2010 NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND IN DALLAS

The forthcoming NBA All-Star Game in Dallas, Texas, will be one for the record books. The annual extravaganza of the NBA’s top 24 players will strut their wares before an expected Standing-Room-Only (SRO) crowd of close to 100,000 at the Cowboys Stadium (home of NFL’s Dallas Cowboys). Reports have it that as of now, 85,000 tickets had already been sold for the ASG alone. League officials and Mavericks management led by the enigmatic Mark Cuban, are discussing matters with Arlington fire marshals and public safety officials to determine how many more standing-room tickets can be sold and likewise on precautionary measures to be undertaken for the projected mammoth crowd on hand.

"It literally could be the largest party weekend in the history of the United States," Cuban said. "That's how big this thing has gotten. The Super Bowl, from a television perspective, is the biggest event of the year. But for attendance and partying, All-Star Weekend will make the Super Bowl look like a bar mitzvah."

Herewith are the schedule and some facts on the NBA All-Star Weekend set on February 12-14, 2010 (February 13-15, Manila time):

February 12 – ROOKIE CHALLENGE GAME

 Featuring this year's best rookies against this year's best sophomores (second-year players).

February 13 – NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND EVENTS

 The Shooting Stars competition (won by Detroit in 2009)

 The Skills Challenge (won last year by Derrick Rose)

 The Three-point shootout (last year's champ was Daequan Cook)

 The Slam Dunk contest (won by Nate Robinson last year)

February 14 – NBA ALL-STAR GAME

 Featuring the All-Star weekend's main event, the NBA All-Star game. The starters for the big game were announced on Thursday, January 21. They are Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard for the East, and Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan and Amar'e Stoudemire for the West.

 The NBA All-Star reserves were announced on January 28, 2010. These are the players who will come off the bench in the big game.

NBA-DL CHILD SUNDIATA GAINES: A STORY THAT BRINGS JOY

It was a rags-to-riches story. A story of a dream that finally came true but not after exerting all the efforts and going through the hardship of seeing himself labor in the minor league before stepping on basketball’s biggest floor, the NBA.

The following is a reprint of the article written by popular NBA writer David Aldridge on NBA.com entitled “In A Turbulent World, Gaines’ Story Brings Joy”. It is about a kid from the NBA Development League named Sundiata Gaines, who after signing a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz (out of NBDL’s Idaho Stampede) scored a basket that would be long remembered, a buzzer-beater that broke the backs of the visiting LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers last January 14 on a cold Thursday night in Salt Lake City:

“Covering sports is a great way to make a living. But there are days, weeks even, when it isn't a barrel of laughs.

Consider baseball, whose on-field renaissance keeps getting plowed over by the latest steroid confession, the latest being Mark McGwire's weepy, orchestrated admissions, leaving writers trying to ascertain what was legitimate remorse and what was self-serving pablum.

The NFL has a pending labor storm on the horizon, with the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011 looming. (So, too, does the NBA.) There's always domestic violence and, occasionally, cartoon violence, the fallout of which we've dealt with in Washington the last couple of weeks.

Then, there came a calamity that crossed over into the sports world, one to which no human is adequately equipped to respond: an earthquake of devastating power and destruction which killed tens of thousands in Haiti, the home of the 76ers' center, Samuel Dalembert. Sammy D has always been a quirkly player, but his philanthropic side has never been challenged, and it was never in greater need and demand than this week, when he asked for the NBA's help for his stricken country. Sometimes, you feel like anything you give is like a rock being thrown into a great canyon. How could it possibly do any real good?

So it was a genuine joy to spend some minutes this week with a kid with a great story, a great smile and a great name, who had a great first week on the job and hit a great shot Thursday night to beat a great player and his great team.

The young man is Sundiata "Yata" Gaines, and if you've at all been paying attention, he's the 23-year-old NBA Development League callup for Utah who hit the game-winning 3-pointer last Thursday to beat LeBron James and the Cavaliers -- on the last day of his 10-day contract.

"I knew they kept you here for some reason," joked Ronnie Brewer afterward. But of course, there was a back story, which indicates, again, how some teams seem to always be "lucky" and find guys like Gaines, while others don't.

Gaines first got onto the radar of Utah's general manager, Kevin O'Connor, in 2008, when he led the University of Georgia to an improbable Southeastern Conference Tournament championship. That was the year a tornado struck the Georgia Dome during the Mississippi State-Alabama quarterifinal game and postponed Georgia's quarterfinal game with Kentucky to the following day. That meant Gaines and the Bulldogs had to win two games in one day just to make the tournament final, after winning just four conference games during the regular season.

Gaines simply recalled his days playing AAU ball, and Georgia beat both Kentucky and Mississippi State, becoming the first team in more than 40 years to win two tournament games in the same day. The Bulldogs then completed their incredible run by beating Arkansas in the final, and Gaines was named tournament MVP.

"It was definitely a confidence booster," Gaines said. "At the time, as long as we didn't play Tennessee, I felt like we had a great chance to win it. And we didn't play them. We played Arkansas, and I knew we had a great chance of beating them. Me and my teammates, I just wanted to build confidence in my teammates, and they all followed my lead ... I just had confidence in myself."

But despite finishing his Georgia career first in school history in steals, second in assists and ninth in points, Gaines didn't get drafted after his senior season. NBA scouts weren't sure about his jumper, so Gaines went to Europe to work on it, playing for NGC Cantu in Italy last season, where he averaged 13 points in just under 32 minutes per game.

"For me, at first I didn't really want to go," he said. "But it was a great opportunity for me. I played a lot of minutes at the point guard position, which I started playing in college. I never was a true point guard growing up, so I had to learn the position. I'm still learning now. The professional game, how to pick and roll, how to play different defensive schemes. I mean, that helped me out so much."

Cantu wanted to keep him, but Gaines hadn't given up on the NBA yet, and after he spent the summer in camps with the Knicks, Mavericks and Hawks, he went the NBA Development League route after being taken 15th overall in the first round of the draft by the Idaho Stampede.

Sundiata Gaines has taken a long path to Utah.

"I was shocked he was there," said Idaho's first-year coach, Bob MacKinnon, by telephone Sunday. "I'm from back east, and I had known about him back to when he was at Archbishop Malloy (High School, in New York). I knew he was a very good player and had people from Malloy talk very highly of him."

The NBA D-League operates at cross purposes. Guys have to improve their games to get a look from NBA teams, but that very act of improving often comes at the expense of team cohesion and chemistry. It's a delicate act that can throw a lot of teams off balance. Gaines needed to work on his defense off the ball, staying focused -- something he's had problems with during his career -- as well as continuing to develop his point guard skills. At 6-foot-1, he wasn't going to get very far as a shooting guard.

