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

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

Post#941 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:01 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Jacob (Ooltewah, Tennessee): Why do so many mock drafts predict the Pistons will select Austin Daye at 15? What’s so impressive about a thin sub-7-footer who put up 13 points and eight rebounds per game as a college player? Are the Pistons that interested in his ability to shoot 3-pointers? Also, if DeJuan Blair is off the board at 15, Lawson would be a nice pick. If the Pistons selected Lawson with that pick, how would that affect the minutes of Stuckey, Bynum and Hamilton? Would the Pistons run more with Lawson in the game?

Langlois: I surveyed 13 random mock drafts a week ago and two of them had the Pistons taking Daye – and one of them has now switched that projection to James Johnson. Daye’s an intriguing prospect for a lot of reasons, Jacob. Very young, very skilled and very long. You’re right that his relative lack of production at Gonzaga leaves some scouts lukewarm, but scouts try to see past a college player’s stats and look at the big picture. Stats often can be the product of the system. Last year Russell Westbrook had modest stats, but went fourth to Oklahoma City and didn’t disappoint. Another UCLA guard with little that jumps off the stat sheet, Jrue Holiday, is projected as a likely lottery pick – potentially as high as fourth to Sacramento. Daye’s stock is rumored on the rise, though I still think he’s got a pretty decent shot to be available to the Pistons at 15. Whether they take him there or not, it’s too early to say with any degree of certainty.

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

Post#942 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:03 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Fletcher (Kent, Wash.): Any chance the Pistons trade Prince and a young big man for Bosh and then sign Turkoglu? They could then draft Austin Daye. Would that eliminate the need for a third point guard as Turkoglu could play the point in relief of Stuckey and Bynum?

Langlois: I’d be pretty surprised if the Pistons don’t have one other player on the roster beyond Stuckey and Bynum capable of playing the point going into next season. It might very well be somebody who’s on the inactive list most nights, but by “play the point” I mean at both ends. And even though Turkoglu is remarkably gifted at making plays off the dribble for a guy 6-foot-10, I don’t think you’d want him guarding Chris Paul. The third point guard doesn’t have to be acquired with the 15th pick. You can often find serviceable journeymen No. 3 point guards still unemployed in September if you haven’t filled that void by then. Look where and when the Pistons found Bynum last year. I am not advocating that the Pistons take a point guard with their first-round pick. All I’ve maintained is that they are almost certain to add another point guard this summer – especially since Will Bynum is now viewed as more like a No. 1½ point guard and will play alongside Rodney Stuckey at times – and that the strength of the middle of the first round will be at point guard. So it’s possible they’ll take one there. It’s also possible they’ll go in another direction. We’re profiling 12 players who could be in reach for the Pistons at 15 – six of them are point guards. That also means six of them are something else.

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

Post#943 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:07 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Pablo (Feira de Santana, Brazil): Can’t Joe Dumars wait for 2010 free agency and get Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire instead of Carlos Boozer and Ben Gordon now?

Langlois: I think Pistons fans would get a little restless next season if Joe D sat on the cap space he created with the Chauncey Billups trade for a full season on the gamble – and it would be a significant gamble – that the Pistons would be able to strike it rich in free agency in a summer where they will be far more hunters in the field.

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

Post#944 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:07 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Mel (Winston Salem, N.C.): Am I missing something or isn’t Arron Afflalo considered a point guard? I think he’s been overlooked in every equation that has been mentioned in regards to this year’s draft.

Langlois: I get this one a lot, Mel, and the only reason I can fathom is that when Afflalo was drafted the Pistons said they were confident he could defend all three perimeter positions. They have used him to guard point guards, but he’s never played the position offensively. At UCLA, his point guards were Jordan Farmar and Darren Collison. He can play two positions offensively – shooting guard or small forward. In a pinch, I suppose he could run a team, but he’s not going to hang around the NBA based on his ability to play the point.

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

Post#945 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:08 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Joe (Warrington, England): What are the chances of gaining something out of a sign-and-trade with Iverson? There aren’t many teams with both cap room and an interest in AI, so is it likely we use Iverson in a trade (maybe AI and Prince for Bosh)?

Langlois: If there’s much interest in Iverson, it’s being well disguised. Those in the know around the NBA seem to think he’ll wind up in Charlotte with Larry Brown, which struck me as preposterous the first time I heard it, given Brown’s withering private criticisms of Iverson after their Philadelphia divorce, but keeps gaining momentum. The point is, there doesn’t seem to be nearly enough interest in Iverson for any team to justify having to trade away an asset when it more than likely can get him for nothing more than a chunk of salary-cap space. I suppose stranger things have happened, and you can bet that if there is a trade market for him, Joe Dumars will explore it and exploit it to its full advantage. But the likelier bet is that the Pistons renounce their rights to him – which means they give up their Bird rights – to gain the cap space they need to make their big summer splash.

