New Zealand basketball player Steven Adams announced today that he will declare for the NBA draft in June.
After insisting that he would return for his second year at Pitt, Adams has changed his mind and will sign with an agent, thereby forfeiting his final three seasons of college eligibility.
The 7-foot center announced his intentions today in a statement released by Pitt's athletic department.
"In discussing options with my family and Coach Dixon, I feel that it is in my best interest to declare for the NBA Draft," Adams said. "I want to thank everyone at Pitt, including my teammates, coaching staff, the administration and the fans who have all supported me over the last year."
Before his freshman college season, Adams was rated as a possible top ten NBA draft pick, but has slipped down the rankings due to some indifferent form throughout the year. He is still expected to be drafted in the first round.
Adams was named the Big East's preseason Rookie of the Year and was selected to the conference's All-Rookie team after averaging 7.2 points a game and leading the Panthers in blocked shots (65), rebounding (6.3) and field goal percentage (.571) in 32 starts.
The Panthers reached the NCAA basketball championships last month before losing to Wichita State 73-55 in the opening round. Adams led the side with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat.
"After talking with Steven and his family, we fully support him in this decision," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said in a statement. "We support him in choosing to pursue his dreams and in having the opportunity to provide for his family back in New Zealand. We will continue to stay involved in the process and he will always be a part of the Pitt Basketball family."
The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 27 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
If drafted, Adams -brother of Olympic gold medallist Valerie - would become just the third New Zealander to play in the NBA. Sean Marks was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1998 second round and played for six NBA teams before retiring after the 2010-11 season, while Kirk Penney had two games for the Heat in 2003/04 and then four for the LA Clippers in the 2004/05 season.
Basketball: Adams declares for NBA draft - Sport - NZ Herald News
After Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he would consider drafting Baylor's Brittney Griner, the age-old debate took off. Can the girls compete with the boys?
Nancy Lieberman has a better perspective than most. "There's not a man who would sell his soul and let her come down and dunk on him. They are going to knock her on her ass," Lieberman, the first woman to play in a men's professional league, said Wednesday. Since the 6-8 Griner plays the post, there is no way that she can physically compete with NBA players, Lieberman, one of the game's all-time greats, said. Even so, Lieberman, who played in the USBL in the late 1980s, said if Griner called her tomorrow for advice about the NBA, she would tell her: "Do it, girl. You can do this. You should go out there if you're afforded the opportunity because how many people in their lifetime would? You're going to do what nobody has ever done."
Ann Meyers Drysdale is similarly conflicted, but said she's looking forward to whatever Griner decides to do. If she does make an NBA roster, would she play? Would she be happier sitting on an NBA bench as a pioneer or playing 40 minutes and dominating in the WNBA?
Meyers Drysdale, the only woman ever to sign a free agent contract with an NBA team, the Indiana Pacers, in 1979, also sees the issue from both sides. She is the vice president of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury. And the Mercury have the No. 1 pick in the draft on April 15.
"She's a post player, she's 6-8 but with a small frame compared to a man's frame at that position," Meyers Drysdale said. "I'm looking forward to whatever she decides." Then there was UConn coach Geno Auriemma who said Cuban shouldn't waste his draft pick on June 27.
"I think it would be a sham," Auriemma said Wednesday. "The fact that a woman could actually play right now in the NBA and compete successfully against the level of play that they have is absolutely ludicrous."
"If Brittney Griner tries to make it to an NBA team, I think it would be a public relations thing," Auriemma said on a Final Four teleconference with reporters. Cuban is a financial genius, Auriemma said, but "his genius would take a huge hit if he drafted Brittney Griner."
When told of Auriemma's comments, Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard, the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters in the mid-1980s, disagreed."That's just one man's opinion," she said.
Woodard said Griner could make a NBA roster. "She's done things in the game no one else has," the Hall of Famer said. "Anyone who can catch, drop step while turning around to dunk on you is undoubtedly the greatest player ever."
Woodard said Griner has the potential to move to the two or three spot, which is what she would likely have to play in the NBA. Woodard said she's seen Griner run the floor before recalling a time she watched Griner, in her pre-Baylor days, compete against guys.
Cuban reiterated his interest in Griner on Wednesday. "We evaluate every draft eligible player on the planet," Cuban told USA TODAY Sports in an email when asked to respond to Auriemma's comments. "The chance of any college graduate selected at the end of the draft making a roster is very, very small. We wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't consider everyone.
"As I told the media (Tuesday), she would have to excel in workouts to get drafted. I have no problem giving her that opportunity. I hope she gives it a shot.