"He wants to get better, and that's what our league is all about," MacKinnon said. "He was like a sponge. He would come in and ask questions, what he needed to work on, what his deficiencies were, and then he'd come in and work on them. He was one of those guys that, when you're saying something, you wonder who's really listening, and he was the first guy to go out there and work on them ... on the ball, he's very good, stays in front, and although he's small, he's strong. He improved every day at it and just kept getting better and better. That's what people in the league told me they needed to see him do, and he was doing it."

Even though Gaines didn't start for the Stampede, which is the affiliate for the Nuggets and Blazers (guard Patty Mills, Portland's second-round pick, is on the roster, along with recently released Cavs guard Coby Karl), he still led Idaho at 23.9 points per game (fourth overall in the D-League), 6.9 assists and 2.3 steals (both third in the league). And Gaines didn't complain about coming off the bench.

"We play more a possession game than a minutes game," MacKinnon said. "He told me, 'Coach, it doesn't matter if I start or not,' which is a great thing to hear from a guy. If you do get called up to the NBA, it's not like you're getting called up to start. They do want to see if you can come off the bench. Last year, when I was at Colorado, and we won the championship, I had Sonny Weems sent to me by the Nuggets. He came off the bench and he was fine with it, and now he's doing the same thing for the Raptors."

O'Connor went up in early January to see a game between the Jazz's D-League affiliate, the Utah Flash, and Idaho. Everyone assumed that O'Connor was there to see Dontell Jefferson, his own guard prospect who's been tearing up the league, before bringing him back to Salt Lake City, where the Jazz were dealing with injuries to backup point guard Ronnie Price. (Utah's point guard depth took a hit when the Jazz essentially gave away first-round pick Eric Maynor to Oklahoma City last month in a deal for injured forward Matt Harpring, who is unofficially retired. The move saved Utah more than $8 million in potential luxury tax payments this year.)

But O'Connor had a different callup in mind.

On Jan. 5, Utah's Dave Fredman, the team's longtime scout and former GM of the Flash, went up to Idaho to get a player. Gaines didn't know it was going to be him. There was barely time to say goodbye ("We're happy for you," MacKinnon says, "but we don't want to see you back again").

"Once he said my name, I mean, it was the best thing that ever happened to me," Gaines said. "This is what I've dreamed about since I was four years old, playing in the NBA, developing and being a superstar in the NBA. When I got the opportunity I was just happy to be here."

Gaines didn't have long to get used to being in the big league; when Deron Williams injured his wrist and Price's shoulder tendinitis flared up, Gaines was thrown in quickly, playing 21 minutes for Utah against Memphis. Things calmed down a little the next three games when Williams came back, and Gaines finally had his first real practice with the team last Wednesday, which gave him an opportunity to show if he really had picked up the playbook as quickly as he'd claimed.

The next evening, Gaines was thrust into the spotlight again, when Williams aggravated the sprain early in the fourth quarter against Cleveland. There was Gaines, feeding Carlos Boozer for an and-one; there was Gaines, completing his own three-point play to help Utah build a 12 point fourth-quarter lead. But there also was Gaines, being harrassed into a couple of turnovers by Mo Williams' tough fullcourt D as the period went on. Sloan brought back Price for the stretch run, with Utah up 12, but no one was prepared for what happened next.

LeBron went insane, scoring 16 points in less than four minutes: 3-pointer, three-point play, three-point play, free throw, 3-pointer off an offensive rebound following a miss of his second free throw, ridiculous 28-foot 3-pointer with 40 seconds left, giving Cleveland a seemingly insurmountable lead. But Sloan started fouling, the Cavs missed just enough to keep Utah alive, Kyle Korver made an amazing shot from behind the basket, and the Jazz got the ball down two with five seconds left.

Utah was supposed to run a double screen for Korver, but Cleveland saw it coming and jumped it, leaving Korver with two options: 1) force up a shot over a double-team, or 2) move the ball. So he swung it to Price, whose options weren't much better, and Price swung it to Gaines, about 26 feet out on the right wing. Cleveland's Anthony Parker got a hand in Gaines' face, but Gaines knows how to score: only Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith scored more at Malloy than he did.

Swish. And bedlam. His teammates, led by Boozer, he of the $68 million free-agent deal and the uncertain future, rushed the court to tackle him. Gaines wound up standing on the scorer's table, gesturing to the delirious crowd.

"I was so excited, I found myself trying to jump," Sloan said.

It was Gaines's first NBA 3-pointer.

"I was watching it," MacKinnon said. "When he made that shot, I got about six text messages from his teammates. I knew if the ball got to him, he was going to shoot it, because he's a confident guy. It made the hair on my arms stand up."

Even the Cavaliers' response was appropriate. There was no "Aww, isn't that cute?" in the Cavs' locker room. Cleveland's fighting for a championship this season and for James' future this summer, and anything that deters from that mission, even for one night, is no laughing matter. The Cavs were ticked off. James, who almost never shows any true anger in public, was brusque and snapped headphones on after a brief session with the press, wheeling his bag behind him with a don't-mess-with-me-now look on his face.

I loved it.

These guys play to win, not for the money -- well, not just for the money.

All it did, though, was earn Gaines another 10 days. There really is no guarantee he'll be around the rest of the season, though it's very unlikely he wouldn't be. But even if that happens, no one can take away Jan. 14, 2010, and what Sundiata Gaines, named after an ancient king of Mali, did to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

"The crazy thing about it is, I was sitting on the bench, and I just dreamed about it happening," he said. "I said I knew Ronnie was going to have the ball, and he was going to pass it to me, and I was going to catch it, and I was going to win the game."

The whole night -- the fight of the Jazz, the briliance of James, the way Sloan and the Jazz honored the game by playing it until the very last second, Gaines' miracle -- made me remember what it was that drew me to the NBA all those years ago, and what's kept me around all these years, and what makes all the travel and time away from loved ones worth it, and why I love the game so.”

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions covering the period January 7 to 26, 2010:

Tuesday, January 26

Los Angeles Clippers waived JamesOn Curry.

New Orleans traded guard Bobby Brown to the Los Angeles Clippers for a conditional second-round pick in 2014.

Monday, January 25

New Orleans traded guard Devin Brown to Chicago for center Aaron Gray.

Utah signed guard Sundiata Gaines for the remainder of the season.

Golden State signed forward Anthony Tolliver to a second 10-day contract.

Saturday, January 23

Cleveland signed guard Cedrick Jackson to a 10-day contract.

Forward Marcus Haislip signed with Panathinaikos (Greece).

