Allen Iverson’s Final Curtain Call?
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
With the year he’s been having, I’d definitely say so.
The 2010 NBA basketball season hasn’t been kind to Allen Iverson, once one of the league’s brightest stars. Heck, this season has been that tough for him that he already retired this season only to come back after his old team, the Philadelphia 76ers, gave him a second lease in life.
Now, everything is being taken away from Allen Iverson again, as he was forced to put what’s left of his basketball career on hold to attend to his four-year-old daughter Messiah, who is reportedly suffering from an undisclosed illness.
Wow. You really can’t help but feel sorry for Iverson. For a guy who once led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals and won numerous scoring titles with, including league MVP honors, going out this way is definitely a tough pill to swallow.
Just look at what A.I. has been through this year. First he signs a one-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies looking to redeem himself after such a disastrous outing with Detroit last season. After only three games in Memphis, Iverson wanted out after he figured that he wasn’t on the same page with the team’s direction.
That led to Iverson announcing his retirement last November 25.
Then, his old team, the Philadelphia 76ers, gave him a second lease in life. And after a very emotional press conference, Iverson was back playing again for the very team that drafted him to the NBA.
Well, that lasted for 25 games. On February 22, Iverson took an indefinite leave to attend to his four-year-old daughter who was suffering from an undisclosed sickness. That forced the 76ers to announce that Iverson won’t be returning to the team for the remainder of the 2010 season.
”After discussing the situation with Allen…”
Cavaliers need big man with Shaq out
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
That’s a huge seven-foot problem if you’re a Cavs fan hoping to see your team in the NBA Finals and win one game for a change.
And in case you didn’t get that, Shaquille O’Neal will likely miss the remainder of the 2010 NBA basketball season following surgery on his right thumb after Glen Davis hacked on it in a game between the Cavaliers and the Celtics.
With Shaquille O’Neal out of commission, the Cleveland Cavaliers lose that presence inside. Of course, they can hope Antawn Jamison and blossoming forward J.J. Hickson can fill the void.
But let’s face it, nobody can attract that much attention inside the paint the way Shaq does and with him out, it’ll be awfully hard for LeBron James to find those easy baskets around the perimeter.
The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers were in the playoffs, they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Orlando Magic. The Cavs signed Shaq before the season in preparation for a possible rematch with Orlando in the postseason.
Now, they’re in trouble of getting booted out of the playoffs by the Orlando Magic again, provided Shaq doesn’t make it back in time.
Hell, they’d be lucky to even make it that deep into the playoffs without O’Neal anyway.
Cavs general manager Danny Ferry, on the other hand, can only hope his team would be able to persevere. ”Our guys have done a very good job of stepping up this season. We are confident they will do the same in this situation,” Ferry said.
”We are fortunate to have some depth in our…”
LeBron James officially switches to no.6
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
LeBron James finally got what he wanted.
Once were done with the 2010 NBA basketball season, LeBron James will be wearing no.6 for his next campaign. That’s right, he finally made the bold decision of switching his jersey number from number 23 to number 6 official.
The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar just beat the deadline and is dead serious in honoring Michael Jordan. ”I’ve done it,” LeBron James said in an interview. ”I already sent it in. I’m going to be No. 6.” James first floated the idea in November, saying he wanted to switch from 23 out of respect for Jordan.
”I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon,” LeBron James said. ”There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn’t Michael Jordan first.”
”He can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.” he said.
James would wear 6, the number he wore while leading the U.S. to Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008. He has worn it in Cavs practices over the past two years. But it has other special qualities to him.
”My second-favorite player was Julius Erving, and he wore No. 6,” James said. ”I wore 32 in high school because Dr. J wore it at first. My first child was born on Oct. 6, it’s my Olympic number, my second child was born in June.”
The last big-name player to change numbers without changing teams was Kobe Bryant, who switched from 8 to 24 in 2006. Kobe’s new jersey quickly became the league’s top seller. I don’t see any reason why James’ new no.6 wouldn’t do the same.
Now, the question is, will he wear his…
Knicks trying to pair LeBron w/ T-Mac?
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
If they do, then you can bet your ass the Knicks will be the team to beat next season.
After getting the services of multi – time All – Star Tracy McGrady this 2010 NBA basketball season from a three team trade with the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings, the New York Knicks were able to clear enough salary-cap space for the Knicks to possibly sign two maximum-salary free agents this summer.
That’s right, the New York Knicks could recruit LeBron James by giving him the option of choosing which other free agent he wants from the likes of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki.
However, getting LeBron James out of Cleveland won’t be easy since the Cavs, who own the league’s best record, bolstered their lineup with the addition of former Wizards forward Antawn Jamison. If Cleveland advances to its second NBA Finals stint in four years with LeBron, the odds of him leaving his home state figure to be diminished.
Sorry Knicks fans.
The New York Knicks aren’t the only team to clear cap space. The Chicago Bulls, a team featuring point guard Derrick Rose and a better core group of players than the Knicks, also have the cap space to sign James. The Los Angeles Clippers also created room, while Miami also has space and the chance to have James to pair with Wade as a teammate.
As far as the Knicks and their marriage with Tracy McGrady is concerned, T-Mac was eager to restart his career in New York but unfortunately for him, his time here will likely be brief. The Knicks realistically don’t have much of a chance in reaching the playoffs and you never really know what you’ll get from McGrady at this point of his…
What can T-Mac do to help the Knicks?
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Great. That’s just what the Knicks needed, another overpaid shooting guard.
After trading Nate Robinson to Boston, you can’t help but wonder, are these guys throwing the 2010 NBA basketball season away already? And what’s even funnier is the fact that the Knicks actually think bringing in a Tracy McGrady who is now merely a shell of his former self, the right move to make.
But when you come to think of it, this is probably a good business decision by New York Knicks gerenal manager Donnie Walsh. We all know the Knicks won’t be competing for the NBA championship this season anyway so the least they can do now is just put more asses inside Madison Square Garden and just like Iverson in Philadelphia, McGrady can be that guy in New York City.
Having a guy like Tracy McGrady can bolster interest to this ailing Knicks franchise. Of course, if they want to have McGrady for the next couple of years, they would have to give up key players within their team like Al Harrington and Eddy Curry at some point just to stay below the cap.
And since the Knicks are trying to clear up some cap space anyway for the highly anticipated 2010 free agency, those guys are as good as gone along with their hefty paychecks.
The first move New York Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh was looking into before the deadline was a three-team deal that involves both the Houston Rockets (obviously) and the Washington Wizards, another team that’s probably giving up already on this year’s title chase and would just want to clear up some cap space for the summer.
In the end, it was Sacramento that made T-Mac’s move to NYC possible, sending Kevin Martin to Houston to let the Rockets give up on T-Mac. Houston ended up getting the best deal of the three, despite the fact that they have finally given up on the guy who was once the team’s leading scorer.
As far as T-Mac is concerned…
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