Lakers hope for boost from Artest, Bynum
May 31, 2010
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—Although the Lakers’ roster is remarkably similar tothe group that lost the NBA finals to the Boston Celtics two years ago, KobeBryant(notes) sees two big reasons Los Angeles might have a better shot this time.
Ron Artest(notes) and Andrew Bynum(notes) said Monday they hope to play major defensiveroles in the rematch with the Celtics. Artest is the Lakers’ only newcomer thisseason, while Bynum was out for the season with an injury in 2008.
Artest’s defensive assignment is likely to be Paul Pierce(notes), although Artestsays it takes an entire team to shut down Boston’s array of scorers.
Bynum is injured again, but he’s playing through the pain of torn cartilagein his right knee, an injury likely to require offseason surgery.
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Pierce excited to return to finals, LA
May 31, 2010
WALTHAM, Mass. (AP)—Paul Pierce(notes) is excited to return to the NBA finals and hishometown for the next round in the league’s greatest rivalry.
Boston’s best player isn’t exactly thrilled that Los Angeles’ welcomingcommittee includes Ron Artest(notes), a physical, tenacious defender.
“He likes to bang you,” Pierce said Monday, “grab you, hold you, pullyour shorts down. He’s going to try anything.”
The NBA’s past two champions will go for another title beginning Thursdaynight when the Celtics face the Lakers in front of an array of Hollywood starsand, very likely, a large number of Pierce’s friends and family who will rootagainst their local team.
Boston’s captain cherishes that support, though it comes with a price.
“It’s always special just to be a part of the finals,” he said a few hoursbefore the Celtics boarded a plane for their cross country trip. “To do it in aplace where I grew up, it makes it even more special. The only negative thingabout it is tickets for me. I mean, it’s going to be pretty expensive.”
That was a small inconvenience two years ago when Pierce won his first NBAtitle in 10 seasons as the Celtics beat the Lakers in six games. Boston clinchedit with a 131-92 win at home for its ninth championship in 11 finals matchupswith the Lakers.
But Artest didn’t join the Lakers until last July.
Pierce averaged 18.3 points per game in the regular season, and 19.1 overthe first three rounds in the postseason. He averaged 24.3 in the EasternConference finals against the Orlando Magic, collecting 31 points and 13rebounds in the clincher.
But he scored just 13 points per game as Boston and Los Angeles split theirtwo-game season series.
“I matched up with him the last 10, 11 years. He’s one of the bestdefenders I’ve ever played against,” Pierce said of Artest. “He’ll tryanything just to try to get into his opponent’s head. But I think just fromplaying against him over the years I’ve become used to the things that he triesto do and I just try to go out there and play my game, not really get into theantics with him.”
Artest relieves Kobe Bryant(notes) of the burden of defending the opponent’s bestscorer, allowing the Lakers star to focus more on his own offense.
Artest “makes a difference,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s beenperfect because it’s allowed Kobe not to have to guard the best player everynight. … You can see it in Kobe’s (offensive numbers). He’s as fresh as I’veever seen him in the playoffs, and I think it’s due to Ron Artest.”
Bryant scored 37 points in Saturday night’s 111-103 win over the PhoenixSuns that put the Lakers in the finals, his 10th 30-point playoff game in hislast 11.
Artest also can be an offensive threat. He hit the winning layup at thebuzzer in Game 5 then scored 25 points to help the Lakers clinch the WesternConference finals in Game 6 in Phoenix.
Artest and his teammates will play before a friendly crowd Thursday thatwill include a small pocket of Pierce partisans.
“My friends,” Pierce said, “really grew up (as) L.A. fans and, all of asudden, are Celtic fans because of me. So it’s a little weird for them andfamily.”
Have they made any comments about that?
“I don’t really get anything from friends and family,” he said. “They’llbe sure to keep their mouths closed because they want tickets.”
The crowd for Game 1 of the best-of-seven series will see the newestinstallment of a rivalry that goes back more than 50 years—to the 1959 finalswhen Boston swept the Minneapolis Lakers in four games. The franchises clashedin six finals in the ’60s. Then came the ’80s and three Larry Bird-Magic Johnsonchampionship rounds, two of them won by the Lakers.
It took more than 20 years for the teams to match up again in 2008 when theCeltics captured their NBA-high 17th title.
Another championship would mean “everything,” Pierce said. “Hopefully, itcan move me up the ranks as one of the top Celtics players of all time and maybein NBA history.”