Friday, January 22

San Antonio waived forward Marcus Haislip.

Atlanta signed guard Mario West to a second 10-day contract.

Los Angeles Clippers signed guard JamesOn Curry to a 10-day contract and waived guard Kareem Rush.

Wednesday, January 20

Golden State signed guard Cartier Martin to a second 10-day contract.

Monday, January 18

Guard Stephon Marbury signed with Shanxi Zhongyu (China).

Milwaukee signed guard Jerry Stackhouse.

Houston exercised the contract option on head coach Rick Adelman through 2010-11.

New Jersey named Tom Barrise special assistant to the president and Jimmy Sann assistant coach.

Sunday, January 17

Golden State signed forward Anthony Tolliver to a 10-day contract.

Friday, January 15

Utah signed guard Sundiata Gaines to a second 10-day contract.

New Jersey waived forward Shawne Williams.

Tuesday, January 12

Atlanta signed guard Mario West to a 10-day contract.

Monday, January 11

Dallas traded forwards Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams to New Jersey for forward Eduardo Najera.

New Jersey waived forward Sean Williams.

New Orleans traded center Hilton Armstrong and cash to Sacramento for a 2016 conditional second-round pick.

Sunday, January 10

Golden State signed guard Cartier Martin to a 10-day contract.

Saturday, January 9

Memphis signed guard Lester Hudson.

Friday, January 8

Portland signed forward Shavlik Randolph to a 10-day contract.

Memphis signed guard Lester Hudson.

Thursday, January 7

Miami signed guard Rafer Alston.

MOVE OVER BJ AND MAKE WAY FOR TYREKE EVANS

The Christmas season is history by now but today, I got a post-Yuletide gift package from my Godfather and good friend, Quinito “The Dean” Henson. And for a basketball junkie like me, the following gifts are something to treasure in:

1. A 715-pages hardcover book entitled “The Book of Basketball: The NBA According To The Sporting Guy” by ESPN NBA writer Bill Simmons;

2. A November 2009 issue of SLAM Magazine with Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony on the cover;

3. A red Alaska Aces Basketball T-Shirt (he previously gave me a white one about 2 years ago); and

4. A very cute collector’s item of E-Cow doll, the official mascot of the Alaska Aces.

To Ninong Q, my sincerest gratitude and may God Bless you always. You are really one of a kind.

*****

While Milwaukee Bucks early-season rookie sensation Brandon Jennings game continuous to cool off after a scintillating 55-point explosion in a win against the Golden State Warriors last November, another newbie is fast emerging from the west coast, Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings.

Evans scored another game-winner as the Kings scored an upset win over the Denver Nuggets, 102-100 last Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila time).

The 20-year old, fourth pick over-all in the 2009 draft out of University of Memphis, pumped in 27 big points and with 0.7 left and the score tied at 100 all, executed a difficult jumper off Nuggets defensive whiz Kenyon Martin that helped snapped a five-game losing streak for the Kings.

“Coach (Paul Westphal) gave me the opportunity and that’s what I wanted to do, I wanted to be the guy with the ball in my hands,” said Evans. “I had worked on that move a lot. I stopped in the lane, pump faked, and was fading away. I had a good look at the basket. I thought it was going in.”

“It’s very gratifying to finally pull one out like this,” said Spencer Hawes, who also played a vital role in the win as he scored 17 points and likewise made a big 3-pointer in the final canto. “It felt like every game we were in we couldn’t execute down the stretch. Good teams finish in the fourth quarter. That’s what we did tonight.”

Evans’ remarkable performance even drew raves from the opposition. “The kid hit a great shot on a great defender (Martin),” ace Nugget quarterback Chauncey Billups said. “It really shouldn’t have came down to that. But they fought hard and we have to give them credit. There were a lot of reasons that we lost this game.”

It was a sweet victory for coach Westphal and his Kings as they come off from three heartbreaking defeats against the Los Angeles Lakers twice and in their previous outing versus the Warriors wherein they blew an 18-point 3rd quarter lead.

More good news await Sac-Town as injured star Kevin Martin is now awaiting medical clearance for a possible return to action within the next two weeks after seeing action only in the Kings first five games this season. Martin is coming off from a broken wrist injury.

Evans is currently submitting norms of 20.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 5.0 in 32 games so far with Sacramento.

It looks like there will be an interesting ending on the exciting race between Evans and the fast-fading Jennings for the Rookie of the Year (ROY) diadem. Take your pick.

THE ADMIRAL: A TRULY INSPIRING STORY

An inspirational story about David Robinson - written recently by a woman who works for P.F. Chang's in San Antonio, Texas. For those of you who are familiar with basketball, you certainly know him. Popularly known as the “Admiral”, he played for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the league’s MVP in 1995 and in 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame along with Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan, and C. Vivian Stringer on September 11, 2009.

“Robinson is a native San Antonian, and though retired still resides here. Having been in the restaurant industry for the last few years I have had the good fortune of meeting David Robinson, Malik Rose, and a few other Spurs players. A few weeks ago, Mr. Robinson came into P.F. Chang's to dine with his family. He was kind, courteous, and very patient with all of the fans who asked him for autographs. I was impressed, even with people bugging him during his meal, he held a happy face and patient demeanor with all of the people he spoke with.

Today Mr. Robinson visited P.F's again. And again, he was ever-so patient with the fans.... he signed autographs, and snapped pictures. Right as he was about to leave, a young woman approach him and told him the story of how her brother was killed by a drunk driver just a few days ago, and the wake was today. She explained that her brother was a huge Spurs and David Robinson fan, and having never had the opportunity to meet him, she asked for an autograph on her brother's funeral program. Of course Mr. Robinson was very sympathetic, and you could tell, the woman was exceptionally emotional and it took a lot of courage to approach him to request his autograph. He signed the paper, and what he did next blew me away.

He asked her if he could pray with her. With tears in her eyes she said, "Yes, Please". He wrapped his Giant basket-ball player hands around hers and together they bowed their heads. Blocking out all of the people, noise and traffic around him, he prayed a long and heartfelt prayer aloud, asking God for strength for her and her family in their time of loss, and for the protection of her brother. I could see in concentration that he was speaking directly to God, and that he meant every word.

Though this whole encounter only took just a few minutes, it was truly amazing. When he walked out the door I stood in awe, I was truly inspired by this man. Though he is a famously accomplished athlete, he offered a sense of peace and calm to a woman who had just suffered a devastating loss. I'm sure that moment will live in her heart forever.