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

Post#946 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:09 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Isaac (Flint, Mich.): I don’t think it’s realistic to get Chris Bosh because he’s unrestricted next year and might not sign long term with us. Too risky! I was thinking Okur, David Lee and Eddie House as free agents and make Afflalo trade bait with Prince for someone else, then draft a point guard at 15. I like Turkoglu more than Lee but I think Lee will definitely come cheaper.

Langlois: If the Pistons could swing a trade for Bosh, yeah, they’d run the risk that he could leave as a free agent next summer. But that would also give the Pistons a large chunk of cap space in a rich year for free agents. That’s exactly what many fans are suggesting – sit out this year and make your play next summer. Getting a one-year trial on Bosh has its positives. You’d get a chance to see him up close for a year before deciding if he was worth the max contract it’s likely going to take to sign him. The problem with Lee, as I’ve discussed, is his restricted status makes it tricky. You might lose him and then lose your shot at other desirables in the meantime.

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

Post#947 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:10 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Donna (Southfield, Mich.): I’m all for taking Eric Maynor if he’s there at 15, but the Pistons really need size. How about trying to pry away a young big from someone? I love JaVale McGee and think he’s really going to be a star. Do you think there is any way a deal could be done with the Wizards? What about Josh Heytvelt in the second? Failing to get McGee, could we steal one of the Warriors’ bigs for someone?

Langlois: Young bigs are coveted assets, Donna. There were rumors Washington is interested in moving up in the draft and using McGee as the bait, but the team has denied them strongly. I’m sure he could be had at the right price, but there are enough questions about his lack of strength to put his ceiling in question. Heytvelt has some off-court red flags, but he’s an intriguing guy who I’m sure will be thoroughly vetted. I would suspect the Pistons would be looking to land one project big man with one of their three second-round picks and Heytvelt will be in the mix. I’m sure the Pistons would love to take Anthony Randolph off Golden State’s hands. Don Nelson was typically tough on him as a rookie and he now has his guy, Larry Riley, as GM. So it’s possible Randolph gets moved. But this is the summer the Pistons make their move for surer things capable of stepping into the starting lineup, not the summer they position themselves for runs at projects. I don’t see a match for the Pistons with Golden State, but you never know.

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

Post#948 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:11 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Rayyan (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia): My dream scenario: Trade Hamilton to Oklahoma City for the No. 3 pick; trade Maxiell and No. 15 to Memphis for the No. 2 pick; draft Rubio and Thabeet, plus we have millions in extra cap space. Trade Kwame to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler. Trade Prince and Amir for Bosh. Sign Hedo, Gordon, Villanueva and Kleiza.

Langlois: Doesn’t seem like it would be the MO for management in either OKC or Memphis to trade away high draft picks and take on salary, though Thunder management would at least have to take a minute to consider the firepower of a lineup with Hamilton, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. Memphis would get ripped for passing on a potential superstar in Rubio for a backup big man and 15. That’s an ambitious plan you’ve got there, Rayyan.

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

Post#949 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:11 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... ilbag.html

Byron (Detroit): If the Pistons have between $16 million and $17 million in cap space, how many players out of Ben Gordon, Hedo, Boozer and Tyson Chandler can we acquire?

Langlois: I think $17 million, if that’s what it turns out to be, would be pushing it to get Boozer and either Gordon or Turkoglu. Boozer, remember, would be opting out of $12.7 million. It’s tough to imagine him taking less than $10 million in first-year salary on a new deal, though maybe the bleak immediate economic outlook and the distinct possibility of a cap that’s far less favorable to players coming with the next collective bargaining agreement will compel Boozer and agent Rob Pelinka to do just that. So say Boozer signs for a first-year salary of $10 million. Would there be enough left over to entice Gordon or Turkoglu? That would be cutting it pretty close – unless the Pistons find a way to shave a few more million somewhere else. That’s why I maintain that it’s possible they’ll look to trade out of the first round, which would give them about another $1.5 million in cap space.

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

Post#950 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 3:53 am

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290528005

With Cleveland's wondrous season on the line, James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 29 to lead Orlando, and Dwight Howard had 24 and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 2:22 remaining when he was called for his sixth personal foul while trying to stop James on a drive.