The Celtics, without injured Kevin Garnett(notes), were eliminated in the Easternsemifinals last year and the Lakers beat Orlando in the finals. Soon after,Pierce said he was on the West Coast walking his dog in his neighborhood when hesaw Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson in a convertible at a stop sign.
“I just said congratulations to him,” Pierce said. “I think he probablymentioned something (like) `See you in the finals next year.”’
Now that series is just a few days away.
“I think both teams are happy they’re playing the team they’re playing,”Rivers said. “I think it’s exactly the way we envisioned it during trainingcamp and it’s probably the same way they envisioned it.”
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Magic GM says another overhaul unlikely
May 31, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Magic general manager Otis Smith wants to be clear: He’snot looking to overhaul the roster again.
Unless he does.
Smith said Monday he doesn’t expect any major moves this offseason, evenafter failing to return to the NBA finals. He believes Orlando already has theroster to win its first championship.
Of course, that’s what he said last year.
Then Smith made the bold move to part ways with Hedo Turkoglu(notes)—and startersCourtney Lee(notes) and Rafer Alston(notes)—and acquire Vince Carter(notes) from New Jersey. Thatdecision may not have cost the Magic a title this season, but it wasn’t enoughto win one.
Now the Magic have to find a way to improve even though they’re already overthe luxury tax and hampered by big contracts.
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Howard may not play for US at worlds
May 31, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Dwight Howard(notes) might not play for USA Basketball at thissummer’s world championships.
Orlando’s All-Star center and the NBA’s two-time defending defensive playerof the year said on Monday that he hasn’t decided if he will play.
It was the first time Howard has publicly wavered about playing in thissummer’s world championships. He had stayed firm on his commitment all seasoneven as LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and other stars expressed doubts aboutparticipating because of impending free agency.
“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do,” Howard said after the Magic’send-of-season meeting. “I’m just going to get some rest and think about thatlater on.”
Howard played for the U.S. when it won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Healso won a bronze medal in the 2006 world championships.
In the past two years, Howard has become the most dominant center in thegame.
He is the first player in NBA history to lead the league in blocks andrebounds in the same season twice, let alone in consecutive years. Howard tookthe Magic to the NBA finals last year, and they lost to the Boston Celtics inthe conference finals this season.
Howard said he would let USA Basketball know of his intentions “soon.”
“I don’t know right now,” he said.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has said he expects players who wantto compete in the London Games in 2012 to also play this summer.
But James and Wade have indicated they might not play because of varioussummer plans. Both are expected to be free agents July 1, along with fellow 2008Olympian Chris Bosh(notes), and that could also make them unavailable.
The world championships will be held in Turkey from Aug. 28 to Sept. 12.
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Magic F Barnes to opt out of contract
May 31, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Forward Matt Barnes(notes) says he will opt out of the final yearof his contract with the Orlando Magic to become a free agent.
Barnes had said for months he would likely make the move, hoping to get along-term deal to return to Orlando. He made his intentions official Mondayafter the team’s end-of-season meeting.
Barnes worked his way into the Magic’s starting lineup this season,averaging 6.4 points per game. The defensive stopper’s primary role was to guardopponents’ best perimeter player.
The 30-year-old forward has played for seven teams in seven seasons in theNBA. He prefers to remain with the Magic.
Barnes hopes he impressed the Magic enough for them “to bring me back andgive me something decent.”
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Stoudemire’s status looms over Suns
May 30, 2010
PHOENIX (AP)—The Phoenix Suns were a reassuring testament that team chemistrymeans something, even in the me-first world of the NBA.
That they came within two victories of the NBA finals surprised just abouteveryone. If not for an unstoppable two-minute stretch by Kobe Bryant(notes), the Sunsmight well have forced a deciding Game 7 in the Western Conference finals.
Instead, they held a team meeting on Sunday, then spoke of the joys of theseason and the hopes that it was only the beginning. Whether that future wouldinclude Amare Stoudemire is the big uncertainty.
Stoudemire said only that he would begin his evaluation process on Monday.Team owner Robert Sarver and general manager Steve Kerr wouldn’t address theissue. Suns coach Alvin Gentry said “you would expect” Stoudemire to opt outof his contract and test the free agent market.
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Bryant enjoying impressive playoff run
May 30, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Among Kobe Bryant’s(notes) myriad of inimitable talents is what’sknown to opposing coaches simply as the “rise-up.”