My heart was warmed by one simple human interaction, and it made me think of the amazing power that one hug, touch, kind word, or Prayer can provide. With so much concentration on money, cars, name-brands, and possessions, I am overjoyed to know that there are kind-hearted, moral, professional athletes, such as Mr. Robinson who can be positive role-models for our youth.

David Robinson is a true inspiration.”

And I'm so happy I eavesdropped today I thought this story was most definitely worth sharing.

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions covering the period December 22, 2009 to January 6, 2010:

Wednesday, January 6

Houston waived forward Mike Harris.

Portland waived forward Shavlik Randolph.

Tuesday, January 5

Toronto waived forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

Atlanta waived forward Othello Hunter.

Utah signed guard Sundiata Gaines to a 10-day contract.

New Jersey waived guard Rafer Alston.

Miami traded guard Chris Quinn, a 2012 second-round pick and cash to New Jersey for a 2010 second-round pick.

Monday, January 4

Milwaukee waived guard Roko Leni Ukic.

Golden State waived forward Mikki Moore.

Tuesday, December 29

Sacramento signed president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie to a contract extension.

Portland waived forward Anthony Tolliver.

Minnesota traded guard Jason Hart to Phoenix for forward Alando Tucker, a second-round pick and cash.

Phoenix waived guard Jason Hart.

Wednesday, December 23

Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Pau Gasol to a contract extension.

Tuesday, December 22

Utah traded guard Eric Maynor and forward Matt Harpring to Oklahoma City for the draft rights to center Peter Fehse.

Oklahoma City waived guards Shaun Livingston and Mike Wilks.

Houston signed forward Mike Harris.

WAITING FOR BLAKE GRIFFIN

During the pre-season, expectations were high that the other team in Tinseltown, the woeful Los Angeles Clippers, will finally hit paydirt and crash into the post-season play come April of next year. With the number one pick over-all in the 2009 draft, the Clippers selected Blake Griffin of the Oklahoma Sooners. 

But as we take a look at the current standing of the Clips, Mike Dunleavy's wards continue to struggle in the Pacific Division with a disappointing 12-17 win-loss card. This can all be attributed to Griffin’s absence since the tip-off last October. 

Griffin suffered from a broken kneecap during the final pre-season game of the Clippers against the New Orleans Hornets. Actually, he was very impressive during the exhibition games wherein he submitted norms of 13.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg. He was hailed as “The Savior” for the Clippers, who are coming off from a mediocre 19-63 finish in the 2008-09 season.

An outstanding collegiate star, Griffin posted 22.7 ppg and an NCAA-best 14.4 rebounds per game last season for the Sooners. After the Clippers won the draft lottery and selected him, Griffin strained his right shoulder during a summer league game in July. The team brought him back cautiously, and Griffin said he was totally healthy in the preseason.

“Once I feel comfortable, I can get out onto the court.  That's definitely a goal. That's what we're looking for”, Griffin remarked when asked on when he should be able to play his first game for the Clippers.

Clipper fans are hoping for his return early next month and any further delay on his much-anticipated debut may come too late to turn things around for the Clippers this season.

FAMOUS NBA QUOTES (Part 2)

Herewith are more unforgettable quotes from the superstars of yesteryears and the present:

 "As far as playing, I didn't care who guarded me - red, yellow, black. I just didn't want a white guy guarding me, because it's disrespect to my game.” -- Larry Bird

 "As long as I play ball, I can get any woman I want.” -- Dennis Rodman

 "As long as they are medicated the right way with the asthma medicine they won't have any problems.” -- Dominique Wilkins

 "Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.” -- Magic Johnson

 "Asthma research is a lot better and new medicines are always coming out to help young people.” -- Dominique Wilkins

 "At 49, I can say something I never would have said when I was a player, that I'm a better person because of my failures and disgraces.” -- Bill Walton

 "Back then every small town had a gym, and if itseated more than 2,000 then we'd be interested in playing in it.” -- Bob Cousy

 "Basketball is basketball.” -- Oscar Robertson

 "Basketball isn't as popular in Canada as it is in the US. Hockey is by far the most popular sport in Canada.” -- Steve Nash

 "Basketball, in America, is like a culture. It is like a foreigner learning a new language.” It is difficult to learn foreign languages and it will also be difficult for me to learn the culture for basketball here.” -- Yao Ming

 "Being a typical Pisces, I might have experienced mood shifts, but I don't remember any depression, or needing to do anything, or to have someone bring me out of being depressed.” -- Julius Erving

 "Being an All-Star is everything.” -- Allen Iverson

 "Being from Africa is the best thing that could have ever, ever happened to me. I cannot see it any other way. All of my fundamental principles that were instilled in me in my home, from my childhood, are still with me.” -- Hakeem Olajuwon

 "Being here feels like I'm out of prison. This is the right place, the right time, the right team.” -- Shaquille O'Neal

 "Being selected Most Improved was a special individual award because when I speak to young people I always try to tell them the importance about it's not where you start but where you end up.” -- Kevin Johnson

 "Besides P.E., geography was my best class in high school. I was in this gifted class when I was younger, and it was wicked!" -- Steve Nash

 "Bill Russell was my favorite player of all-time.” -- Bill Walton

 "Black culture is something I don't relate to much at all.” -- Dennis Rodman

 "Black people don't have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted.” -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

 "Bob Brannum was my body guard on the court. He was 6'-6 and built like a bulldog.” -- Bob Cousy

 "But after that you don't see a lot of real good fundamental play. You see a showboat-type basketball which is almost parallel to street basketball.” -- Oscar Robertson

*****

From “Boyet’s NBA Corner”, a “MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!”

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

It was one memorable night for the surprisingly struggling San Antonio Spurs. First, they whipped the Indiana Pacers, 100-99, to give longtime coach Greg Popovich his 700th career NBA win (all with the Spurs). Then Tim Duncan looked like he was just sprinkled with a newly-found youthful potion as he slammed in a dunk with 4.6 seconds left over the outstretched arms of Indiana bigman Roy Hibbert to score the decisive basket over the Pacers.

Duncan finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds as the Spurs came back from a 13-point deficit at the end of the 3rd canto to snatch the hard-earned victory. The Alamo outfit currently sits at the third spot of the Southwest Division (behind Dallas and Houston) with a 14-10 win-loss slate. “I wanted to try to take it to the glass and see what happens, and Hibbert made a very good defensive play,” Duncan said. “I saw the guy come from the corner and tried to stretch it out, and he still got a piece of it, and it just came right back to me. It was a little bit of luck.”

Hibbert was feeling down after the game wherein he thought the Pacers lost because of his poor defensive play against Duncan in the waning seconds of the game. “I blocked it and he got it right back,” Hibbert said. “I should have made a second effort to try and get another block but I was off-balance and he dunked it and finished it for his team.”

