'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 38

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http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/six ... _race.html

Ty Lawson, North Carolina: A month ago, this speedy guard seemed sure to be drafted higher. In some assessments, he is the sixth-ranked point guard in the draft.

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http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/six ... _race.html

Jonny Flynn, Syracuse: Flynn seems destined to go at the 10th or 11th spot, but a few unexpected choices beforehand could make him available at 17.

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http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/six ... _race.html

Jrue Holiday, UCLA: Holiday, a freshman, has yet to hire an agent, which means he can return to school. If he stays in the draft, the 18-year-old could be a high-risk, high-reward selection.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Jones' Trip of Bryant Deemed Flagrant
A day later, the NBA blew the whistle on Dahntay Jones for tripping Kobe Bryant. The league assessed Denver’s defensive specialist a flagrant-1 foul for sending the Lakers’ star sprawling through the lane with a trip late in the third quarter that Bennett Salvatore’s officiating crew missed. Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson complained about Jones’ “unacceptable defense, tripping guys and playing unsportsmanlike basketball” during a rant about the officiating after Los Angeles fell 120-101 to Denver to tie the Western Conference finals at 2.

Asked if he felt Jones went out of his way to trip Bryant, Jackson replied: “Yes. It’s not the first time it’s happened in this series.” Bryant kept things light when asked if Jones tried to trip him. “I just fell on my face for no reason,” he said. “I’m a klutz.”

Bryant said Tuesday his opinion of Jones hasn’t changed: “It hasn’t at all. He’s a good player.” Bryant had beaten Jones cutting to the basket when Jones stuck out his right foot. Jones called it an accident, an instinctive move that lacked any malice or even forethought. “It wasn’t intentional,” said Jones, who was at a loss to explain his actions. “I can’t. I was just playing basketball. We got tangled up.”

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ltics+news

Garnett undergoes knee arthroscopy
The Celtics are expecting the now surgically repaired Kevin Garnett to be completely ready when training camp for the 2009-10 season begins.

Garnett underwent an arthroscopy yesterday at New England Baptist Hospital that included the removal of posterior bone spurs from his right knee. The surgery was performed by Celtics physician Brian McKeon, assisted by Michael Belkin and John Richmond.

An NBA source said Garnett, 33, is expected to be out 6-8 weeks. He is expected to do rehabilitation in Boston first before continuing it in his offseason home in Malibu, Calif. "There were no surprises," said Celtics president Danny Ainge. "I just spoke to him [Sunday] night. He seemed like he knew what he needed to do. He was anxious to do the surgery. "Absolutely, we feel like he will be 100 percent by training camp."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Brian Grant Coping With Parkinson's
(Brian) Grant, like so many, has been watching the NBA's compelling conference finals. So he's seen the NBA's commercial, reviving the memory of what once qualified as a painful experience: Kobe Bryant feeding Shaquille O'Neal for an alley-oop, over the head of a big, strong, young dude with dreadlocks, part of the Los Angeles Lakers' fourth-quarter comeback against his Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the 2000 West finals.

That moment, like many others, seems long ago. "I've learned you can't live in the past with anything that you do in life," Grant said, moments before meeting with local media in his home of Portland, Ore. "You have to move forward. There's always something more important."

Never more than now -- after Grant's life changed forever. Never more than after the father of four learned, at 37, he has early onset Parkinson's disease, which might leave him entirely reliant on his wife Gina someday.

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http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2009/0 ... ys_12.html

New Orleans Hornets center Tyson Chander has ankle, toe surgery; James Posey has knee procedure
Hornets center Tyson Chandler underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle and left big toe late last week in New York in an attempt to lessen inflammation and irritation that hampered Chandler throughout last season, while forward James Posey underwent a procedure on his right knee, the team announced Tuesday night.

Chandler's offensive and rebounding production fell this year as a result of his injuries. Chandler averaged 8.8 points a game and 8.7 rebounds this season, after averaging 11.8 points and 11.7 rebounds a game in 2007-08.

