It's NBA time

[obzen]

It looks like they're using a portion of the Gobi tent for the statue unveiling.

[unit300021]

That is an awesome looking statue the Lakers gave Kareem.

[TallGuyCM]

I'm not sure if I consciously realized it until recently, but one of my favorite things ever is when Rasheed Wallace runs to like half court when he gets called for a foul. That shit's so lulz!

[SepaGroove]

I wanna know how the hell Oscar De La Hoya had a statue in front of Staples Center before Kareem.

Fuck Oscar De La Hoya.

[unit300021]

I wanna know how the hell Oscar De La Hoya had a statue in front of Staples Center before Kareem.

Fuck Oscar De La Hoya.

Arguably the greatest boxer of the past 25 years, From LA, Had many big fights in LA, Done a lot for Latinos in LA. Not saying it's right for him to have one before Kareem but I get why he has one.

[lehorne]

We were talking about a Blake Griffin statue at Staples understanding that the Clips will need a few championships first.

[stuporfly]

I'm not sure if I consciously realized it until recently, but one of my favorite things ever is when Rasheed Wallace runs to like half court when he gets called for a foul. That shit's so lulz!

During warmups today, I saw Sheed shoot a pair of treys. One with each hand. At the same time. He missed them both.

It was fun to see the Knicks live, my first game at the Garden since they've made so much progress in the refurbishment. The hallways are definitely more wide open, and the food selections are considerably more agreeable (though still well behind what they've done at Barclays Center.) I miss the aisle which wrapped around the entire arena midway up from the court, where I used to run as a little kid between quarters; that area is now some pretty fancy skyboxes. This afternoon we sat in the new West Balcony, which was high up but with a very good view.

[obzen]

[EastLos01]

Since D'Antoni sat Pau... i hope he has the balls to sit Kobe for walking off the court.

[Gribbz]

Since D'Antoni sat Pau... i hope he has the balls to sit Kobe for walking off the court.

I think the only person who would bench Kobe is David Stern.

[Mr. Dylanja]

What did Pau do?

[citizenerased]

Harrison Barnes.

[stuporfly]

It's difficult to imagine disliking some of these Celtics players any more than I already do, but whatever Garnett thinks Humphries did on the foul that led to the melee, tripping a guy as he backs up toward the stands is a little bitch move.

[zimmy1222]

you're the only one that's trippin because the dude didn't fall over until the end when everyone piled... but i watched a baseline angle and i swear that it looks like garnett is pushing a ref down in the back...nuts

@1:32
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nb...me-celtics.nba

[Gribbz]

Kevin Garnett. Magna cum laude at the Bruce Bowen school of dirty.

[stuporfly]

you're the only one that's trippin because the dude didn't fall over until the end when everyone piled... but i watched a baseline angle and i swear that it looks like garnett is pushing a ref down in the back...nuts

@1:32
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nb...me-celtics.nba

Whether he fell at the moment Garnett tried to trip him isn't the issue. But you can clearly see Garnett hooking his foot around Humphries' leg, trying to trip him.

Also, this was fun...

[Chillzzz]

KG is a studio gangster

[unit300021]

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/11/30/s...ent/index.html

The NBA announced Friday that the San Antonio Spurs organization has been fined $250,000 for its decision to send four players home prior to the Spurs' Nov. 29 game in Miami. The Spurs' actions were in violation of a league policy, reviewed with the NBA Board of Governors in April 2010, against resting players in a manner contrary to the best interests of the NBA.

NBA Commissioner David Stern stated: "The result here is dictated by the totality of the facts in this case. The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."

Wow, so does this mean now every time a coach decides to rest a player the team has to be worried of getting a fine? What happens if a coach starts his star player(s) then the first whistle takes them out for the rest of the game? As much as it sucks to not see the players I think he just did a whole lot worse by fining them.

[HotHamWater]

That rule is absolutely ridiculous. A coach should be able to do what he wants with lineups. It's not like he didn't have a good reason, too.

To expand on your thoughts, unit, does a player have to have a certain stature to warrant a fine. What if the Bobcats decide to rest Jeffrey Taylor, Byron Mullens, and Kemba Walker on the same night? Does that deserve a fine or do they have to be better players?

[lehorne]

Pop's done it many times before, but this may have been considered different as the Manu/Tim/Parker combo didn't even join the team on the bench. They flew off and got massages or whatever. I can see why Stern is doing these fines. I mean, can you image The Heat locking up the top overall spot well in advance and Lebron/Wade/Bosh taking a Caribbean cruise vacation together a couple weeks before the regular season ends?

Think the players, if healthy, should be there and playing or at the very least dress up and sit with the team. They aren't being paid to fuck off at home or wherever else.