On the other hand, Popovich became only the 16th mentor in NBA history to reach 700 wins and is among seven active coaches to reach the milestone. He credited the win to Duncan, whom he says is chiefly responsible for most of them over the last 13 years. “As has been all season, Tim Duncan is our most consistent player,” Popovich said. “He’s been fantastic.”

The Spurs won despite shooting poorly from the stripes converting only 23 of 38 free throws.

The Popovich-Duncan tandem continues to shine in Texas and it will surprise no one to see them go deep again into the post-season play come April 2010.

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions covering the period December 1 to 17:

Thursday, December 17

Portland signed forward Anthony Tolliver.

Monday, December 14

Miami waived forward Shavlik Randolph.

Sunday, December 13

New York signed forward Jonathan Bender.

Wednesday, December 2

Philadelphia signed guard Allen Iverson.

Utah signed head coach Jerry Sloan to a contract extension.

Tuesday, December 1

New Jersey named Kiki Vandeweghe head coach and Del Harris assistant coach.

EXCLUSVE: Q/A WITH RP NBA EXPERTS (Part1)

Last weekend, I sent emails to three distinguished gentlemen, whom were all widely considered as the pioneers and institutions in the National Basketball Association (NBA) sportswriting industry in the Philippines. These were the persons who greatly influenced my addiction to the NBA. The men that I’ve grew up with following their much-read columns and articles, from my teen years to the present. These well-respected and honorable pinoy NBA scribes were no other than Quinito “The Dean” Henson, Atty. Ed Tolentino and Bert Ramirez.

A lot had already been said about “The Dean” in earlier write-ups in this blogsite and he will be the main topic in the second part of this two-part series.

Atty. Tolentino’s articles and sports columns can be seen and read at the Manila Times, Manila Sports Digest and NBA Tower Magazine (the only locally-produced NBA magazine), respectively. Besides the NBA, Tolentino also regularly writes about boxing, wrestling, tennis and the other US major league sports.

Together with Mr. Henson, Mr. Ramirez is one NBA writer I religiously followed in the 1980s (when internet was still an alien word). I regularly read his NBA column in the now-defunct Champ magazine. He is also one of the founder and pioneer of the popular internet social group “Celtic Philippines”. A devout Celtic follower, Ramirez still regularly contributes for NBA Tower Magazine.

I sent them five interesting NBA questions touching on current issues and one non-NBA question and as expected, their answers left me in awe and in total amazement.

My hats off to both Atty. Tolentino and Mr. Ramirez for lending their precious time with me.

BOYET’S NBA CORNER: Will Allen Iverson makes a difference in his second tour of duty with the Philadelphia 76ers?

ED TOLENTINO: Allen Iverson? AI is not OK. Point guards like Iverson who are in their dog years are already dispensable. The fact that Philadelphia offered him a non-guaranteed deal shows that Iverson has as much market value as those real estates in the debt-ridden Dubai. Give it a few more games and AI will act up again.

BERT RAMIREZ: Yes, Allen Iverson will make a difference in his second tour of duty with the Sixers, but only to the extent that the Sixers will allow him to. He's definitely going to provide another scoring option for them even if he doesn't start (he will, however), but will they allow him to significantly cut into the number of shots guys like Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young take? It will really depend on how AI will be used by coach Eddie Jordan, who certainly knows something about good offensive play. How much Iverson has left in the tank will also dictate how big a difference he will make.

BNC: Do you think LA Laker Ron Artest should be punished by the NBA for his admission of drinking alcohol during halftime of some of his games during his early years with the Chicago Bulls?

ET: The offense apparently happen years back. It's not like Artest took steroids during halftime. A lot of players who didn't drink actually end up playing like drunk sailors as early as the first quarter. Artest said he admitted it to set an example. I can only guess what the Lakers will do: assign a personnel who will make sure Artest remains sober at halftime.

BR: No, I don't think Ron Artest will be punished by the NBA for admitting he used to drink at halftime. That was so long ago and besides, the NBA favors the Lakers like a fair-haired boy is by his godfather.

BNC: What particular teams are you impress with during this early part of the 2009-10 NBA season?

ET: I like the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat. The Hawks are gaining confidence each season and with a young roster, they should continue to soar towards cloud nine. The Suns are in a financial distress but they are back scorching the opposition on offense. However, the guess is that the players are still up for trades to the highest bidder. Amare may not even stay for the remainder of the season.. The Heat are getting some good games from Michael Beasley, who was suspect after that wild summer he had. Wade is still a spade for the team.

BR: I'm impressed with the Lakers and Magic, of course, with the way they have lived up to their billing, but it remains to be seen if they can keep it up given the fact that the Lakers have had a very easy schedule (the Suns, for one, were clobbered at the Staples Center, part of the 17 home games-in-the-first 21 sked of LA) and the Magic themselves have not had an extended road trip thus far.

BNC: Are the Atlanta Hawks for real? How about Erik Spoelstra and his Miami Heat?

ET: The Hawks are for real. They have been earning their spurs in recent years. Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson provide the young players veteran leadership. If Josh Smith can remain consistent with his blend of offense and defense (particularly blocking shots), they remain "playoff" potential. I think Wade still needs more help in Miami. He can't do it alone.

BR: The Hawks have grown somehow and should not be taken for granted, but I don't think they have arrived as a bonafide contender for the championship. They'll get into the second round and then eliminated, depending on their matchup. Erik Spoelstra and the Heat, meanwhile, will suffer a similar fate, maybe even fizzle out in the opening round, because they simply lack the depth that other contenders have. The Heat have yet to add around Dwyane Wade, that is, if they can keep him in Miami uniform after this season.

BNC: What do you think of NBA rookie phenom Brandon Jennings?

ET: Jennings, right now, is hands-down the rookie of the year. He is showing Milwaukee that he is truly worth the buck! He shoots, he drives, slices the middle, can even play both guard spots. Never hesitant to take the big shot.BJ's A-OK!

BR: Well, Brandon Jennings have been impressive, all right, particularly in his ability to play at the NBA level as a rookie, but he strikes me as a volume shooter the way Allen Iverson was during his younger years, which is not actually bad. But if you ask me if the Bucks can build around him and contend for a title, then they have a long way to go to be able to do that. Jennings has to learn how to involve his teammates more in the offense, which is the primary responsibility of a point guard, so the key here is for him to strike a balance between his shotmaking and his playmaking.

BNC (non-NBA question): Will the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) survive in the future?

ET: The ABL? Will it survive? I mean, how many basketball leagues are there already? The ABL has as much chance surviving as the Titanic rising again from the depths of the Atlantic.