That’s when Bryant has a defender blanketing him on the perimeter,obstructing his vision and physically preventing him from driving—yet Kobesimply leaps high enough and leans far enough forward or backward to release aperfect jumper anyway.
Bryant rose up against Grant Hill(notes) in the final minute of the Los AngelesLakers’ conference-clinching victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night,putting his stamp on a 37-point performance that sent the Lakers into the NBAfinals with a chance for revenge on the Boston Celtics.
Even with Hill right in his grill, Bryant leaped up and away from theveteran forward and drilled a clinching 23-footer. The basket essentiallyclinched the Lakers’ victory, and Bryant punctuated it with a pat on Phoenixcoach Alvin Gentry’s derriere.
“I said, ‘Good defense,’ to Grant,” Gentry recalled with a rueful smile.“(Bryant) said, ‘Not quite good enough.’ … I thought Grant was going to blockthe shot. That was a fallaway 3-pointer with a hand in your face, off balance.You know, that’s who he is. That really is who he is.”
Bryant is enjoying arguably the most impressive playoff run of his career,and not because his numbers are any larger than in a previous postseason. He hasscored 30 points in 10 of the Lakers’ last 11 games—and moreover, he haswilled a team with an injured center, two more inconsistent starters and littlebench help beyond Lamar Odom(notes) into its third straight NBA finals, startingThursday night at Staples Center.
The surprising Suns would have had an above-average chance to knock off thedefending champions if Bryant hadn’t been at his absolute best. He averaged 33.7points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the series while making 52.1 percent ofhis shots, repeatedly burning Phoenix for late-game baskets.
As for the breathtaking shot that almost nobody else in the NBA can makeconsistently, Bryant is almost nonchalant about his ability to rise up when itmatters.
“I just had to create a little bit of space,” said Bryant, who stretchedout his arms in imitation of an airplane on the way back to the bench. “I had agood look. Looks like a much tougher shot than it actually is. I got a goodlook. Got my legs underneath me. I was able to knock it down.”
Bryant likely will get another four days off to rest up for the finals. Hehasn’t practiced much at all this spring while recovering from several injuries,but after six previous trips to the NBA finals, Bryant knows exactly how to pacehis body for the two-month playoff haul.
Although Bryant claimed he didn’t care who the Lakers played in the finals,Bryant sometimes isn’t exactly forthcoming about either his injuries or hispassions. It’s tough to believe Bryant isn’t thrilled by the chance to capanother stirring playoff run with a revenge victory over his franchise’s biggestplayoff rival, which sent Bryant home from the finals two years ago.
“It’s a sexy matchup,” Bryant acknowledged. “We’re looking forward tothis challenge, looking forward to the test.”
There’s another reason many expect Bryant to come out blazing against theCeltics: He didn’t play terribly well two years ago in the finals, his firstwithout Shaquille O’Neal(notes) by his side. He averaged 25.7 points and made about 40percent of his shots against the Celtics, who finished off Los Angeles with anembarrassing 131-92 victory in Game 6.
The Lakers also didn’t have center Andrew Bynum(notes), who was out for the yearwith an injury, or defensive stopper Trevor Ariza(notes), who had a broken foot. Bynumis hobbling around on torn cartilage in his right knee this time, yet he’shealthy enough to play interior defense and occasionally throw down a dunk ortwo.
In Ariza’s place, the Lakers now have Ron Artest(notes), who followed up hiswinning layup in Game 5 with 25 points in the clincher against Phoenix. Aftertwo series without a clear-cut defensive assignment, Artest likely will beattached at the hip to Paul Pierce(notes) in the finals.
The series was a rare playoff failure for coach Phil Jackson, who won’t lackfor motivational tools with a majority of that 2008 team still wearing purpleand gold.
“We have … five new members of the team, but some of these guys rememberhow it felt to lose,” Jackson said. “There’s nothing worse than losing in afinals. It’s about as low as you can get after riding a high, getting throughthree series, going into the fourth one. I had hoped I’d never experience it,but I’ve done it twice now, so I know it’s a real difficult summer after that.”
Bryant has at times made a show of his focus in these playoffs, respondingto reporters’ questions with one-word, humorless answers. His demeanor recallsthe unsmiling focus of Michael Jordan, who win six championships—one more thanthe 31-year-old Bryant will have if he gets the Lakers past Boston this timearound.
“Just looking forward to the challenge of it,” Bryant said. “Last time weplayed them, it was a great learning experience for us. It taught us what ittakes to be a champion. With the defensive intensity they play with, thetenacity they play with, we learned a great deal in that series.”
