The Perpetual NBA Thread

**baiskee** · September 22nd, 2006 08:56 AM

:bwahaha:

**mazdamazda** · September 22nd, 2006 09:15 AM

injury update!

Hawks guard Claxton breaks bone in hand
September 21, 2006

ATLANTA (AP) -- Atlanta Hawks guard Speedy Claxton is questionable for the beginning of the season after breaking a bone in his left hand.

Claxton, who was injured during a workout Monday, was examined Thursday by Dr. Michael Bernot, a team physician, and will see hand specialist Dr. Stephen McCollam on Friday.

The 28-year-old Claxton, expected to be Atlanta's starting point guard, signed a four-year, $25.5 million deal in July.

Hawks trainer Wally Blase said Claxton should be able to continue his offseason conditioning.

Atlanta is scheduled to open training camp on Oct. 3 and its preseason on Oct. 11.

Claxton averaged 28.4 minutes, 12.3 points and 4.8 assists for New Orleans last season and was the runner-up in voting for the league's Sixth Man Award.

and here's another update... out for 4-6 weeks:

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The Atlanta Hawks may be without new starting point guard Speedy Claxton for the beginning of the season.

The Hawks announced Thursday that Claxton has suffered a fracture of his left middle finger and will be out five to six weeks.

The injury occurred during a workout Monday, the team said. Claxton will not be limited in his off-court conditioning activities.

"Speedy was involved in a routine offseason workout, as many NBA players participate in," Hawks vice president and general manager Billy Knight said. "The injury is unfortunate, as it prevents him from continuing the strong offseason work he's put in thus far. But we expect a quick and full recovery."

The Hawks signed Claxton, who had been with the New Orleans Hornets, on July 12.

Claxton, 28, averaged 12.3 points and 4.8 assists last season backing up Rookie of the Year Chris Paul. He finished second to Memphis swingman Mike Miller in Sixth Man Award voting.

Atlanta's season begins at Philadelphia on November 1.

**Eismann** · September 22nd, 2006 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by M54 Powered

gotta love Zach Randolph...a truly special human being :rofl:

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ore...l=7&thispage=2

my kinda guy :hysterical:

Parang ganito pala ginawa ni ZBo :naughty:

**theveed** · September 22nd, 2006 05:25 PM

Never realized that Magic didn't win ROY...

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/history/awards/rookie

**chain** · September 27th, 2006 12:17 PM

Brown is focused on positive
Center aiming to have breakout season for Lakers
BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - No matter how low Kwame Brown got last season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson refused to introduce any more negativity into Brown's basketball career.

When Brown was struggling with the triangle offense - struggling sometimes just to catch the ball in the post - Jackson tried to break the game down to its basics. All he asked of Brown was to run the floor, rebound and play defense.

Now the Lakers are hoping Brown can put together the pieces and pick up where he left off last season, when he averaged 12.4 points and 8.6 rebounds in the final 18 games while Chris Mihm was out with an ankle injury.

During a long interview last week, Brown talked about the importance of gaining his teammates' trust and believing in himself. The Lakers open training camp in 10 days with the hope Brown finally will live up to his enormous potential.

The difference for Brown from his first season with the Lakers could be as simple as having confidence with the ball when he catches it down low.

"I think now my mindset and my teammates' mindset should be: If I have the ball on the block, let me go to work," Brown said. "As opposed to the beginning of last season, I was looking to just pass the ball and get the ball to Lamar (Odom) and Kobe (Bryant).

"I think now that when I get the ball, I've earned the trust in them and in myself to go ahead and go to work."

Brown walked around all summer with a card in his wallet bearing the numbers 15 and 10. Jackson gave it to him at the player exit meetings in May, trying to motivate Brown with a target number of points and rebounds he could average this season.

Asked if this could be a breakthrough season for him, Brown did not hesitate in answering "yes." Although he won't turn 25 until March, this will be Brown's sixth season in the NBA.

"I don't like saying that, because every year I've said that, I've gotten hurt," Brown said. "After my third year, I had a great finish with the Wizards, then I broke my foot that summer. I just want to come in healthy. That's it. If I come in healthy with a positive attitude, then I'm good."

Brown spent the offseason strengthening his legs to avoid a repeat of the hamstring injury that cost him 10 games last season. He worked on the jump hook and short jumpers he hopes will become staples of his game.

When it comes to his free-throw shooting, Brown also could be a changed man. He shot a career-worst 54.5 percent from the foul line last season and admitted being wary of going to the line. He was able to laugh, however, at the memory of last season's airballs.

"It's not that I improved as a foul shooter; I improved mentally," Brown said. "Most of the time, I didn't even want to get fouled because I didn't want to go to the line. At the end of the year, all they would do is foul me, so I'm like, `OK, I've got to go to the line, so you might as well stand in there and just make it."'

There is always an issue, though, for Brown. This season, it might be the NBA's new ball. The size of his hands has long been a question mark, and Brown said he is no fan of the synthetic ball that will be used for the first time.