BR: I have serious doubts if the ASEAN Basketball League will survive in the future if the league's prime movers do not look into its marketing aspects better. Right now, the league is surviving on the money being infused by its team owners, but how far can they sustain that if they don't get a consistent source of income for their teams? One can see the sparse attendance in games, which is not really encouraging, so a lot of marketing has to be done. The league's top brass, after all, has to realize that there's a limited market out there at this point given the tenuous economy that affects ASEAN countries in general, and what available pie there is still has to be divided among many other entertainment fares, including the different basketball leagues that exist in the sponsoring countries.

FAMOUS NBA QUOTES (Part 1)

Through the years, we were entertained no end by the exciting brand of play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). There were of countless memorable games that will live in us forever.

However, not only the games had made the NBA worth watching. There were a number of legendary and colorful players of yesteryears which we followed religiously on and off the court. We were awed not only by their on-court performances but off the court as well. We think deeply of whatever they say, whether basketball-related or not.

Beginning today, I am kicking off a series of collection on interesting and famous quotes of various NBA stars from yesterday and the present.

Herewith is the initial salvo:

• “A lot of late nights in the gym, a lot of early mornings, especially when your friends are going out, you’re going to the gym, those are the sacrifices that you have to make if you want to be an NBA player.” – JASON KIDD

• “A lot of times, you can get to a place that looks good on paper, but in actuality, it really is not as good as you think it is.” – KEVIN JOHNSON

• “A player dreams of being a superstar, but he doesn’t want people flocking all over him asking for an autograph.” – DENNIS RODMAN

• “A team will always appreciate a great individual if he’s willing to sacrifice for the group.” – KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR

• “A winner is some who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” – LARRY BIRD

• “Actually, Magic and the Lakers beat Philadelphia for Magic’s first NBA Championship.” – OSCAR ROBERTSON

• “Alexander Hamilton realized that warfare was part and parcel of human nature, and it’s something we had to prepare for.”- KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR

• “All kids need a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them.”- MAGIC JOHNSON

• “All of those things had been talked about, suggested, rumored, as a manager and as a member of the Knicks organization, I couldn’t allow myself to think that way or believe that.” – ISIAH THOMAS

• “All these boundaries-Africa, Asia, Malaysia, America- are set by men. But you don’t have to look at boundaries when you are looking at a man- at the character of a man. The question is: What do you stand for? Are you a follower or are you a leader?- HAKEEM OLAJUWON

• “And finally, I am proud of he most part , I spent my entire career with one team.”- KEVIN JOHNSON

• “And I really believe that. Asthma is NOT a disability.”- DOMINIQUE WILKINS

• “And I think one of the reasons why I’ve been able to maintain it for so long is I’ve never rested on it because I really don’t think I’m that good.”- KEVIN JOHNSON

• “And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a figurehead that gets a job because he is a famous basketball player. I want to really learn the business.” – SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

• “And then lastly, it’s always been a personal goal of mine to be able to walk away and not play just for the money and be at the top of my game.”- KEVIN JOHNSON

• “Anytime you play as a finalist it’s going to be a challenge.”- STEVE NASH

• “As a parent, I have a job as a role model to my children, and by extension, to other young people.”- KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR

• “As athletes, we’re used to reacting quickly. Here, it ‘come, stop, come, stop. There’s a lot of downtime. That’s the toughest part of the day.”- MICHAEL JORDAN

• “As brilliant an individual as Michael Jordan was, he was not successful until he got with a good team unit.”- KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR

• “As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don’t know. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be.”- KOBE BRYANT

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions for the period November 20 to 29:

Sunday, November 29

New Jersey fired head coach Lawrence Frank.

Thursday, November 26

Oklahoma City signed guard Mike Wilks.

Wednesday, November 25

Oklahoma City waived forward Ryan Bowen.

Friday, November 20

Golden State signed center Chris Hunter.

DIRK’S ON FIRE

I stay glued to the boob tube last night watching the encore telecast of the “Battle of Texas” rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. Mark Cuban’s boys got back at the Alamo outfit, 99-94 in overtime to extend their winning streak to four games.

It was a pulsating victory for the Southwest Division leading Mavericks (9-3) but what caught my attention was the dazzling display of offensive wizardry in Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki pumped in 32 big points in the second half and overtime to finish with 41 markers. His shooting prowess was awesome as he scored on almost all angles in which ESPN analyst Mark Jackson can’t help but praised the 7-foot scoring machine as “the greatest seven-foot shooter of all-time”.

Prior to the Spurs game, the 32-year old Wurzburg native scored on a buzzer-beater as he uncorked his patented fall-away jumper to whipped the Milwaukee Bucks, 115-113.

“With Josh out and Marion out, I’ve just got to keep going offensively and make things happen,” Nowitzki said after his 14th career game of 40 or more points.

Even his teammates spoke highly of the MVP-like efforts of the German bomber. “He’s playing great basketball and (I) think he’s one of the top guys right now in the league,” Mavs power forward Drew Gooden said. “He’s really playing at a high level. We need that because of all the injuries we have right now and he’s doing everything he can to carry this team.”

Nowitzki is currently posting norms of 27.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg in 12 outings so far with the Mavericks. With his present form, Nowitzki is sending a strong message to all 29 other teams to watch out for Dallas this season and from all indications, it looks like another MVP season is in the works for the sweet-shooting blonde bomber.

*****

Herewith are the completed NBA transactions covering the period November 11 to 16:

Monday, November 16

Memphis waived guard Allen Iverson.

Toronto signed forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

Golden State traded guard Acie Law and forward Stephen Jackson to Charlotte for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

Saturday, November 14

Memphis signed guard Jamaal Tinsley.

Friday, November 13

Houston waived forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

Thursday, November 12

New Orleans fired head coach Byron Scott and named Jeff Bower head coach and Tim Floyd assistant coach.

Toronto waived guard Quincy Douby.

Wednesday, November 11

Washington signed guard Earl Boykins and waived forward Paul Davis.

HARSH REALITY OF COACHING

It’s hard to believe how fast Mike D’Antoni’s free fall from being an elite NBA coach to being a prime candidate in the chopping board this early in the season. The New York Knicks had only won once in eight games and everyone is pointing to D’Antoni as the main culprit for the woeful start.

It’s not too long ago when pundits kept on praising D’Antoni and the Phoenix Suns for it’s revolutionized run-and-gun game which resulted into four winning seasons out of five campaigns D’Antoni spent in the Desert City. He was well acknowledged as the man who turned around the career of Steve Nash with the Canadian extraordinary point guard bagging back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards under his watch.

