The Perpetual NBA Thread

**empy** · December 28th, 2006 03:26 AM

wahaha :bwahaha:

WTF is this??!

**RMean** · December 28th, 2006 01:58 PM

Mr. T

**ssaloon** · December 29th, 2006 09:40 AM

Grizzlies fire Fratello after 6-24 start

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies fired coach Mike Fratello on Thursday after an NBA-worst 6-24 start.

The Grizzlies' career winningest coach, Fratello had a 95-83 record and had guided Memphis to consecutive playoff appearances. Tony Barone Sr., the Grizzlies' director of player personnel, was selected to be the interim coach.

He started the season without All-Star center Pau Gasol, who broke his foot this summer in the world championships and missed the first 22 games.

"Unfortunately, this season has been one of disarray starting this past summer," Fratello said in a statement.

Jerry West, Grizzlies president of basketball operations, announced the move, calling Fratello a great coach and friend.

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"We just felt it was time to make a change and move in a different direction based on our record and future goals. We wish Mike the best in his future endeavors," West said in a statement.

The change was made following the Grizzlies' 112-96 home loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday night, the fifth straight defeat and 11th in 12 games for Memphis.

"In your own home court, you're getting booed and yelled at from your own fans," Gasol said after the loss. "It's just hard. There's too many defensive breakdowns right now, and too many easy layups right now. The whole thing is getting to our head, and it's affecting on every aspect of the game."

The Grizzlies started on a youth movement this offseason, drafting Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry for a more up-tempo pace. They traded veteran Shane Battier and let center Lorenzen Wright leave as a free agent.

But Fratello, who replaced Hubie Brown on Dec. 2, 2004, was criticized heavily for sticking with his deliberate style. He took the Grizzlies to the playoffs the past two seasons but they were swept in the first round.

Barone, whose first game as head coach will be Saturday at home against Toronto, was an assistant coach for the Grizzlies under Brown from 2002 to 2004.

He has never been a head coach in the NBA, but he was head coach at Texas A&M from 1991 to 1998 and at Creighton from 1985 to 1991. The Chicago native played at Duke.

"Tony is not only familiar with our veteran players, but also with our young players having been an integral part of the scouting and drafting process," West said in a statement.

The Grizzlies scheduled a news conference for Friday morning.

Fratello left his television career to take over the Grizzlies after Brown retired for health reasons. He had coached the Atlanta Hawks for eight seasons -- where he was the NBA coach of the year in 1986 -- and the Cleveland Cavaliers for six before going into broadcasting.

He ranked 19th on the NBA's career wins list and 21st in games coached when he joined the Grizzlies. On March 4, 2005, he became the 19th coach to win 600 games.

Memphis had lost 11 of 16 to start the 2004-05 season but finished Fratello's first season with 45 victories. He couldn't repeat that success this year.

"I am sorry I have not been able to find a way up to this point to turn things around, and I understand why a change needs to be made," Fratello said. "Things will get better with both an abundance of home games coming up and the eventual return of Lawrence Roberts and Kyle Lowry from their injuries."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns

**ILuvDetailing** · December 29th, 2006 09:52 AM

Czar please come back to TNT and bring back the original "Telestrator"

**BlueBimmer** · December 29th, 2006 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by M54 Powered

wahaha :bwahaha:

WTF is this??!

:rofl01:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**zidane21** · December 29th, 2006 10:54 AM

malaki po ba ang possibility mga sirs na matutuloy ang ron artest-corey maggette trade? definitely po magbabago na naman ang personality ng both teams and bababa ang playing time ni quinton ross dahil ron artest is also a bigtime defender (with attitude problems nga lang)

kawawa rin naman career nila bibby at garnett, they definitely needed some help or else magpa-trade na lang to rejuvenate their career like what a.i. did.

**ssaloon** · December 29th, 2006 11:33 AM

wala pa daw formal offer sabi ng both parties. "white noise" lang daw sabi ng kings

**RMean** · December 29th, 2006 12:35 PM

2007 NBA All-Star Balloting Second Returns Announced
Yao Ming Leads West with LeBron James Topping the East
Posted Dec 28 2006 1:59PM

NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2006 – Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers lead the Western Conference, while LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat lead the Eastern Conference in votes received after the second returns of 2007 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by T-Mobile.
Through the 2007 NBA All-Star Balloting program, NBA fans from around the globe are responsible for voting in the starters for the 56th NBA All-Star Game, which will be played in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 18. The game will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Yao leads all players with 1,411,923 votes. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Garnett leads all Western Conference forwards with 785,865 votes, followed by San Antonio’s Tim Duncan (715,916). Bryant (1,187,505) and the Houston Rockets’ Tracy McGrady (1,057,057) lead all Western Conference guards. Moving into third place among Western Conference guards is Allen Iverson, who was acquired by the Denver Nuggets from the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 19. Since Iverson was traded to a Western Conference team after the All-Star ballot was unveiled, his Eastern Conference votes will be applied to the conference in which he now plays.
James leads all Eastern Conference players with 1,323,989 votes, followed by Wade (983,321). The Toronto Raptors’ Chris Bosh (497,283) is second to James among Eastern Conference forwards. The New Jersey Nets’ Vince Carter (726,040) is second to Wade among Eastern Conference guards. Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal leads all Eastern Conference centers with 855,544 votes, followed by the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard (665,434).
Fans have the opportunity to vote at all NBA arenas, in 20 languages on NBA.com, on AOL.com/nba, at 1,250 T-Mobile-owned retail locations and at t-zones using T-Mobile service or wap.nba.com for any wireless carrier. Fans will be able to vote at several locations in Las Vegas, the host city of NBA All-Star 2007, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, Fremont Street and the Thomas & Mack Center. For the first time, 13 NBA team arenas will also carry a Spanish-language version of the ballot. T-Mobile is the presenting partner of 2007 NBA All-Star Balloting program. This year’s other All-Star Balloting partners include 2K Sports, AOL.com, XBOX, GameStop & EB Games.
NBA All-Star 2007 is a week-long celebration that enables fans to experience the thrill of the world’s greatest athletes playing the game they love and features a full slate of community-enhancing activities and fan festivals such as NBA All-Star Jam Session.

**RMean** · December 29th, 2006 12:36 PM

The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the second returns of the 2007 NBA All-Star voting program are attached:

2007 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: LeBron James (Cleveland) 1,323,989; Chris Bosh (Toronto) 497,283; Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana) 437,164; Paul Pierce (Boston) 322,601; Grant Hill (Orlando) 281,966; Rasheed Wallace (Detroit) 251,155; Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia) 219,621; Tayshaun Prince (Detroit) 166,250; Emeka Okafor (Charlotte) 155,998; Chris Webber (Philadelphia) 147,933. Guards: Dwyane Wade (Miami) 983,321; Vince Carter (New Jersey) 726,040; Gilbert Arenas (Washington) 494,761; Jason Kidd (New Jersey) 361,504; Stephon Marbury (New York) 237,478; Chauncey Billups (Detroit) 198,290; Michael Redd (Milwaukee) 151,216; Steve Francis (New York) 133,027; Joe Johnson (Atlanta) 129,755; Richard Hamilton (Detroit) 108,355.
Centers: Shaquille O'Neal (Miami) 855,544; Dwight Howard (Orlando) 665,434; Ben Wallace (Chicago) 377,127; Alonzo Mourning (Miami) 122,525; Zaza Pachulia (Atlanta) 99,467; Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee) 79,150; Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cleveland) 68,475; Nazr Mohammed (Detroit) 57,830; Nenad Krstic (New Jersey) 54,472; Eddy Curry (New York) 52,677.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Kevin Garnett (Minnesota) 785,865; Tim Duncan (San Antonio) 715,916; Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) 684,620; Carmelo Anthony (Denver) 633,041; Shane Battier (Houston) 471,404; Lamar Odom (L.A. Lakers) 239,047; Shawn Marion (Phoenix) 230,155; Josh Howard (Dallas) 225,499; Carlos Boozer (Utah) 185,155; Pau Gasol (Memphis) 157,239. Guards: Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) 1,187,505; Tracy McGrady (Houston) 1,057,057; Allen Iverson (Denver) 975,319*; Steve Nash (Phoenix) 736,168; Chris Paul (New Orleans/Oklahoma City) 244,773; Jason Terry Manu Ginobili (San Antonio) 220,070; Tony Parker (San Antonio) 208,113; Jerry Stackhouse (Dallas) 199,328; Ray Allen (Seattle) 182,946. (Dallas) 236,856;
Centers: Yao Ming (Houston) 1,411,923; Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix) 485,642; Erick Dampier (Dallas) 218,833; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 153,601; Marcus Camby (Denver) 117,606; Chris Kaman (L.A. Clippers) 61,202; Brad Miller (Sacramento) 59,859; Tyson Chandler (New Orleans/Oklahoma City) 56,874; Chris Mihm (L.A. Lakers) 55,583; Francisco Elson (San Antonio) 54,442.