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Celtics’ subs could be key in NBA finals
May 30, 2010
BOSTON (AP)—When Paul Pierce(notes) and Boston’s other starters need a rest in theNBA finals, they can watch their replacements with confidence.
Just as they did two years ago against the same opponent.
Two years ago, when the Celtics won their 17th title by beating the LosAngeles Lakers.
Boston’s key backups have changed since then. The importance of theircontributions hasn’t.
“Somewhere along the line these guys that are role players that peopledon’t really talk about come along and help us win games,” Pierce said. “Theyreally get overlooked.”
The Celtics, who return to practice Monday after a two-day break, have thesame starting playoff five for Thursday night’s opener at Los Angeles that theyhad the past two years, a source of comfort for coach Doc Rivers.
That group has led them to playoff victories in five games over Miami andsix each over Cleveland and Orlando this year. But through that run, substitutesRasheed Wallace(notes), Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis, Tony Allen(notes) and Nate Robinson(notes) have hadtheir moments—and more.
The latest and most surprising? Robinson’s 13 second-quarter points inFriday night’s 96-84 win over the Magic in Game 6 that sent the Celtics to thefinal round.
In Boston’s other 16 playoff games, Rivers didn’t use the 5-foot-9 leaperand long-range shooter in seven of them and played him for more than nineminutes just once even though he was healthy. In the 26 games Robinson playedafter being traded by New York on Feb. 18, he averaged only 14.7 minutes.
“I told him at some point it was going to happen for him and it was all upto him to stay engaged,” Rivers said. “And he did. I get no credit out ofthis.”
In 2008, it was James Posey(notes), P.J. Brown(notes), Leon Powe(notes), Eddie House(notes) and SamCassell(notes) who watched the opening tips from the bench. But by the final buzzer,their performances—the numbers that show up in the box score and the defensiveplay that statistics don’t fully measure—were significant.
That year, Los Angeles’ second unit had played better than Boston’s in thethree series each team played heading into their matchup. But the Celticssubstitutes outrebounded those of the Lakers in all six games and outscored themin five.
In the opener, Cassell scored eight points and Brown had six rebounds in a98-88 win. In Boston’s 108-102 Game 2 victory, Powe had 21 points. Then in game4, Posey scored 18 and House hit two 3-pointers that sparked a 21-3 run in thefinal five minutes that carried Boston to a 97-91 victory.
“If you look at our team over the last couple years, three years, webrought guys in the middle of the year to help us in these types of situationswhen we get to the playoffs,” Pierce said. “Last year we were injured. Theyear before it was P.J. Brown who came up big and won a game for us versusCleveland, and this year it was Nate.”
Brown had 10 points and six rebounds in a 97-92 win in Game 7 against theCavaliers that sent the Celtics to the 2008 Eastern Conference finals againstDetroit.
But after that season, Brown retired, Posey left as a free agent for NewOrleans and Cassell signed a one-year contract with the Celtics but never playedwith them again. Powe stayed another year, then joined the Cavaliers.
With Kevin Garnett(notes) sidelined with a knee injury, Boston lost in the EasternConference semifinals last year.
This year, the Celtics kept House until the trading deadline, when theyshipped him to the Knicks for Robinson, the latest backup to provide a playoffboost.
Allen has played aggressive defense during the three series, Wallaceaveraged 9 points in the Orlando series after a poor regular season and Davisaveraged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds against the Magic.
A first-rate performance by the second unit.
“We call ourselves the ‘clenched fist,”’ Davis said, “because when youclench your fist, you become strong. Together as one, you become strong. Onefinger can’t just do the job, unless you’re Steven Seagal or somebody.”
The Celtics don’t need any motion picture action heroes as they head intoTinseltown.
Pierce brings the all-around talent, Garnett the passion, Ray Allen(notes) thestoicism, Rajon Rondo(notes) the flash and Kendrick Perkins(notes) the scowling menace.
But the other cast members make more than just cameo appearances.
“Everything we said we wanted to do in the beginning, it’s happening now,”Tony Allen said. “Here’s a team that’s together. We know what we need to do toget wins. That’s the whole thing, just getting through these playoffs, stayingtogether, and fighting as a whole.”
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Another Suns rally attempt falls short
May 30, 2010
PHOENIX (AP)—Another furious rally fell short and now the Phoenix Suns aredone.
Just as they did in Game 5, the Steve Nash(notes) and Suns trailed the Los AngelesLakers by as many as 18 points on Saturday before mounting a fourth-quartercomeback.