The Magic overcame a 22-point deficit but missed their first opportunity to close out the Cavaliers, who are trying to become just the ninth team since 1947 to rally and win a series after being down 3-1. Orlando will have two more tries to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 1995.

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

Post#951 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 5:30 am

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... n-sues-SEC

Mavs owner Mark Cuban sues SEC
Mark Cuban is suing the Securities and Exchange Commission for access to documents detailing the insider trading case against the Dallas Mavericks owner.

The Dallas billionaire filed requests for records in December under the Freedom of Information Act. That was a month after the SEC sued Cuban, accusing him of selling shares of Internet search engine company Mamma.com after receiving confidential information about a private offering. Cuban's lawsuit claims the SEC improperly rejected some requests, didn't respond quickly enough to appeals of rejections and failed to conduct adequate searches for some records.

Cuban provided a copy of his lawsuit to The Associated Press after it was reported by The Dallas Morning News. An SEC spokesman declined comment.

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

Post#952 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 5:58 am

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... d-back-now

Nuggets won't hold back now
To make the NBA Finals for the first time -- and bring their tattoos, athleticism and exuberance to the biggest stage of all -- the upstart Denver Nuggets must win two games in a 48-hour span against a savvy Los Angeles Lakers team that is shooting for its 30th Finals appearance. Oh, and L.A. hasn't lost back-to-back games since March. The Nuggets might very well be the better team in the Western Conference finals, with a deeper bench, more muscle and better health than the tired, injured and often disjointed Lakers. But they also tend to implode at the worst times. There's the taunting after big shots, the complaining after calls and the botched inbounds passes that cost them Games 1 and 3 and a chance at brooming the Lakers right out of the playoffs. Now, they're one loss away from summer vacation. "For most of the series, we outplayed them for most stretches of the game," Chauncey Billups said. "We just couldn't get over the hump in the fourth quarter in a few different situations." Nor can they get out of their own way at times. Denver has committed 11 technical fouls in this series and defensive stud Dahntay Jones is one more flagrant-1 foul away from a suspension. Coach George Karl said he won't rein in his players for Game 6 in Friday night in Denver, however. "You guys are almost saying you've got to have savvy and poise to be a championship team," Karl told reporters Thursday. "I mean, you think the Detroit Pistons have the poise that the San Antonio Spurs have? No, I mean there's a different way of handling emotional, passionate, intense players. We have some guys who are emotional.

Maybe a little too emotional. But for me, I'm not going to tell them to stop that because I think that stops them from becoming a competitor. "Right now, we're competing on the best stage on a pretty good level. I think the Lakers know we're there." The Lakers have plenty of their own problems, inconsistency among them, but in Game 5, they showed they're not always so soft in the middle and they don't have to be a one-man band, either. The Lakers finally discovered ways to get more balanced play, especially from their bigs. "That's what the conversation has been about this entire postseason, our team, our potential and our capabilities," Derek Fisher said. "But how do we, as a group, open that space to be what we can be? ... It's possible something clicked for us as a group last night against this team. "We may have found some things we can do that allows us to attack them from everywhere. We feel we can't be beat when everybody's getting a chance to play." Kobe Bryant lured double coverage then passed to his teammates with Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol doing the damage inside in the fourth quarter as the Lakers capped a 23-5 run and cruised to a 103-94 win Wednesday night. "We've had stretches where we've played excellent defense," Bryant said, "but the competition we're facing with this Denver Nuggets team is unlike anything we've ever seen.

They have so many scorers, they have an inside presence. So ... I'm very proud of how we performed in that stretch." Odom's 19 points and 14 rebounds were certainly the biggest reasons the Lakers reversed their disparity in points in the paint and grabs off the glass from Game 4. Karl thinks Lakers coach Phil Jackson's rant helped, too. Although it drew $50,000 in fines, Jackson's complaints about the officiating in Denver paid off in the Lakers' 16-7 advantage at the line in the fourth quarter, Karl suggested. So, Karl took his own crack at the crew, suggesting Nene fouled out thanks to three or four phantom fouls and questioning how Gasol (one foul) could have played such a clean but active game. On Thursday Karl insisted he wasn't blaming the officials for Denver's demise, but he took another shot at them when saying some of his younger players were letting the officiating get under their collective skin. "We're hoping and we believe that the officiating won't be a problem," Karl said. "When you're getting hit in the back of the head, knocked on your (backside), you're human beings; you react to people of authority. The referees are the ones that have the authority and control the game the way they want to control it." Bryant has been blunt about the Lakers' fatigue factor in this series, and he and Gasol each played 45 minutes in Game 5. But Bryant said he's fine, suggesting he'll "get plenty of rest when I'm on a beach in Cabo." The Nuggets would love nothing more than to help him book that trip by next week.

