Yardbarker: Leon Powe

Daily Links 9/4

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:50:51 -0500

Herald Reports say Warriors’ Monta Ellis has additional injuries (http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/other_nba/view.bg?articleid=1116935 format=text) Celtics.com Leon Powe and the Trophy at Natick Mall (http://nba.com/celtics/) CelticsBlog Judgment Questions For Pair of Jayhawks (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=3867 Itemid=189) LOY's Place Rumors and free agent updates - Rookies in trouble edition (http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2008/09/rumors-and-free-agent-updates-rookies.html) Hoopsworld Morning report: Moving Jamaal part 2 (http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9916) ESPN Chalmers, Arthur caught with marijuana at rookie camp (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3567481) Cuts, abrasions lead some to question cause of Ellis' injury (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3567032) Oklahoma City will be named Thunder, wear blue, orange, yellow (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3568051) Ginobili has surgery on left ankle ligament (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3568318) Burlington Free Press Celtics' trophy headed to town (http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/SPORTS/809040321/1002/RSS03) Home Team Sports Poking for a cause (http://htsports.org/poking-for-a-cause) Hornets 24/7 Are 61 wins reasonable...

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Rookies in Trouble Edition

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:04:57 -0500

Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur are in big trouble with the NBA. They were thrown out of the rookie transition program after being caught in their hotel room with marijuana and women, which is against the rules. They were also fined $20,000 apiece and could start the regular season on the suspended list. They will also have to repeat the rookie transition program again next season. Sixty nine of the league's rookies are gathered in Rye Brook, N.Y. for the four-day seminar in which coaches, referees and former players speak to the rookies about adapting to the league. Looks like these two failed the class. I imagine that JR Giddens and Bill Walker are there for the orientation. One rookie who won't be there is Knicks' rookie, Patrick Ewing, Jr, who will be attending his father's induction into the Hall of Fame. Bill Russell addressed the rookies on Wednesday, and during the question and answer session, Nets rookie, Brook Lopez asked him which of his 11 championship rings he wore. His answer was that he doesn't wear any of them. He wears a special ring given to him by commissioner David Stern which commemorates all of his 11 titles. I wonder if Tommy Heinsohn has one for all of his 10 titles. In a surprise to no one, the Oklahoma City franchise will be henceforth known as the Thunder. Their colors are orange-red, blue and yellow. Six children joined players Desmond Mason and Damien Wilkins as they pulled down a curtain to reveal a large blue banner with the logo in the middle. They had the AC/DC song "Thunderstruck" blaring over the loudspeaker in the background. Thunder is an okay name, but I still prefer the old style of giving teams plural names. Manu Ginobili had the surgery on his ankle on Wednesday to repair a ligament injury. He will be in a splint and on crutches for three weeks and then, his rehabilitation schedule will be determined after his ankle is re-evaluated. The Spurs had tried to discourage him from playing in the Olympics, but he decided to play anyway but missed the bronze medal game because he re-aggravated the injury. This could be cause for some tension this season as he will obviously have to miss some of the season while he rehabs his ankle. There are more questions as to how Monta Ellis actually injured his ankle. It is now being reported that along with the high ankle sprain and torn deltoid ligament, there were also several cuts and abrasions on his leg that wouldn't be expected if the injury occurred during a workout as he said it did. ESPN reports that two experts in sports medicine that they contacted said that a torn deltoid ligament is rarely seen in basketball and that the injury of the deltoid suggests a more serious rotational injury than those commonly associated with the NBA. GM Chris Mullins said that Ellis told the Warriors that he got the injury playing pick up basketball but that still doesn't fit the extent of the injuries. I am sure there is more to come. Leon Powe and the Celtics 2008 Championship Trophy will be at the Natick Mall this Saturday September 6, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you go there and sign up for the Celtics Championship license plate that benefits Children's Hospital Boston you will have the opportunity to pose for a picture with Leon and the Larry O'Brien Trophy. A bit far for me to go but anyone in the area, it's a good opportunity to see the trophy up close and get a picture with one of my favorite Celtics. Reports out of Cleveland is that the Cavs are very close to reaching a deal with veteran big man Lorenzen Wright. The 6-foot-11 12 year NBA veteran can play both the forward and center positions and is a solid rebounder. On the other hand, the stalemate continues in contract talks with former Celtic Delonte West. The Cavs are believed to be offering West about $4 million per season which is similar to the deal Daniel Gibson signed earlier this summer. Delonte is believed to be looking for a deal starting closer to $5.5 million. He has until September 30 to take the Cavs up on their one-year qualifying offer of $2.76 million. The Pacers are still set against buying out Jamaal Tinsley but they want to move him and will intensify their their efforts to trade him before training camp. Tinsley's knee is reportedly healthy and he's working out in Atlanta. It doesn't look as though they will get a deal done to extend Danny Granger before the October deadline. If they don't get an extension done this season, he will become a restricted free agent next season and the Pacers would be able to match any offers he received. Three weeks before the start of training camp, the Miami Heat has begun to thin its roster by waiving forward Stephane Lasme. The 6-foot-8 forward had signed a 10-day contract with the Heat in March of last season and later was signed for the balance of the season because of the team's multiple injuries. He averaged 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.38 blocks in his 16 appearances with the Heat last season which included four starts. This move may have been triggered by the signing of Jamaal Magloire earlier this week. The Nets have not only changed their roster significantly, they will also be changing their offense. The offense Lawrence Frank will run this year, which is best known as the dribble-drive-motion, was developed by a junior college coach named Vance Walberg. This system was used by John Calipari and Memphis on their way to the NCAA Finals last spring. It is a spread set, with four men stationed wide, and predicated on Princeton-type motion, drive-and-kick attacks and 3-point accuracy and it is now the rage, as NBA teams such as Denver and Boston have also adopted it. Since the Celtics are the reigning champs, and we can expect teams to try to imitate their offense and also concentrate on defense. Teams who saw the Celtics win with their defense last season will try to beat them at their own game this season.