Just as they did in Game 5, Kobe Bryant(notes) and Co. fended off the Suns—thoughwithout the last second heroics this time—and eliminated Phoenix with a111-103 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.
The Suns trailed by 18 in the second half and 17 going into the finalquarter. An offensive outburst by Goran Dragic(notes) and strong play by AmareStoudemire in the fourth helped Phoenix pull to within three with just over twominutes to play, but it couldn’t get any closer.
Phoenix hurt itself in the second quarter when it shot 38.9 percent andscored only 19 points, the fewest it has put up in any quarter this series.After trailing by only three after the first quarter, the Suns went intohalftime down 65-53.
Phoenix trailed by at least nine the entire third, and its deficit balloonedto 18 on Ron Artest’s(notes) hook shot with 2:24 left in the quarter.
The Suns’ bench, fueled by eight straight points from Dragic to start thefourth, then brought Phoenix back. Dragic hit a jumper to start the quarter thenexchanged a few words with fellow Slovenian Sasha Vujacic(notes).
Vujacic responded with a bicep to Dragic’s chin, bringing the Suns and theirhome crowd to life and drawing a flagrant foul and the ire of coach PhilJackson.
Dragic scored the next six points and Stoudemire, playing in perhaps hisfinal game as a Sun, added 12 in the quarter.
The Suns and their fans started to dream of a Game 7 when Nash blew by DerekFisher(notes) with a crossover drive, cutting the lead to 99-96 with 2:19 to play.
Bryant squashed Phoenix’s hopes as the Lakers closed the game with a 12-7run.
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Another furious Suns rally falls short
May 30, 2010
PHOENIX (AP)—Another furious rally fell short and now the Phoenix Suns aredone.
Just as they did in Game 5, the Steve Nash(notes) and Suns trailed the Los AngelesLakers by as many as 18 points on Saturday before mounting a fourth-quartercomeback.
Just as they did in Game 5, Kobe Bryant(notes) and Co. fended off the Suns—thoughwithout the last-second heroics this time—and eliminated Phoenix with a111-103 victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.
The Suns trailed by 18 in the second half and 17 going into the finalquarter. An offensive outburst by Goran Dragic(notes) and strong play by AmareStoudemire in the fourth helped Phoenix pull to within three with just over twominutes to play, but unlike Thursday, the Suns unable to pull even.
“The key again was that we found ourselves in a big hole, too big a holethe last two games,” Nash said.
Ron Artest’s(notes) putback at the buzzer did in Phoenix in Game 5, but the Suns’play in the second and third quarters was mostly to blame for this loss.
After putting up 34 points in the first quarter, Phoenix scored only 40 inthe next two combined.
The Suns shot 38.9 percent and scored a series-low 19 in the second as theirdeficit grew from three to 12.
Phoenix trailed by at least nine the entire third, the Lakers’ leadballooned to 18 on Artest’s hook shot with 2:24 left in the quarter and LosAngeles looked like it finally solved the zone.
“Give them credit. They figured it out,” Grant Hill(notes) said.
The Suns’ bench, fueled by eight straight points from Dragic to start thefourth, and Stoudemire brought Phoenix back. Dragic hit a jumper to start thequarter then appeared to exchange a few words with fellow Slovenian SashaVujacic(notes).
Dragic said afterward he was talking to himself, but Vujacic responded witha bicep to Dragic’s chin. The play brought the Suns and their home crowd tolife.
“The crowd was getting into it and helping us a lot,” Dragic said. “Weplay so emotional, … and after that we just played our basketball. We defendand got the ball and just play run-and-gun basketball.”
The move also resulted in a flagrant foul and drew the ire of coach PhilJackson and Vujacic’s teammates.
Bryant said right after the game he was going to kill Vujacic. Later in thepostgame press conference, Bryant added, “He’s still breathing.”
Dragic scored the next six points and Stoudemire, playing in perhaps hisfinal game as a Sun, added 12 of his team-high 27 in the final eight minutes.
The Suns and their fans started to dream of a Game 7 when Nash blew by DerekFisher(notes) with a crossover drive, cutting the lead to 99-96 with 2:19 to play.
“Everybody started to believe that we were going to win that game,” Dragicsaid.
Bryant, though, squashed Phoenix’s hopes by scoring nine points—includingtwo tough jumpers with the defense in his face—down the stretch.
“Those are scorer’s, best-player-in-the-game type shots,” Nash.
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