"Nothing harms an organization or company more than a closed mind."
As for Griner, she's game. "@mcuban so when do I show up for try-outs😡" she tweeted.
To make an NBA roster, it will take more than skill, Meyers Drysdale said. The greater challenges would come from factors beyond the court.
"It would be the media, what people are tweeting, web sites. Even now they've questioned her gender. Why are people so mean to her? She's a great kid," Meyers Drysdale said shortly before doing double-duty as a broadcaster for the Suns' game Wednesday. "She would be traveling on the road, the innuendoes what people would say. What would wives, girlfriends say? The loneliness of being on the road. That's the tough part. The playing part would probably be easy."
Few people felt the Los Angeles Lakers would spend the last portion of the 2012-13 NBA season competing desperately for a playoff spot. Even fewer people felt that success in the struggle would be rewarded with the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
It's been a while since the Lakers entered the NBA postseason seeded lower than third, which makes it unimaginable to think the Lakers could end this regular season as spectators.
The Lakers are already failures in most viewers' eyes because they could very well be the first team in NBA history to fail to qualify for the playoffs with four future Hall of Famers in the starting lineup
And honestly, how much satisfaction can really be had if the Lakers narrowly qualify for the playoffs?
Simply qualifying for the playoffs might be sufficient if Stephen Curry is your point guard, but fans in the land of Magic, Kareem, Shaq and Kobe expect a little more. Under normal circumstances, any team with Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol would be expected to contend for an NBA title. But reality often scoffs at the ruminations of man.
Injuries, bad chemistry, inconsistent defense and poor coaching have all contributed to the Lakers' paltry 39-36 record, but an upset win over San Antonio or Oklahoma City in the first round would wipe the slate clean.
Good luck with that.
The Lakers have shown little to prove they can beat the Spurs or Thunder in a seven-game series, and even if they do, so what?
This Lakers team might have the most talented starting five in the NBA even without Metta World Peace, but if you can manage to limit Kobe, the 2013 version of LeBron James could almost beat these Lakers by himself.
The Lakers simply don't have enough defensive intensity and focus to deny the Miami Heat their second consecutive NBA championship and third since 2006. But considering how this season has played out, a loss to Miami in the Finals would have to be considered a small victory.
There might be a few people who think the Lakers will suddenly transform into the juggernaut that was previously envisioned and bulldoze their way to Kobe's sixth ring, but there is nothing that has transpired recently to lend credence to that theory.
Unbelievably, the Lakers have managed to field one of the most talented starting fives in the history of professional basketball, while ironically having no hope that a 2013 title is within reach.
Did I mention those players have never even won a single game together? However, a championship this season for the Lakers may not be as important as proving they are in a position to contend for years to come.
Howard's affinity for life in Los Angeles might not be enough to sway him into re-signing with the Lakers long-term, but a hard, contested Finals series probably would.
The Lakers have almost no chance of meeting the lofty standards that were set for them once their super team was formed, and a 2013 title is probably out of the question, but a strong showing in the playoffs could change everything.
Reaching the Finals would not silence any doubters, but it would give LA hope, and it would also solidify the Lakers' hopes of retaining Howard for next season and beyond.
Do LA Lakers Need a 2013 NBA Title to Meet Expectations? | Bleacher Report
LeBron James and Kevin Durant were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month for March.
Miami Heat forward James captured his fifth straight Eastern Conference Player of the Month award by leading the Heat to a league-best 17-1 record. The Heat chased history, winning 27 straight games before falling to the Chicago Bulls 101-97 on March 27.
The 27 consecutive victories are the second most in NBA history, trailing only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (33), while the Heat's 17 wins in a single month established a league record. James averaged 25.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists while shooting 53 percent from the field for the month. He scored at least 20 points 14 times and shot at least 50 percent from the field in 13 contests.
Durant guided Oklahoma City to a 12-5 mark in March, averaging 27.6 points (tops in the NBA), 8.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line.
On pace to win his fourth consecutive scoring title, Durant scored 20-plus points 16 times and topped the 30-point plateau on seven occasions. Averaging a career-best 4.4 assists, Durant dished out at least five assists seven times. He also recorded two-plus blocks in eight games.
Here is a closer look at the month for James and Durant:
LeBron James, Miami Heat
March 18 @ Boston: Scored 13 of his team-high 37 points in the fourth quarter as Miami rallied to defeat the Celtics, 105-103.