NBA Punchlines: Are the Celtics Counting To Much On Darius Miles?

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:53:25 -0500

Leon Powe showing the kids how its done at a camp in Oakland. (San Fran Chronicle)

The Magic are hoping that Dwight Howard's Olympic experience can bring his game and their franchise to the next level. (Orlando Sentinel)

Will Gus Johnson return as voice of the Knicks? (NY Daily News)

It looks like playing in the Olympics may have rejuvenated Jason Kidd. He is already talking Mavericks training camp. (Dallas Morning News)

Cool idea: There is going to be a documentary made about the cult that is the Air Jordan brand sneaker. (Sun-Times)

Andres Nocioni deflects attention from knee, celebrates bronze medal instead. (Chicago Trib)

The Celtics are counting on Darius Miles to replace James Posey? (Boston Globe)

About That Tape ...

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:44:58 -0500

As I watched the Olympics, it seemed as though athletes in just about every sport were seen sporting that wide tape on shoulders, arms, legs, knees, etc. First, we saw gold medal winner in beach volleyball, Kerri Walsh, sporting it on her shoulder and everyone was asking what was on her shoulder. I have seen it since on a variety of athletes in volleyball, basketball, track and others. Alex Mumbru on the Spanish basketball team wore it on his shoulder. Exactly what does this tape do? The tape is actually a therapeutic tape produced by a company called Kinesio. The tape is designed to treat muscular disorders by improving circulation to joints. Kinesio donated 50,000 rolls of the tape to the Olympic Games for use by athletes from around the world and since Walsh has made it a very fashionable accessory, Kinesio reports that they received 1600 orders a day after Walsh's first match. According to Kinesio, the highly-elastic tape—which can stretch 30–40 percent from its resting length—pulls the skin away from the muscle fascia and allows the muscle to breathe. It improves lymphatic flow, reducing pain, swelling and muscle fatigue. Additionally, the tape does not restrict motion and can be worn from several days straight. The tape was first used in the Olympics in 1988 by Japanese athletes, and the exposure allowed Kinesio tape to expand into Europe and the United States. Many prominent athletes—such as Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, David Beckham, and now Kerri Walsh —have used the tape and found it to be effective. After seeing it on Alex Mumbru's shoulder I started thinking that maybe Danny should look into getting some of this tape for Kendrick Perkins' shoulder. Perk has had recurring shoulder problems and it seems as though this tape may be just what he needs to protect his shoulder. After seeing the tape everywhere during the Olympics, it won't surprise me to see Perk sporting some this coming season. Or, how about seeing some on Darius Miles' knee, or Tony Allen's knee, or Ray Allen's ankles, or Bill Walker's knee, or Leon Powe's knees? With all the fragile knees and ankles on the Celtics this coming season, maybe Danny should buy it by the ton. It's worth a try. If it prevents just one knee, ankle or shoulder from going out, it would be well worth it.

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:28:04 -0500

This one wasn't easy, but the US got the job done… beating Spain 118-107 to win the gold medal. DWade had 27, Kobe had 20. Spain had the game to 4 with a few minutes left. But the US held on… and now we're out of actual basketball to talk about. For the next month or so… it's going to be a [...]

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Lots of Signings Edition

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:30:49 -0500

The Celtics were busy on Friday, first with the news that they had signed Darius Miles and then Bill Walker. This gives the Celtics 15 players under contract, the maximum number allowed. So, the roster is complete. There will be some pretty good battles in training camp as several unproven players try to prove that they can do the job. The fact that Miles is able to play again after what was considered a career ending injury shows that he has a lot of motivation and is working hard to make it back to the NBA. Bill Walker, like Leon Powe, has overcome much to make it to the NBA and also has a strong work ethic to come back from injury. Good signings. Rajon Rondo is back in Boston and working out twice a day to get ready for next season. He is working on