Posey's surgery was performed in Miami. He did not miss any games this season because of knee problems, but sat out six games near the end of the regular season because of a sprained left elbow.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 42566.html

• Garnett undergoes surgery — Kevin Garnett had surgery on his right knee after missing all of the playoffs. The Boston Celtics’ defensive star and inspirational leader had bone spurs removed during the arthroscopic surgery.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 42566.html

• League fines Jackson — The NBA has fined Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson $25,000 for his public criticisms of the referees following Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Jackson was angry with the free throw discrepancy — Denver’s 49 attempts were 14 more than the Lakers — and was also upset by a flurry of fouls called against Luke Walton.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 42566.html

• Johnson’s foul taken back — The NBA has rescinded the flagrant foul against Orlando Magic guard Anthony Johnson for elbowing Cleveland’s Mo Williams in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. Johnson drove the lane and extended his elbow in the second quarter of the Magic’s victory Sunday. Williams was struck around the left eye and knocked to the floor.

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 42566.html

• Suns, 76ers to play in Mexico — The NBA will play a preseason game in Monterrey, Mexico, between the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 18.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

B.J. Mullens Lone Big Ten Player in Chicago
It's hard to see a scenario in which the Pistons' pick at No. 15 wouldn't be among the 52 prospects at the combine.

Various mock drafts have the Pistons taking Virginia Commonwealth point guard Eric Maynor, Gonzaga small forward Austin Daye, Ohio State center B.J. Mullens, Louisville small forward Terrence Williams or Wake Forest small forward James Johnson. All five will be in Chicago.

Mullens, by the way, will be the lone Big Ten player there. No players from Michigan schools will be at the combine.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Suns, 76ers to Play Exhibition in Mexico
The NBA will play a preseason game in Monterrey, Mexico, between the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 18.

The game will be the NBA’s 18th in Mexico and second in Monterrey. In 2006 in Monterrey, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets before a sellout crowd.

The NBA already had announced the Chicago Bulls will play the Utah Jazz in London on Oct. 6. So far, the NBA has played 93 games outside the United States and Canada in 16 countries and territories.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Perkins, Rondo to Miss Team USA Camp
Several sources close to the situation said yesterday that Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo would not participate in USA Basketball's minicamp in Las Vegas because of Perkins's wedding July 25 in Houston.

The USA Basketball mini-camp includes a meeting July 22, practice July 23-24, and an intrasquad scrimmage July 25.

Perkins is marrying his longtime girlfriend and Rondo is one of the groomsmen.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Marcin Gortat Could Leave Orlando
When you have a season like this it's usually a good thing to keep the team together, and the Magic have two key free agents: Hedo Turkoglu and Marcin Gortat. Turkoglu has an Early Termination Option in his contract it's a given he will exercise; if he did not he would be on the books for one more season at $7.4 million. Gortat will be a restricted free agent who made only $711,517 in 2008-09. Both players have become integral parts of the team in this postseason and while that's not a surprised with Turkoglu, it is with Gortat.

Because of the team's desire to keep the roster together, Turkoglu will now likely get the contract he has talked about desiring. Up until recently the Magic were hoping they could negotiate that number down, but the team's success will force their hand. But what about Gortat? He was a forgotten man much of the season, playing just 12.6 minutes in 63 games (after just six games as a rookie) and averaging 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds on 57% shooting. Those are solid numbers in those minutes, and the Magic liked what they saw enough to want to keep him, but they were hoping Gortat could slide under the radar and they could lock him up for a few years at minimal dollars.

That hope is just about dead. His per game numbers in the playoffs are similar to those of the regular season (except for the 74% shooting), but it's the way he has produced that is bound to catch the eye of general managers and coaches across the league. He runs the floor, he's tough, he rebounds, he has a couple decent moves around the hoop, and he plays fantastic defense. In the game starting center Dwight Howard missed against Philadelphia after getting suspended for throwing an elbow at Samuel Dalembert, Gortat filled in with 40 minutes, 11 points, 15 rebounds, and two assists. It means the Magic have $63 million committed to their roster for 2009-10 should Turkoglu opt to terminate his deal. If they sign him, add about $10 million to that. They can match any offer to Gortat due to his restricted status.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Has Chris Bosh Plateaued?
Watching the NBA playoffs these days, Chris Bosh comes to mind. There is no particular reason that he should, of course, since the centrepiece of the Toronto Raptors was never close to making this post-season. Instead, the free-agent-to-be is sending Twitter updates such as the one from a week ago that read, "Everyone, please stop asking me to come and play for the team in your city. I get that question everyday now. I just want to enjoy my summer."