March 20 @ Cleveland: Had his fourth triple-double this season with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 98-95 win vs. the Cavaliers.
March 29 @ New Orleans: Made a season-high seven three-pointers en route to 36 points in a 108-89 win vs. the Hornets.
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
March 3 @ L.A. Clippers: Tallied 35 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a 108-104 win vs. the Clippers.
March 17 @ Dallas: Scored 31 points and added nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a 107-101 triumph against the Mavericks.
March 24 vs. Portland: Finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 103-83 win vs. the Trail Blazers.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Boston's Jeff Green, Brooklyn's Deron Williams, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Indiana's Roy Hibbert, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Memphis' Mike Conley, New York's J.R. Smith and San Antonio's Tim Duncan.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant NBA players of the month
There were seven games on the NBA slate Saturday night, and six of them featured at least one playoff team.
The only contest between lottery squads saw a milestone reached that only seven other men have achieved in league history. There was one big upset on the night, and your only hint is that it involved an enormous evening from John Wall.
Continuing a familiar and annoying trend, numerous playoff-bound teams sat marquee starters for additional rest.
The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs each sat two members of their respective Big Threes, the Atlanta Hawks fielded a D-League lineup, and the Denver Nuggets began life without Danilo Gallinari.
The only game not worth mentioning in detail saw the Milwaukee Bucks clinch their first playoff berth in three years, so congratulations are due to head coach Jim Boylan.
In the midst of all that—and with the March hare still driving the nation mad—here are seven takeaways from all the action on Saturday night.
7 Takeaways from Saturday Night's Arresting NBA Action | Bleacher Report
Marty Blake, the NBA's longtime director of scouting, died Sunday. He was 86.
Blake worked in the NBA for more than 50 years and is considered the ''Godfather of scouting.'' The NBA said Blake died in Alpharetta, Ga., but didn't provide a cause of death.
Blake was general manager of the Hawks franchise before spending more than 35 years as the league's director of scouting. Commissioner David Stern said the NBA would ''forever be indebted to him.''
''Marty began his lifetime of service to basketball at a time when the league was still in its infancy,'' Stern said in a statement. ''His work as a general manager and then as director of scouting for the NBA first helped the teams to understand the value of scouting. Marty's dedication not just to the NBA, but to basketball was extraordinary and we will forever be indebted to him.''
Blake became a general manager at 27 and drafted Hall of Fame players such as Lenny Wilkens and Pete Maravich. He led the Hawks to the 1958 NBA title and was later the general manager of Pittsburgh's ABA franchise, but made his biggest impact in the field of scouting.
He began providing scouting reports to both NBA and ABA teams, and by 1976, Marty Blake & Associates came under the umbrella of the NBA league office. His reports and other vital player information were made available to all NBA teams.
He helped put together the first NBA predraft camp in 1982, and helped find and bring future NBA players such as Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Tim Hardaway and Dennis Rodman to the Portsmouth Invitational. Blake was honored in 2005 with the Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the highest award short of enshrinement.
He began his career in sports as a teenager, serving as a scorekeeper for the semi-pro Wilkes-Barre Barons of the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League. He later promoted everything from major boxing events to stock car races and minor league baseball games.
Blake retired just recently, and his son, Ryan, has taken his place.
Blake is survived by his wife, Marcia; children, Eliot, Sarah and Ryan; and five grandchildren. Arrangements for services in the suburban Atlanta area are pending.
Marty Blake, the 'godfather of scouting' in NBA, dies - NBA News | FOX Sports on MSN
Dwyane Wade won't rule out missing the rest of the regular season to recover from a right knee injury, but the Miami Heat star said Sunday he hopes to return before the playoffs.
Wade has missed six of the Heat's past eight games and is still dealing with soreness and swelling in the knee, which he has aggravated twice since initially injuring it a month ago.
"The most important thing is to be healthy," Wade said Sunday, addressing the media for the first time since he last played March 29. "So when I feel it, then I'll get back on the court. Obviously, I want to play. But I have to make sure that I'm right. You have to get healthy."
Wade is one of several key players for the defending NBA champions who have missed games recently as the team tries to balance rest and recovery before the April 20 start of the playoffs. LeBron James sat out three games before he returned Saturday from a hamstring injury to score 27 points in a blowout win against Philadelphia. "[My hamstring] was a little sore this morning, which I knew it would be," James said Sunday. "But I feel better today than I did a week ago. So I'm making progress."
Chris Bosh, who missed Saturday's game, is recovering from a hyperextended right knee and said Sunday he wasn't sure when he might try to return.