But there seems to be an extreme contrast during his days with the Suns before and the now, the Knicks. With Phoenix, he had a great team anchored on Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa. While with the Knicks, he had to settle for journeymen and mediocre players like Larry Hughes, Nate Robinson, Al Harrington, David Lee and Danilo Gallinari among others.

When D’Antoni bolted out of the Suns to join the Gotham City outfit, he was welcome and seen in the Apple City as “the savior” of the disgruntled franchise coming off from a erratic leadership courtesy of erstwhile mentor Isiah Thomas. But just like his predecessors in the Knicks camp which included the legendary Larry Brown, his initial year was a big bust finishing off with a disappointing 32-50 win-loss slate. And as expected, D’Antoni’s coaching style was widely-criticized by the media. He is now enduring heavy pressure from the Knicks management and fans to finally deliver in his second season and if not, it’s gonna be goodbye time in New York for the 2004-05 NBA coach of the year.

D'Antoni’s current situation just proves that coaching life in the NBA is a dog-eats-dog world and is far from being considered as a stable job. Today, you are praise in high heavens and tomorrow, you are a goner.

IN THE HEAT OF THE ACTION

The magic of Fil-Am head coach Erik Spoelstra is up in the air this early in the 2009-10 NBA season. So far, his Miami Heat had posted a 4-1 win-loss slate to lead the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference.

The Heat started the new season with impressive wins over the New York Knicks (115-93), Indiana Pacers (96-83), Chicago Bulls (95-87) and Washington Wizards (93-89). Their only loss came at the hands of the visiting Phoenix Suns (104-96). It seems defense is the team’s passport for possibly going deep in the playoffs come April next year. Minus the losing game against the Suns, they held their opponents to below the century mark in four victorious games.

Spoelstra has also done a good job in revitalizing sophomore forward Michael Beasly, who had a trouble-filled summer. Beasly is currently averaging 13.0 ppg and 6.2 rpg. Resident superstar Dwyane Wade continues to lead the offensive game of the Heat with 25.2 ppg and 4.8 apg. Also worth mentioning are the current forms of comebacking center Jermaine O’Neal, who missed 55 games last season due to various injuries, and utility man Udonis Haslem. So far O’Neal had submitted norms of 14.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg while Spoelstra is all praises for Haslem, the youthful mentor taken by the selflessness of the veteran power forward. Spoelstra speaks highly of the hardworking 6-8 hometown native of Miami:

"There's probably a lot of coaches and organizations out there that would like to take a starter and put him on the bench, for various reasons, to help with the rotation, to help solidify the second unit. There's few players that actually can do that or would be willing to do that, or would be willing to sacrifice for the better of the teams.

A lot of players will say that and it's an empty statement. They'll say, 'I'll do whatever it takes to win.' You say, 'OK, what are your conditions?' And you find out pretty quickly what somebody's conditions are. It really shows the kind of character that Udonis is, that he backs up what he's saying, that he is about the team. There is a purity about him."

It looks like the Heat is ready to pose serious challenge to their state-rivals Orlando Magic as the flagship squad in the Sunny State of Florida and maybe, just maybe, a stumbling block in the Eastern Conference for the retooled Boston Celtics in their quest to reclaim the NBA diadem next June.

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions covering the period October 26 to November 5, 2009:

Thursday, November 5

Memphis waived forward Trey Gilder.

Sacramento waived forward Desmond Mason.

Minnesota named Darrick Martin assistant director of player development.

Wednesday, November 4

Sacramento signed forward Ime Udoka.

Monday, November 2

Minnesota exercised the contract option on forward Corey Brewer and center Kevin Love through 2010-11.

Saturday, October 31

Indiana exercised the contract options on guard Brandon Rush and center Roy Hibbert through 2010-11.

Denver signed forward Renaldo Balkman to a contract extension and exercised the contract option on guard Arron Afflalo through 2010-11.

Friday, October 30

Houston exercised the contract option on guard Aaron Brooks through 2010-11.

Utah exercised the contract options on center Kosta Koufos through 2010-11.

Washington exercised the contract options on guard Nick Young and center JaVale McGee through 2010-11.

Thursday, October 29

New Jersey exercised the contract options on guard Courtney Lee, forward Yi Jianlian and center Brook Lopez through 2010-11.

Toronto exercised the contract option on guard Marco Belinelli through 2010-11.

Memphis exercised the contract options on guards Mike Conley and OJ Mayo and forward Darrell Arthur through 2010-11.

Charlotte exercised the contract option on center Alexis Ajinca through 2010-11.

Wednesday, October 28

Phoenix exercised the contract options on forward Jared Dudley and center Robin Lopez through 2010-11.

Orlando waived forward Linton Johnson.

Chicago waived forward Derrick Byars.

San Antonio exercised the contract option on guard George Hill through 2010-11.

Oklahoma City signed guard Thabo Sefolosha to a contract extension.

Tuesday, October 27

Orlando exercised the contract option on forward Ryan Anderson through 2010-11.

Monday, October 26

Chicago exercised the contract options on guard Derrick Rose and forward Joakim Noah through 2010-11.

Cleveland exercised the contract option on forward JJ Hickson through 2010-11.

New Orleans exercised the contract option on forward Julian Wright through 2010-11.

Phoenix signed center Jarron Collins.

Detroit waived forward Deron Washington.

Milwaukee waived forward Walter Sharpe.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL: WHO WILL BE THE NBA CHAMPION OF THEM ALL?

It’s almost gametime in the 2009-10 NBA season and as expected, lots of pundits are divided in their forecast or prediction on which team will claim the most-prestigious pro cage league diadem in the universe, the Larry O’Brien trophy.

This corner browse over the following favorite hoop sites and look upon on what their respective crystal balls said:

Sports Illustrated (SI.com)

- “The Celtics will beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals”

"It isn't easy to pick between the five title contenders -- the defending champion Lakers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Spurs and Magic (that being the hierarchy as things look today) all made big moves to improve over the summer, and any one of them would be a credible choice to win in June.

I'm picking the Celtics because they should be the best defensive team in the league based on the return of Kevin Garnett, the arrival of Rasheed Wallace, the continuing improvement of Rajon Rondo -- who could emerge as the top defensive point guard this season -- and the Tom Thibodeau schemes that make the most of Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Marquis Daniels and others.

This Celtics team has the capacity to be deeper and more reliable than the champion of two years ago. Wallace should be an upgrade over James Posey and the same should apply to Daniels over Tony Allen, who was third on the team in minutes off the bench two years ago. They still have sniper Eddie House and a useful second big man in reserve in Glen Davis, who proved in the playoffs last year that he can hit big shots -- a luxury from your ninth man. Unlike last season, the Celtics also have two expiring contracts belonging to Allen and Brian Scalabrine that could be dealt in January or February for a backup point guard or additional length in the frontcourt.