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

Post#953 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 6:20 am

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... -Cleveland

LeBron James scores 37 as Cavaliers win Game 5 in Cleveland
LeBron James made a new guarantee: Game 6. With Cleveland's wondrous season on the line, James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night. It's back to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday night at amped-up Amway Arena. You expected anything else? "I mean this was a big game for us," James said. "You never want to disappoint the home crowd by not coming out and play as hard as you can. It was win or go home." The Magic overcame a 22-point deficit but missed their first opportunity to close out the Cavaliers, who are trying to become just the ninth team since 1947 to rally and win a series after being down 3-1. Orlando will have two more tries to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 1995. For Cleveland, a city banking on James to deliver a championship after a 45-year drought, the MVP was again in a league of his own. James scored 21 points in the second half -- 17 in the fourth quarter -- and had a hand in 29 of Cleveland's 34 points in the final 12 minutes. Hedo Turkoglu scored 29 for Orlando, and Dwight Howard had 24 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 2:22 remaining when he was called for his sixth personal foul while trying to stop James on a drive. Not even Superman was denying James. And this time, Williams, his trusty sidekick all season, showed up to help him, as did Zydrunas Ilgauskas (16 points), Delonte West (13) and reserve Daniel Gibson (11), who made two huge 3-pointers in the fourth. "We'll be back here for Game 7," Gibson told the crowd afterward.

The Magic have twice ended series on the road this postseason, winning a Game 6 in Philadelphia and a Game 7 in Boston to make the conference finals. For a while it looked like Orlando might do it again, taking a 79-78 lead into the fourth quarter. James, though, had other plans. He picked up his first assist of the period on 3-pointer by Williams and his second on a 3 by Gibson. Cleveland then turned to its superstar every time down on offense, spreading the floor and forcing the Magic to defend him. If he wasn't backing down the lane, he was getting to the line or setting his teammates up from the perimeter. He also had four rebounds and four assists in the final quarter. "The game is basically all LeBron, all the time," said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, who was called for a technical in the second quarter. "If he gets in the paint, it's automatically a foul. One of the things we have to do, we can't keep putting him on the line 20 times a game. We have to find a way to stop that." Down 32-10 with 3:40 left in the first quarter, the Magic started knocking down 3s and outscored the Cavs 45-24 the remainder of the first half. The Magic, who made just eight 3s after hitting 17 in Game 4, then opened the third with nine straight points as Turkoglu hit a 3-pointer -- of course -- and Orlando was within 94-93 after Turkoglu made three free throws with 4:46 left. James then whipped a pass to Gibson for a 3 to make it 97-93.

Orlando missed on its next trip and James dropped a jumper. Mickael Pietrus missed the next time down and James was able to foul out Howard, who smiled as he headed to the bench knowing he and his teammates are still in control of the series. Maybe. Williams, who came in shooting just 32 percent from the floor and 22 percent on 3-pointers, set the tone early. It didn't last. He made three 3s in the first 4:38, and the Cavaliers, playing perhaps their best quarter of the entire playoffs, started 10-of-11 from the field while opening a 22-point lead. But the never-say-die Magic made it go poof! Orlando, which overcame 16- and 23-point deficits, respectively, in Games 1 and 2, whittled away by capitalizing on Cleveland's offensive sloppiness and impatience and were within 56-55 at halftime after Rashard Lewis dropped a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in the second quarter. Celebrity row was stacked with A-Listers including New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia, rap mogul Jay-Z, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Browns QB Brady Quinn.

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

Post#954 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 6:31 am

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... -Cleveland

Conference finals
(Best-of-seven)
Eastern Conference
Cleveland vs. Orlando

Orlando leads series 3-2
Game 1 : Orlando 107, Cleveland 106
Game 2: Cleveland 96, Orlando 95
Game 3 : Orlando 99, Cleveland 89
Game 4: Orlando 116, Cleveland 114, OT
Game 5 : Cleveland 112, Orlando 102
Saturday: at Orlando, 8:30
Monday*: at Cleveland, 8:30
Western Conference
L.A. Lakers vs. Denver

L.A. Lakers lead series 3-2
Game 1 : L.A. 105, Denver 103
Game 2 : Denver 106, L.A. 103
Game 3 : L.A. 103, Denver 97
Game 4 : Denver 120, L.A. 101
Game 5 : L.A. 103, Denver 94
Today : at Denver, 9
Sunday* : at L.A., 8:30
* If necessary

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

Post#955 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 6:50 am

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/ ... ed_friday/

West's Hip Pointer To Be Evaluated Friday
Cavaliers guard Delonte West left last night’s game versus the Orlando Magic with 3:33 remaining in the fourth quarter due to a hip pointer.