his shooting and his conditioning. Bill Walker has been working out here all summer and with a new contract in hand, I expect he will work even harder. JR Giddens is supposed to be in town this week also. Now that he has signed a contract and has much to prove I expect Darius Miles to be in town to work out also. It is just over a month to training camp so hopefully they are all getting serious about working out. The New Orleans Hornets signed former Cavalier Devin Brown on Friday. Brown played with New Orleans two seasons ago and was brought back to bolster the depth in the backcourt. The move was made following the departure of backup guard Jannero Pargo, who joined a team in Russia. Brown is a versatile player who can play both guard spots (not that they will need him there very much) and can also play both forward spots. Brown averaged 7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 78 games with Cleveland last season. Qyntel Woods, a former first round pick of the Blazers, has agreed to a deal with Italian League team Fortitudo Bologna, the same team that signed former Heat center Earl Barron. Woods also played for the Knicks and was a Celtic briefly but was cut before ever playing for them. Woods was also involved in a dog fighting investigation when he was with the Blazers and he pleaded guilty to a animal abuse and was given probation. He also is remembered for offering a police officer his rookie card as ID when he was pulled over for speeding. In spite of all his off court antics, Woods is a talented swingman with decent range. The Denver Nuggets re-signed guard J.R. Smith to a a three-year deal worth a guaranteed $16.5 million on Friday. Smith was a restricted free agent but didn't have much interest around the league. One of the reasons for the Nuggets dumping Marcus Camby and his contract was to have enough money to keep Smith in the fold. The San Antonio Spurs officially re-signed Michael Finley on Friday. Finley was one of only 2 players to appear in all 82 games last season for the Spurs. He averaged 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists and was an important part of the Spurs' rotation last season. Another Spur had a much rougher day as Manu Ginobili was injured in the game against the USA and is not expected to play in the Bronze medal game against Lithuania. When Spain meets the USA on Sunday, Jose Calderon will be on the sidelines. A slightly torn adductor muscle kept the Raptor point guard out of Friday's win over Lithuania and will sideline him for Sunday's gold medal game against either the United States. Raptors officials are checking up with the Spanish team doctors to find out just how serious the injury is but as of now, it isn't expected to interfere with training camp. Pistons' GM, Joe Dumars, is saying that the Pistons are done dealing. He doesn't expect any more changes before the season starts. The main core of that team has been together for quite a few years and their chemistry has been one of the things that has made them successful. However, they have come short of the Finals for the last couple years and there was talk of them making big changes by trading Hamilton or Billups. Now it seems that the players have convinced Dumars to keep them together one more year and give new head coach Michael Curry a chance to win with the team as it is. Darius Miles isn't the only player who is looking to come back from a serious knee injury this season. Shaun Livingston has been working for 18 months since his injury and is expected to be ready to play by training camp. Few point guards have the potential of Livingston as few point guards are 6'7" tall. The team that takes a chance on this kid will reap a big reward if he is indeed healthy again. There are rumors that the Heat may be interested. They have been working out centers, but they definitely could use a point guard as well. There has also been talk of the Lakers taking a look at him. Just after the Globe printed a nice story about how Shaq's marriage is better than ever and things are on the mend, there comes a story that just makes you shake your head. An Atlanta-area woman took out a restraining order on Shaq on Thursday alleging that he stalked her, threatened her with bodily harm and made harassing phone calls in which he breathed heavily into the phone before hanging up. She said that they ended an affair last month and since then, Shaq has stalked her and harassed her. And to think that Shaq wants to be a police officer. Kind of strange.

