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The Boston Celtics are stronger on both ends of the floor with Wallace

In what appears to be a very crazy off season in the NBA, the Boston Celtics and the camp of Rasheed Wallace makes it even crazier. Wallace is expected to get a two-year deal using the mid-level exception (expected to be about $5.6 million to $5.8 million).

The Celtics All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, owner Wyc Grousbeck, coach Doc Rivers, and president Danny Ainge met with Wallace last week.

Once Wallace signs the contract, the Boston Celtics will be one of the favorites to win the East or at least challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. As we know the Cavs and the Magic improved their lineup this off season in order to rise above a much improved Eastern Conference.

Will the Celtics sign Big Baby Davis?

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It’s still early in the summer and the Houston Rockets have already announced last week that Yao Ming’s foot isn’t healing well and it also looks like that he might miss the whole of next season. This foot had been bothering him in the past and required three pins to be inserted but it cracked when they were against the Los Angeles Lakers in last year’s playoff.

Initially the Rockets told us that Yao’s foot will be healed in 8 to 12 weeks but right now they don’t have an exact timeline when he would be able to play again. (more…)

Jason Kidd passed Magic Johnson for 3rd All Time in the NBA’s career assist List. This came on a game where Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks crushed the Suns’ playoff hopes with a convincing 140-116 win. He was able to reach the milestone, 10,142, in the second quarter on a dish to Josh Howard.

He had 16 assists in the first half and finished the game with 20 giving him a running total of 10,148. He received a standing ovation from the Mavericks’ crowd together with commentator Mark Jackson who is second in the list with 10,334. John Stockton is the all time assist leader with 15,806.

Kidd has been one of my favorite players of all time and it’s surprising how he has taken care of his health even after having a major knee surgery. Remember this guy is already 36 and he is still outplaying some of the younger guards. He has also been a surprise this year fantasy wise and to everyone who got him in the third round, your team must be doing well this year.

Here’s a video of Jason Kidd getting his 10,334th career assist:

Family and friends who were at Alonzo Mourning’s place last Sunday made a bet if he would cry or not when the Heat retires his number. He said he wouldn’t.

”I told them they’d lose that bet,” Mourning insisted.

“Y’all can go and collect your money,” Mourning said as he lost the bet but was a winner after the night’s celebration.

As his numbers rose to the rafters, Mourning couldn’t help but cry. His tears started rolling down his cheeks as he was focused on looking at his jersey number retired.

”If you can’t cry on a night like this,” said his former Georgetown coach John Thompson, “what the hell you need tears for!”

In the Heat’s 21-year history, this is the first time they will be retiring a player’s number. But no one is more than deserving than Alonzo Mourning, who played with so much passion for the game that it led him winning defensive player of the year honors twice and helping the team win the championship in 2006.

You can say that these are his greatest accomplishments but none better that how he fought a disease in his kidney and recovered from the operation in 2003. Another highlight or should I say highlights, are those time he has helped the community in Miami through his Alonzo Mourning Charities Inc. (where the Heat donated $50,000 on Monday). He has also touched the lives of kidney patients and has been active in his annual Zo’s groove fundraiser.

Alonzo Mourning should be named in the Hall of Fame in my opinion, as he has been a winner his whole career. We’d like to thank Mr. Mourning for everything his done for the game of basketball. Those games against the Knicks in the 90s are classic!

Right now, my fantasy teams are missing his close to 3 blocks a game.

Here’s a video of the Heat retiring Mourning’s jersey: (more…)

Candace Parker Pregnant

I would have to agree with Robert Littal of BSO that “sports media as whole tend to focus too much on the negative figures in the sports world.” We always see the drama of Stephon Marbury in the NBA, T.O. in the NFL and more more. What about those positive figures? Good thing there’s Candace Parker, the star of the LA Sparks. She is expecting a baby this spring. Baby?? Candace Parker having a baby?? What about basketball?? (more…)

Chris Paul and Jada Crawley

New Orleans star point guard and his pregnant girlfriend, Jada Crawley at the Fabulous 23 cocktail party and dinner reception held on February 13, 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The two are expecting a baby boy and this was planned.

President in Barack Obama who focuses on change has influenced Allen Iverson to cut his braids. But will this change in hairstyle help change the direction of the Detroit Pistons? According to Iverson, “they’re definitely not where they want to be.” Hopefully this haircut could bring that change so here’s the video of Iverson when his East All Star teammates first saw him without the braids. (more…)

Kobe Bryant Wallpaper

Want some Kobe Bryant news? Well, the Lakers star guard just became the youngest, at 30 years and 171 days old, to score 23,000 points in his career. That is quite an achievement for him to be a big part of NBA history – not that he hasn’t been already since Kobe’s 81 points is the second highest single-game point total in the NBA ever.

“It’s always fun whenever you talk about the history of the game,” Bryant said. “It’s always a tremendous honor.”

According to yahoo.com, “Wilt Chamberlain was formerly the youngest at 30 years, 176 days. He still ranks as the fastest to 23,000, reaching it in 606 games, while Bryant, who came straight from high school to the NBA, reached it in his 917th game.”

For his career, Kobe Bryant has averaged 25.1 points and won a scoring title. He has also won MVPs in the regular season and in the NBA Finals. Just last summer, he won an Olympic Gold Medal for the USA. What more can you ask from Kobe? What else should he accomplish in this league? How about winning the defensive player of the year award. Kobe Bryan is this year’s defensive player (not that he deserves it). It does sounds nice, isn’t it?

Alonzo Mourning, one of my favorite players in the NBA, has retired. He had been trying to come back from a devastating knee injury he suffered in 2007 but decided to leave the game. He’ll be leaving at the age of 38 but he won’t be forgotten as he had a wonderful career mostly with the Miami Heat.

“I truly feel it’s best that I retire,” he said. “When you’ve got something you love and you’re passionate about, it’s hard to let that go. But at 38 I feel I’ve physically done all I can for this game. It has been an amazing ride.

“It’s not a sad day, but it’s a day to celebrate. I can think of a million people right now that would have loved to walk the path I’ve walked. The ups and the downs made it even more joyous.”

The seven time all star is the Miami Heat’s best player and he was part of the Heat’s run to the championship in 2006. Fans won’t forget how this guy played and how much of a great person he is off the court. Of course other players won’t forget him too because they were victims of his blocks as this led him to winning the defensive player of the year honors twice.

What I admire about Alonzo Mourning is his toughness. This guy is a warrior. He had battled focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a career-threatening kidney disease in 2000. After a kidney transplant he was back on the court and doing what he does well and that’s wreak havoc on the defensive end.

The NBA needs players like Alonzo since he is just an inspiration when he plays. He plays with so much passion and plays great defense, which I think a lot of players these days lack.

In his 15 year career he averaged 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds a game for the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and a short stint for the New Jersey Nets. He also averaged 2.8 blocks per game for his career after being taken 2nd overall in the 1992 draft.

Here are some Alonzo Mourning videos I saw on youtube.

This video was a talk he gave in November 2008 about him overcoming his kidney failure. Great video and very inspirational.

When an injury to a team’s starter occurs, it give their back up players an opportunity to shine. I say opportunity because it doesn’t necessarily translate into success. It still depends if he’ll be making the most out of his minutes like what Paul Millsap is doing now that Carlos Boozer is out. Here are some of the starting centers who are out with injuries in the past month and their back ups you can pick up. (more…)