The ball is easier to grip than the old leather model when dry, Brown said, but is heavier and more slippery when wet. If the new ball hits the rim, he added, it is most likely not going to result in a friendly roll.

Jackson also will have to figure out how best to use the combination of Brown and Mihm, both of whom are primarily centers. Mihm was starting and having a career-best season before he was injured; Brown did not sound inclined to play a power forward spot on the wing.

"Anytime you've got a 270-pound guy on the wing, I don't think that's his best advantage," Brown said. "I'd definitely like to be down low, challenging guys and putting the pressure on people."

Most importantly, Brown has settled into being a Laker. He said he better understands the triangle and its rhythm of cutters. He has learned to slow down and avoid rushing to make a move before he has the ball.

Brown said he wants this season to be about defense first, especially in stopping the pick-and-roll. He has thought back countless times to the shot Phoenix's Tim Thomas hit in Game 6 of the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Suns, which ended up being a crucial loss for the Lakers.

Much of the credit for Brown's turnaround goes to Jackson, who could have buried the former No. 1 overall pick last season but didn't.

"It would have been easy for him to say, `We've got this guy, he ain't doing (anything), and that would have been it," Brown said. "That's the true meaning of a coach, when he can lift a player up."

hopefully mangyari naman 'to.. wawa naman si Kwame eh.

**theveed** · September 27th, 2006 02:15 PM

I like this hehe

New York Knicks – Poetic justice? Isiah Thomas inherits the mess he created, but there's no doubting the Knicks have talent. Word is, Thomas wants to play small and run like Phoenix, but there's one problem – his point guard is named Marbury, not Nash.

**zidane21** · September 27th, 2006 03:05 PM

masyado yatang dinedma ni kerr yung bobcats, they can have a potential big improvement this coming season, medyo sila closest in terms of signing bonzi wells..

potential go-to players nila (not including wells): emeka okafor, raymond felton, sean may, gerald wallace, primoz brezec (na-in your face dunk ni wade during worlds!), adam morrison and walter hermann.

mas magiging maganda pa siguro record ng bobcats compared to knicks this coming season!

**Eismann** · September 28th, 2006 03:13 PM

Agent: Wells agrees to two-year deal with Rockets
By Ric Bucher
ESPN.com

Bonzi Wells, the last significant free-agent talent on the market, agreed to a two-year, $5 million deal with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, according to his agent.

Wells holds a player option for the second year and fully plans to re-enter the free agent market next summer.

"This isn't about the money, this is about being in the right place," said Wells' agent, Merle Scott of BDA Sports.

After turning down a five-year, $36 million offer from the Sacramento Kings last month, Wells fired his agent, Bill Phillips, and hired Scott a few weeks ago. Attempts to work a sign-and-trade that might've allowed Wells to match or improve the Kings' offer failed because Sacramento refused to take back any salaries after signing John Salmons with the money refused by Wells.

"We never talked about the Sacramento offer because that was gone and that wasn't going to change," Scott said.

Wells' loss is clearly Houston's gain. Wells left both Portland and Memphis after being portrayed as a malcontent, but his 13.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in 52 games with the Kings last season and a strong first-round playoff performance against San Antonio restored some of his luster. Wells and Ron Artest were a devastating forward combination and Artest personally lobbied for the Kings to re-sign Wells. Sacramento held Wells' Bird rights, meaning they could've paid him whatever they chose but drew the line with their offer slightly better than the mid-level exception.

Wells, a source said, originally wanted Phillips to land him a $50 million deal.

Denver, Boston, Charlotte and Miami also made offers but the Rockets did the best job of convincing Wells he was needed. The recruiting contingent included Yao Ming, GM Carroll Dawson, assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, coach Jeff Van Gundy, personnel director Keith Jones and Tracy McGrady, who called Bonzi directly to make his pitch.

The Rockets go into training camp next week with a potential starting lineup of Rafer Alston, McGrady, Shane Battier (acquired in a draft-night trade for Stromile Swift and No. 8 pick Rudy Gay), Juwan Howard and Yao, with Wells as the sixth man, but if Wells plays as he did against the Spurs he could challenge Battier and Howard for one of the starting forward spots.

"Bonzi doesn't care about starting," Scott said. "He just wants to be some place he can contribute."

**kimpOy** · September 30th, 2006 03:04 PM

wow turning down a 36M/5yrs (7.2 a year) for a risky 5M/2yrs...is a bad idea imho ah

everybody knows he is a bad egg and age is catching up...nananaginip siya sa 10M/yr...

just like Sprewell who turned down 21M/3yrs offer by the wolves he felt insulted and he has a family to feed....

also Olden Polynice who opted to be a free agent turning down jazz' offer ngayon free agent pa rin he.he

oh btw from NBA BEST DUNKS to NBA BEST FIGHTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5zYYki9fJg

pa simple din si KG...tignan nyo nung ginawa niya kay TD nung inawat niya si ADmiral