Daylife

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:04:11 -0500

It's well known that Red's Army loves Leon Powe (i.e. John's huge man crush). And Leon loves us back (Our sources have seen his woman sporting our t-shirts). Now we're learning that the man who single-handedly annihilated the Lakers in Game 2 (21 pts in 15 minutes) loves Boston just as much. An important fact considering Mr. Powe is in the final [...]

Daylife

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:04:11 -0500

Obstacles to Repeating as Champions

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:50:09 -0500

We all know that it is hard for teams to repeat as champions. None of the Celtics championship teams of the 70's or 80's repeated as champions. They won in 1974 and 1976 and in 1975 and 1977, they didn't even make it to the finals. They had some lean years from 1977 until 1981 when they won their next championship, Once again, after winning in 1981, they failed to make the finals in 1982 and 1983. They won the championship once again in 1984 but in 1985, they lost to the Lakers. They won once again in 1986, but then came the 22 year drought until they won again last year. They had very good teams the year following each of those championships, but still weren't able to repeat as champions. The Celtics are favored to win the East again next season. Here is what Marty Burns said in his Eastern Conference preview: 1. Celtics: The loss of veteran forward James Posey (via free agency to the Hornets) could hurt, especially come playoff time, but for now Boston has to be considered the East favorite again. General manager Danny Ainge re-signed key reserves Eddie House and Tony Allen, and Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be even better with another year together (assuming they're not too worn out from last season's long playoff run). The bottom line is that the defending champs didn't make any significant moves ... but they didn't need to. Even without James Posey, the Celtics should be better this season. As Burns said, with a year together under their belt, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett should be better together. Ray Allen finally figured out where he fit in the scheme of things in the Finals and I expect him to pick up where he left off last year. The domination in the finals was the result of the three of them having the experience of the year together. Not only will the three stars play better together, but Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins will be a year better. Tony Allen was finally coming on in the Finals and this could be the year he puts it all together. Eddie House returns and is determined to be better this season. Both Big Baby and Leon Powe are working hard this summer and will be improved. Just the experience of the playoffs and the Finals will make this team better. Add to this the addition of two very promising and athletic draft picks and on paper it seems as though the Celtics should repeat as champions. But, there are several things working against any NBA champions repeating. One is the fact that all the other teams spend their summer trying to match up with the champions and make moves with an eye toward how they can beat the champs. Every team in the Atlantic Division are making big moves. The Raptors brought in Jermaine O'Neal to give their team a defensive presence to match up with the Celtics front line. The Sixers brought in Elton Brand to try to match up with Kevin Garnett. The Nets may have gone backwards by going young with Yi and breaking up their big three of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. The Knicks are still making changes but will be a much different team than they were in 2007-08. The Cavs have brought in a veteran point guard who can share the scoring load with LeBron. They came close to beating the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals and it is possible that the moves that they made this off season could be enough catch up with the Champions. The Pistons haven't made any major moves, but there are rumors swirling around them that they still may make a trade. The Bulls added the number one pick to a team that underachieved last season. The Heat should be much tougher with a