It has to be the Spurs.Entering the season, the Lakers...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Playoffs, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

NBA Great Debates: Which First Round Playoff Series is the Most Intriguing?

By Staff Report | April 17, 2009 | MVN Outsider

NBA Outsider's Joe Boikess and Adam Sweeney debate the issue: Of the eight playoff series set to get underway in the National Basketball Association, which is must-see TV?Joe Boikess can't wait to watch the Spurs and Mavericks square off:This is my favorite time of year, and not only because of the arriving warm weather or the approaching end of the school year. It's NBA Playoffs time, and this year's batch of first round matchups, especially in the Western Conference, is shaping up to be the best ever.Basketball junkies have more than a few intriguing series to pay attention to. In the East, the best looking series would have to be the Hawks taking on the Heat in the always-tough-to-predict 4/5 matchup. But aside from that, Cavaliers-Pistons, Celtics-Bulls and Magic-76ers should all be entertaining as well.The real TNT-style drama is going on out West. The top-seeded Lakers get to see...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Playoffs, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

NBA Playoffs: First Round Preview

By Joe Boikess | April 17, 2009 | MVN Outsider

The NBA Playoffs tip off this weekend with eight games over the course of two days. Here's what you need to know to get you ready for the madness that is the first round...Eastern Conference(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Detroit PistonsSeason series - Cavaliers won 3-1Drama factor - Low. The Pistons have gotten past the first round each of the past seven seasons, but expect that streak to come to an end. The Cavaliers are the better team here, and the only way that the Pistons can still make the series interesting is if the effort is there. In years past Detroit has looked lackluster in the first round, and this year they can't afford to do that against a much tougher and more well-rounded team.Key Player - Tayshaun Prince. He has the honor of guarding LeBron James, and his success in that department will likely determine how long the...Read more

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Playoffs, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

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