Over the past four seasons, Bosh has reached an appreciable but almost dead flat numerical plateau. His points per game have been 22.5, 22.6, 22.3, and 22.7. His rebounding numbers have ranged between 8.7 and 10.7; his assist numbers between 2.5 and 2.6; his blocked shots between 1.0 and 1.3. He has shot between .487 and .505, with the number trending slightly downward each year; he has attempted 8.3, 8.6, 8.3, and 8.0 free throws per game. Oh, and he has missed 12, 13, 15 and five games, and the Raptors have not won a playoff series.

In other words, he has become an all-star, a fine and respectable player, and a 6-foot-10 metronome. "I don't think he's going to get any better," says one NBA source who has scouted Bosh extensively. "I love him, but he is what he is -- he's a jump-shooting power forward."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Derrick Brown to Stay in NBA Draft?
Derrick Brown has no intention of returning to Xavier. "Doubtful," said the athletic junior forward. "There’s a slim chance I come back to school." The 6-foot-8 (with shoes), 229-pound Brown has worked out for Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago thus far and will remain in the Windy City for this week's pre-draft festivitie

Remember, Brown redshirted his first season in college and has already earned his degree. "I'm in the draft," Brown said. "I'm not even thinking about anything other than that. I loved my time at Xavier, but I'm ready to move onto a new era."

According to sources close to the situation, Brown will likely sign with agent Bill Duffy. "I feel like I've done a lot of Xavier," he added. "But I don't feel as though I can increase my stock much with another year. I've been in school for four years and it's time to move on."

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http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/col ... 6bb9c8&p=2

That, however, has become too true. Over the past four seasons, Bosh has reached an appreciable but almost dead flat numerical plateau. His points per game have been 22.5, 22.6, 22.3, and 22.7. His rebounding numbers have ranged between 8.7 and 10.7; his assist numbers between 2.5 and 2.6; his blocked shots between 1.0 and 1.3. He has shot between .487 and .505, with the number trending slightly downward each year; he has attempted 8.3, 8.6, 8.3, and 8.0 free throws per game. Oh, and he has missed 12, 13, 15 and five games, and the Raptors have not won a playoff series.

Bosh was left off the league's three all-NBA teams this season, finishing 18th in the voting. The year before, when Bosh missed 15 games due to injury, he was 26th. Both times, coincidentally, he finished one spot ahead of Atlanta's Joe Johnson, a miscast No. 1 if there ever was one. The best-case scenario is that there is a leap left in Bosh, or that he can be a Garnett-like centrepiece on a team with perimeter finishers. It's not clear that either is a possibility.

Regardless, Bosh will command a maximum contract as a free agent next summer --beginning at 30% of the salary cap, whatever it is, which makes it harder to build one hell of an ensemble -- and will be forcefully pursued by more than one other team, including at least one with more immediate championship ambitions than Toronto. The big question being asked is whether the Raptors can resign their franchise player.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Clemson's Terrence Oglesvy Goes to Europe
Clemson sophomore guard Terrence Oglesby stunned head coach Oliver Purnell Tuesday by telling him that he was leaving the Tigers' program, signing with an agent and heading to play in Europe, Purnell told ESPN.com.

Oglesby didn't declare for the NBA draft but will forego the final two seasons of his eligibility by becoming a pro in Europe. Oglesby, who has a duel citizenship with a Norwegian passport, can play as a European instead of an American. The news was first reported by boyshoopscout.com earlier Tuesday.

Oglesby averaged a third-best 13.2 points a game last season for the Tigers. "It's true that Terrence is leaving Clemson and the expectation that he's signing with someone in Europe," Purnell said. "It hasn't been finalized yet or he hasn't gotten an agent. But he felt there were opportunities out there for him in either Spain or Italy."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 527&lc=NBA

Is Johny Flynn Milwaukee-Bound?
Several news outlets are reporting that Milwaukee has a strong interest in Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn, especially since Bucks guard Ramon Sessions is a free agent and may be asking for a contract considerably larger than anything the team is willing to offer. The Bucks own the No. 10 pick and might be able to trade down to nab Flynn if that's who they really want.