healthy Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion along with the addition of Michael Beasley. So, the competition will be much stronger and the Celtics will be playing with a bullseye on their backs. Every team is out to defeat the champions and will play their best against them. Even with the improvements in the other teams and the fact that they go all out to defeat the champs, the biggest challenge may come from within the Champions themselves. Last year at this time, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were all in Boston and working out along with the majority of the younger players who had been there much of the summer. They had a hunger right from the beginning to get that ring that had alluded all three of them throughout their careers. They were on a mission to win the title right from the beginning. Fast forward to this off season and from all the reports, Paul Pierce is still celebrating the championship. He is in Las Vegas coming home from a club at 3:30 PM. He is hosting Mike and Mike. He is working out some, but no where near the extent he worked out last off season. There has been no word from Kevin Garnett and knowing him, he is already deep into his off season work out regimen. But, he isn't working with the other two as a team like they did last season. Ray Allen has been taking it easy and playing a lot of golf and that in itself isn't a bad thing. He needs to get some rest after the playoff run, but the point is, there just isn't that drive and that hunger like they had last summer. The Star Tribune reports this: Starting today and continuing for two weeks, the Timberwolves will have nine of their top players -- including Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Kevin Love, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Corey Brewer, Chris Richard and Mike Miller -- working out every day at Target Center. They will be around until Labor Day, take 10 days off, then resume workouts out until training camp opens. It was the Celtics last season who had the majority of their players in town working out together. This season teams like the Timberwolves have that hunger for a ring and are getting an early start. There have been a couple of the Celtics' young players in town all summer working hard, but where last season they were all there, this season the 3 stars have had their hunger satisfied with a championship and they don't have that urgency that drew them all together last season and that is bringing teams like the Timberwolves together now. Finally, there is luck. The Celtics had a couple of minor injuries, but nothing major that would knock a major player out for a long time. Injuries can knock a contender out of the race no matter how good the team is or how many stars it has. If they can't play due to injury, they aren't going to win. The 1986 Celtics were virtually injury free with just a few minor setbacks. The 1987 team was beset with injury after injury as their aging stars struggled to stay healthy. For some reason, it is difficult for contending teams to remain free of major injuries two seasons in a row. The Celtics did it last season, can they do it again this year? Only time will tell. On paper and in most of the rankings, the Celtics will be favored to win it all again. But, will they have the hunger to put it all out there on the court every game like they did last season? So far, they aren't showing the same hunger they did last season to come together early and work as a team toward that goal. Can they get past the improved competition? Can they stay healthy a second season in a row? A lot of questions must be answered before the Celtics can be crowned repeat champions.

Celtics Update Time!

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:59:48 -0500

It's been a while since we've written about the 17 time NBA Champion Boston Celtics, so I thought I'd share a couple of interesting items for your enjoyment. The first is about our Dirt Dog of the Hardwood, Leon Powe. Hoops Addict is running their "Floor Burn Tournament" which was created to give credit to the hardest working, albeit lesser-known NBA players. The other interesting story... Doc Rivers was in Gainesville on Thursday to speak with the Florida Gator's football team.