He will be re-evaluated Friday morning and his status will be updated as appropriate.

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

Post#956 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 7:15 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12666

NBA Trade Watch: Top Eight Candidates
With two Game 7's on tap, the NBA Draft Lottery this Tuesday and many, many variables yet to be decided, there's still time to look ahead at potential trades. For teams where losses came more frequently than wins, projecting player movement through the rebuilding process can be more entertaining than the actual games. Here are top eight players most likely to be traded (technically a dozen) before the 2009/10 NBA Season gets underway:

7) Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers - Speaking of the Clippers, the phone will ring all summer for Camby. He's in the last year of a highly incentivized contract and is still among league leaders in rebounding and blocked shots. Of course, that's why LA wants to keep him. The future for the Clippers is pretty hazy at this point. If they land the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, they likely take Blake Griffin and may be more apt to trading away veteran talent. Equally they may give this disappointing group of players another chance with the hopes that if they come to training camp in good shape, last year may be nothing but an anomaly.

You probably won't find a lot of fans who support that notion. Should the Clippers decide to tinker, the guy they'll probably start with is Chris Kaman. While Chris has had some strong years, he was injured most of the 2008/9 campaign and has yet to live up to his eight-figure salary.Kaman is set to earn $10.4 million this year which isn't egregious for a center. L.A. is overstocked up front. Size is always a premium in this league and the Clippers may get some interesting offers before all is said and done - it's just that they're going to have to turn away a lot of Camby calls before they find a viable taker for Kaman.

Other players are in the link above^.
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Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 38 

Post#957 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 7:22 am

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/baske ... icks/blog/

I'm hearing that the Knicks plan to invite shooting guard Alex Acker, a former second round pick of the Pistons (2005), to play on their summer league team in Las Vegas in July.

Acker spent some time in Greece, Spain and the D-League before he returned to Detroit this past season and eventually was traded to the Clippers in February. He is technically still property of the Clippers until the end of June, but the Knicks have a great interest in getting a closer look at the 26-year-old, whom they see as a potential late bloomer and could thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s system.

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

Post#958 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 7:26 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4213948

Cuban wants access to documents
Mark Cuban sued the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday for access to documents detailing the insider trading case against the Dallas Mavericks owner.

The Dallas billionaire filed requests for records in December under the Freedom of Information Act. That was a month after the SEC brought a civil action against Cuban, accusing him of selling shares of Internet search engine company Mamma.com after receiving confidential information about a private offering.

Cuban's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, claims the SEC improperly rejected some requests, didn't respond quickly enough to appeals of rejections and failed to conduct adequate searches for some records.

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

Post#959 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 7:56 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime ... ime-090529

Major Points For Cavs
LeBron James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in Cleveland's back-to-the-wall win over the Magic on Thursday. Only four other players in NBA history have had a 30/10/10 game (points/rebounds/assists) for the winning side when their team could be eliminated from the postseason: Oscar Robertson (three times), Larry Bird, James Worthy and Gary Payton.

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

Post#960 » by nasty daddy » Fri May 29, 2009 8:52 am

http://www.freep.com/article/20090529/S ... e+stretch+

Prospective draftees head into the stretch
Arizona small forward Chase Budinger, North Carolina small forward Danny Green, Temple shooting guard Dionte Christmas and Miami (Fla.) combo guard Jack McClinton visited the Pistons' practice facility in the hopes of making an impression before next month's NBA draft. All four had nothing but good things to say about the organization at Thursday's media availability at the NBA draft combine.

The stretching exercises with strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander before the actual workouts began left quite an impression. "It was a lot different, and I learned a lot from it," Green said. "I hear that guy is one of the best in the league." According to Christmas, it wasn't the amount of stretching, it was just a whole new way of looking at warming up. "I was more prepared than I was at other places," said Christmas, who has visited nine NBA teams. "It was weird. He had us doing a lot of different movement. We were stretching joints and parts of my body I didn't usually use. "It was funny because it was actually less stretching than I do with other teams, but it was actually more effective. He was telling us about how some of the stretches we do can end up hurting us in the long run. It was cool."

McClinton could see how the routine could help an NBA career. "He's a special guy, we did stuff I had never done before," McClinton said. "If you are there every day, I think that stuff would really help you."

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