[unit300021]

Yes but then NBA should schedule these games more fairly where one team isn't coming of a few days rest and the other is playing it's fourth in 5 nights. Plus as whole we made it turn into the regular season doesn't matter it's what you do in the playoffs. So if Pop's logic is if he is trying to win a championship and the season doesn't matter then who cares about one game in the regular season?

[lehorne]

the teams of the '80s would laugh at all this.

Weren't the Spurs the number one seed and got dismissed by the Grizz in the first round a couple years ago? Maybe that's why Pop doesn't want to play his best players, to save that potential postseason embarrassment as a top seed, or maybe he just really wants to beat Memphis tomorrow. I hope they lose.

[Mr. Dylanja]

Pretty sure Pop excused himself along with a player or two from a road game against the Jazz last year.

D-Wade didn't play in the Heat vs. Suns game I attended a couple weeks ago, he was in street clothes behind the bench. If I recall correctly, he played the first game upon returning to Miami. I was pissed I didn't get to see him perform, but whatever. I understand his style of play (at least earlier in his career) has taken a toll on his body. Remember the commercial: It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get back up?

The issue here is that it was a nationally televised game showcasing the NBA's top products. Stern wanted to showoff the league's best, and Pop didn't allow that to happen. What Stern's too dense to realize is that nobody gives a shit about the Spurs no matter how good they are. They win titles and people call them boring. The lack of their big three isn't going to affect the overall product one way or the other. If anything, it just shows how smart Popovich is.

I hate (but respect) the Spurs, and I think Popovich is the best coach in the league. Him and the Spurs seem to be very comparable to Belichick and the Pats.

[vulcandeathgrip]

I think this is very dangerous territory for Stern and the league, it has thin edge of the wedge written all over it. If he was concerned about the integrity of this supposed blockbuster game why was it lumped on the end of that hideous schedule ?

I may not fully agree with the exact method - why rest all three at the same time ? Why not rotate the rests ? I strongly disagree with Stern piping off in the media (before the result of the game was even determined) and then meddling in the roster machinations of a team.

[Mr. Dylanja]

Why be at 90% for three games, when you can be 100% for two and 70% for one?

Doesn't San Antonio have this long road trip every year, because of some rodeo at the Alamo Dome? I know Chicago has a similar road trip annually when the circus is in town.

[unit300021]

Pretty sure Pop excused himself along with a player or two from a road game against the Jazz last year.

D-Wade didn't play in the Heat vs. Suns game I attended a couple weeks ago, he was in street clothes behind the bench. If I recall correctly, he played the first game upon returning to Miami. I was pissed I didn't get to see him perform, but whatever. I understand his style of play (at least earlier in his career) has taken a toll on his body. Remember the commercial: It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get back up?

The issue here is that it was a nationally televised game showcasing the NBA's top products. Stern wanted to showoff the league's best, and Pop didn't allow that to happen. What Stern's too dense to realize is that nobody gives a shit about the Spurs no matter how good they are. They win titles and people call them boring. The lack of their big three isn't going to affect the overall product one way or the other. If anything, it just shows how smart Popovich is.

So then how come the Heat weren't fined then? Obviously it's not the same but just making a point. And I get the argument for it being a national televised game. That being said the league knowing it's going to be a national TV game should do a better job at scheduling then so it's not the last game of a 4 in 5. Considering it's with a coach who has done it before and most likely will do it again regardless of getting fined or not.

[suprefan]

Well how about Miami having 4 days off, and then their next opponent being the team thats in the middle of a schedule like this. Is that fair to the visiting team?

the teams of the '80s would laugh at all this.

Weren't the Spurs the number one seed and got dismissed by the Grizz in the first round a couple years ago? Maybe that's why Pop doesn't want to play his best players, to save that potential postseason embarrassment as a top seed, or maybe he just really wants to beat Memphis tomorrow. I hope they lose.

Youre probably too young to even remember, but Stern fined The Lakers back in '90 due to Pat Riley sitting Magic, Worthy and Michael Thompson DURING THEIR FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME. Pat Riley did the same thing Pop did, which is not give a shit and said he will play who he wants to play.



Stern is continuing his inconsistency with issues like this. He will randomly decide it matters and he will do something about it because he wants to abuse his power for the next 15 months.. I wouldve laughed at him if he fined them before the game went down and then The Spurs won. He would look like such a chump. Why isnt anyone pointing out that SA WAS WINNING with a minute left in the game? Think about that for a sec and wonder that The Spurs bench almost beat the defending champs at full strength?

[bobert]

David Stern made stupid decision that affected the integrity of the NBA? That's gotta be a first.

[unit300021]

February 2014 can't get here soon enough.

[lehorne]

Too hell with the Lakers. And it's a Pro sports norm to rest your players on the bench the last game of the season, with a playoff birth in hand, as a preventative measure against injury and to rest them. But Pop got too cute with the "we'll send you lads home on holiday" a fifth of the way through the year, hence the fine.

The Spurs big three are playing well, but I do hope they lose tonight.