Leon Powe Needs Your Help

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:46:46 -0500

HoopsAddict is running a Floor Burn tournament and Leon Powe is up against Jason Maxiell. Leon dominated the first two rounds, but is in trouble and needs your help. Don't let the Pistons fans beat him out. If any player in the league personifies hustle and the willingness to do the dirty work to help his team win, it is Leon Powe. As for Maxiell, He was posterized by Rajon Rondo with a nasty dunk over him. Leon stepped up and pulled out game 2 of the Finals for the Celtics, now step up and help him pull this out over Maxiell. Show your Celtic Pride and go vote for Leon here. http://hoopsaddict.com/2008/08/18/floor-burn-tournament-round-3/

Topic Du Jour: Big Baby

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:04:47 -0500

Scott Souza had a nice writeup on Big Baby (http://www.milforddailynews.com/sports/x1507910916/Courtside-View-Davis-feeling-at-home) this weekend. Rather than heading home, Davis has spent the majority of time in Waltham this summer. While Davis is always reticent to talk about exact scale readings, he does appear a bit sleeker than the 289 pounds the 6-foot-8 power forward was listed at last season. Weight management has always been an issue for Davis, and even as he made strides after playing at well over 300 pounds during his junior year at LSU, he realized he had to go a lot further to become the player he is capable of being. It was the experience of being around guys who are more disciplined, he said. Seeing how hard work pays off. That's been really the key seeing these veterans and what they do, and why they are so good. That's helped me tremendously, tremendously. That has helped establish me as a player and wanting to be great in this league. Davis was inconsistent in his first year in the league, but was also a bit better than most of us could have hoped. At times he split time with Leon Powe and even filled in at center in a small ball look. What can...

Floor Burn Semi Finals

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:50:56 -0500

Come on, Leon Powe vs. Jason Maxiel (http://hoopsaddict.com/2008/08/18/floor-burn-tournament-round-3/)? Who's the champ and who got sent home early? Send Leon to the next round!