As for the Lakers, I'm not one of those who believes that Ron Artest will ruin them. On the contrary: He's an upgrade over Trevor Ariza, Phil Jackson will strike a constructive relationship with him and he's joining a championship team that can live with his unique personality.

Artest will improve the Lakers defensively at small forward, but the Celtics will be stronger defensively overall, enabling them to control tempo and overcome the Lakers' likely home-court advantage. By picking Boston to win the title, I'm predicting that the Celtics' defense will be the dominant story in the league -- not necessarily in the first month but rather as the year wears on. Age may limit them during the regular season as Doc Rivers sacrifices a win here and there while resting Ray Allen, Wallace and Garnett (all 33 or older), but let's assume they've been well paced and they're healthy going into the playoffs. By then, their age and experience should rally them as they realize this may be their final chance at a title together."

USA TODAY (www.usatoday.com)

“Cleveland Cavaliers over the LA Lakers”

Hoops World (www.hoopsworld.com)

“The Cleveland Cavaliers will beat the San Antonio Spurs”

"The Cleveland Cavaliers will win the NBA title in 2010. They will face the San Antonio Spurs in that championship round, robbing the networks yet again of their dream Kobe-LeBron NBA Finals match-up."

NBA.COM (www.nba.com)

GM SURVEY RESULTS

“The Los Angeles Lakers to repeat, this time over arch-rivals Boston Celtics”

On paper, it seems the Cleveland Cavaliers are the faves to win it all this year mainly because of the acquisition of “the diesel” Shaquille O’Neal, who will team up with “the king” himself, LeBron James. But in reality the effectiveness of that tandem remains to be seen. O’Neal is already in the twilight of his checkered NBA career and likewise is injury-prone the past few years.

And yes, my crystal ball is pointing east this time. No not the Cavaliers but the retooled Boston Celtics. The entry of Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels plus the return of Kevin Garnett from sickbay will definitely boost the chances of the Beantown squad of netting their second title in the last three years.

I could be wrong but by all indications, my prediction will most likely happen. Color it GREEN and I’m outta here!

*****

Hereith are the completed transactions covering the period October 8 to 25, 2009:

Sunday, October 25

Los Angeles Lakers waived forward Tonny Gaffney.

Sacramento exercised the contract options forwards Jason Thompson and Donté Greene and center Spencer Hawes through 2010-11.

Saturday, October 24

New Orleans waived guard Larry Owens and center Earl Barron.

Friday, October 23

New York exercised the contract options on forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari through 2010-11.

Minnesota waived guard Antonio Daniels.

Houston waived guard Brent Barry.

Miami waived guard John Lucas.

Oklahoma City waived forward Mike Harris and exercised the contract options on guard Russell Westbrook and forwards Jeff Green, Kevin Durant and DJ White through 2010-11.

Boston named Tyronn Lue director of basketball development.

Indiana fired Director of Player Personnel Mel Daniels.

Thursday, October 22

Portland signed forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a contract extension and waived forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins.

Cleveland waived guards Andre Barrett and Russell Robinson and center Darryl Watkins.

Chicago waived forward Chris Richard.

Boston waived forward Mike Sweetney.

Charlotte waived guards Dontell Jefferson and Antonio Anderson.

Dallas waived center Jake Voskuhl.

Memphis waived guard Mike Taylor.

New Jersey waived guard Will Blalock and forwards Bennet Davis and Brian Hamilton.

New York waived guard Joe Crawford and center Chris Hunter.

Oklahoma City waived forward Michael Ruffin.

Philadelphia exercised the contract options on forwards Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights and Jason Smith and through 2010-11.

San Antonio waived guard Curtis Jerrells.

Washington waived guard Vincent Grier.

Utah waived guard Paul Harris and forward Ronald Dupree.

Wednesday, October 21

Atlanta waived guard Mario West and centers Garret Siler and Courtney Sims.

Denver waived guard Dontaye Draper, forward James White and center Kurt Looby.

Detroit waived forward Maceo Baston.

Golden State waived forward Shaun Pruitt.

Houston waived guards Romel Beck and Garrett Temple.

Los Angeles Lakers waived guard Thomas Kelati.

Minnesota waived center Jared Reiner.

Oklahoma City waived guard Tre Kelley.

Orlando waived guards Morris Almond.

Philadelphia waived guard Dionte Christmas and forward Brandon Bowman.

Sacramento waived guard Lanny Smith and forward Melvin Ely.

Utah waived forwards Alexander Johnson and Spencer Nelson and center Goran Suton.

Tuesday, October 20

Phoenix waived guard Dan Dickau and forward Carlos Powell.

Dallas traded forward Nathan Jawai and cash to Minnesota for a 2012 conditional second-round pick.

Atlanta waived guards Mike Wilks and Juan Dixon.

Miami waived forward Anthony Tolliver and exercised the contract options on guard Daequan Cook and forward Michael Beasley through 2010-11.

Monday, October 19

Cleveland waived forward Rob Kurz and center Luke Nevill.

Indiana waived forwards Lawrence Roberts, Demetris Nichols and Rod Benson.

Minnesota waived guards Mustafa Shakur and Devin Green.

Los Angeles Clippers waived guards Jerel McNeal and Anthony Roberson.

Friday, October 16

Portland signed guard Patrick Mills and exercised the contract options on guards Rudy Fernandez and Jerryd Bayless, forward Nicolas Batum and center Greg Oden through 2010-11.

Center Dwayne Jones signed with Red Star (Serbia).

Thursday, October 15

Guard Damon Jones signed with Napoli (Italy).

Wednesday, October 14

Golden State exercised the contract options on forwards Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph through 2010-11.

Tuesday, October 13

Los Angeles Clippers exercised the contract options on guard Eric Gordon and forward Al Thornton through 2010-11.

San Antonio waived center Dwayne Jones.

Atlanta waived guards Aaron Miles and Frank Robinson.

Monday, October 12

Miami signed guard Carlos Arroyo.

Philadelphia waived guard Sean Singletary and forward Stromile Swift.

Saturday, October 10

Los Angeles Lakers waived forwards Michael Fey, Mickael Gelabale and David Monds.

Friday, October 9

Atlanta exercised the contract option on forward Al Horford through 2010-11.

Los Angeles Clippers waived forward Taj Gray.

Miami waived forwards Alade Aminu and Andre Brown.

Thursday, October 8

Memphis waived guard Thomas Gardner.