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Wolves Get New Duds Edition

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:47:30 -0500

After watching Team USA dismantle the Spanish team today, I had this thought that while everyone will be going after LeBron in 2010, the player I would go after is Dwyane Wade. He was amazing as he seemed to be doing a bit of everything on the court. He finished with 16 points on 8-12 shooting with 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. He can opt out after the 2009-2010 season but he would have to leave 17 million on the table and so I am not sure if he will opt out or finish out his contract and become a free agent in 2011. But, he would be the one I would go after if he does opt out. My second choice would be Chris Bosh. Ray Allen's contract is up after the 2010 season as is Scal's (finally!) and I have to believe that Danny will make some kind of move in that very rich free agent class. Hoopsworld is reporting that for the past 3 weeks Patrick O'Bryant has been working with Clifford Ray at his summer program, the Clifford Ray and Robert Parish Big Man Camp in Bradenton, Florida. So, O'Bryant is learning from 2 of the best. HOOPSWORLD's Steve Kyler reported that Ray has been preaching the importance of hustle, energy, and conditioning to O'Bryant. He lacks the post moves of a traditional big man but his offensive repertoire does include a nice shooting touch and sky hook. O'Bryant's style is best suited for a fast pace system, so if he wants to stick in Boston he will have to maximize his physical tools with commitment and a sense of urgency. Scott Souza reports that Big Baby has stayed in Boston this off season and instead of celebrating like many of his teammates, he has been maturing and working and trimming down. I mentioned the other day that we have seen him doing a lot of PR around town and I guess it is because he is the only one still hanging around. Besides, he has a lot of personality for public appearances. We may see some good things from Big Baby this season as hopefully all this hard work will pay off. Another thing we know is that somewhere, Leon Powe is working very hard. The kid doesn't know how to take it easy. The Boston Globe reports that Stephon Marbury's days as a Knick are over according to a league source. This has been expected for some time. The question now is when are they going to release him. There were rumors that the Celtics might be interested but now that they have signed both Eddie House and Tony Allen, I don't see where he would fit. The Celtics need a back up small forward the most and after that, possibly a veteran center. If they sign Bill Walker, which I really hope they do, they will have just one spot left and I just don't see it going to a troubled point guard, no matter how well he gets along with KG. Marbury may end up in Europe quicker than he thought. Delonte West could have trouble finding a spot in Cleveland now that they have traded for Mo Williams. Without a doubt, he is no longer the Cavs' starting point guard. There was talk about moving him to shooting guard but he will have to beat out another former Celtic, Wally Szczerbiak and Sasha Pavlovic for the spot and that won't be easy. Delonte's best bet right now is to sign the qualifying offer and play his best this season wherever they play him, and then go on the market as an unrestricted free agent next off season. I'd love to see him come back to the Celtics. Can you imagine the Delonte-Big Baby comedy hour? The Timberwolves will unveil their new uniforms, their first new ones since 1996, Monday over the lunch hour at the IDS Crystal Court. If find thatyou just have to run out and buy the new Sebastian Telfair jerseyso you'll be ready for the Sebastian Telfair night at the Target Center, The Wolves also on Monday are launching an online store to allow you to be first on the block to own one, at www.ShopWolves.com. Here's a preview of what the new unis will look like. Personally I am not impressed. Michael Finley has decided to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs in spite of receiving interest from other teams including the Boston Celtics. Sources say Finley's decision came down to a choice between staying with the Spurs or joining the Boston Celtics as the reigning champs' replacement for James Posey. He also had strong interest from the Hornets and Cavs. Now we know that Danny is still looking for a back up small forward. Sean Kemp has been trying to relaunch his career with several NBA teams over the last couple of years and word is this week that the 39 year old former Sonic legend has signed a contract with the Italian team of Premiata Montegranaro. Even the old players are going to Europe. And finally, Michael Phelps did it. He won 8 golds in Beijing. And if you read my report from yesterday, you know that he is not only a great athlete, but a team player. And, his teammates came through for him in the 2 relays he needed to break Mark Spitz's record. In particular, Jason Lezak, one of the older swimmers on the team, pulled out the final leg of both of the relays. Exciting stuff out of the Olympics. USA Basketball, both men and women, seem to be steam rolling everyone along with the record breaking action in the pool. Next up for the men's team is Dirk Nowitski and Germany, who lost to Yao and China in their last game. The women are just getting ready to play New Zealand. If you watched USA vs Spain, you saw Kobe knock Pau Gasol on his backside with an elbow to the head. He was not so subtly telling his Laker teammate that they aren't teammates now and that this is war. Now that was fun to watch! Even Kobe knows that Gasol is soft.

Good News - Cliff Ray At It Again

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:40:46 -0500

This is old news for many of you, but I'm still getting caught up, so I had to share this with the class. Clifford Ray is not a miracle worker, so he couldn't heal Scot Pollard or Theo Ratliff. But he's done just about everything else you could ask a big man coach. He tapped into Al Jefferson's potential to make him a 20/10 machine. He took an awkward, hacking Kendrick Perkins and made him one of the top centers in the league. He helped Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis overcome their height limitations to become super subs. He took a retired PJ Brown and made him a key contributor on a Championship team. He even squeezed a few decent games out of Olowokandi in a time that seems long, long ago. Oh yeah, and he may have helped some guy named Dwight Howard get started in Orlando. Now, as expected, he's working with Patrick O'Bryant. (http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2008/08/10/europe_can_reach_for_stars/?page=3#) Cliff's notes: Celtics newcomer Patrick O'Bryant, the center drafted ninth overall two years ago who has fallen well shy of expectations, has quietly been spending a lot of time working out with assistant coach and former NBA player Clifford Ray...