Wade, James and Bosh were among Miami's players, coaches and front-office staff members who attended Sunday's annual Heat Family Festival. The carnival-style event held outside of AmericanAirlines Arena raised more than $503,000 for local charities affiliated with the Heat.
While the injuries James and Bosh have been dealing with have been considered minor, there seems to be more concern around the team regarding Wade's situation.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Saturday that all three of his marquee players will be considered day to day for the rest of the regular season. But Spoelstra confirmed that Wade has been held back by consistent swelling in his knee.
Wade initially banged knees with a defender during a March 6 game against Orlando and aggravated the injury when he collided with another player two weeks later against Boston. Wade played through the discomfort a few more games before he sat out a back-to-back set against Charlotte and Orlando on March 24-25.
Wade returned for the March 27 loss in Chicago, which ended the Heat's 27-game winning streak, and also played two nights later in New Orleans. But he had a setback in each of those games, first spraining his right ankle when he stepped on Bulls forward Taj Gibson's foot and then took more hits and falls during the game against the Hornets.
"His body will tell us when we'll play him," Spoelstra said of Wade on Saturday. "He got hit right on top of his knee twice. He was able to resolve it, then get past it. But in the New Orleans game, he got beat up and was on the floor."
Wade seemed to downplay the severity of the swelling and the bruise on Sunday, but alluded to areas around the knee that have been the focus of his recent treatment sessions.
Because the Heat have clinched the No. 1 seed in the East and are closing in on securing the best overall record in the league, the team's approach is that it's best to be cautious down the stretch and get players healthy now. "We took care of business so we were able to say, 'We have these injuries, so let's take care of it now and be smart,'" Wade said. "I would love to be playing right now. As a player, if you get a couple of days off you, you want to get back to it. But I'm just trying to be smart with my doctors. When I feel like I can get back on the floor, then I will."
Wade has averaged 21.3 points, five rebounds and five assists in 66 games this season. This is the second straight season he has dealt with a knee injury heading into the playoffs.
Wade played through soreness in his left knee late last season and had it drained during the second round of the playoffs. He ultimately had surgery on the left knee last summer after the Heat beat Oklahoma City in the Finals.
With six games remaining on the Heat's regular-season schedule, Wade said he's hopeful he can get back on the court as early as this week. Miami plays Milwaukee on Tuesday, travels to Washington on Wednesday and hosts Boston on Friday.
"Obviously, the biggest thing is to get your wind back and get your legs back under you," Wade said. "But I've been around the block a few times. It'll be a little adjustment, but I'm not overly concerned about it. I do want to get back on the court before the playoffs to get a rhythm. Hopefully, sometime this week I can step back on the court."
Dwyane Wade of Miami Heat admits he might be out until NBA playoffs - ESPN
Junior guard Russ Smith will leave Louisville early to enter the NBA draft, according to his father.
Russ Smith Sr. said the Cardinals' leading scorer "did it all" during a college career that culminated with Louisville's 82-76 victory over Michigan on Monday night for the NCAA championship. That title, two Big East crowns and an all-conference first-team selection this season completes a resume he said made it easy for his son to move on to the next level. Smith's father said his son will announce his decision in the next week.
The 6-foot-1 Smith averaged 18.7 points this season, including 22.3 in six NCAA tournament games. But he struggled in the Cardinals' title-clinching victory, missing 13 of 16 shots and finishing with nine points.
Nonetheless, Smith Sr. said, "he's going."
"Last night didn't bother him," Smith said Tuesday. "Even if he had gone 20 for 30, he just wanted to win. He's happy for the guys that stepped up when he was struggling. That's how I taught him to play."
Calls to Louisville's athletic department were not immediately returned. Cardinals players returned Tuesday to campus from Atlanta but coach Rick Pitino, members of the basketball staff, athletic director Tom Jurich and several administrative staffers went to New Orleans to watch the Louisville women play Connecticut in the NCAA final.
Smith has not hired an agent but his father said he plans to have input into that decision. His departure would likely leave Louisville without three starters from the championship team; guard Peyton Siva is graduating and 6-10 junior center Gorgui Dieng is expected to enter the NBA draft as well.
Nicknamed "Russdiculous" by Pitino because of his wild and unpredictable play, the slight but agile Smith provided plenty of highlights for the Cardinals -- along with questionable shot selection. Before hitting a bump Monday, he was playing his best basketball this season. He averaged 25 points and three steals in the first five games of the tournament.
His father insisted those are signs he's ready to take the next step.
"At this point, there's no other reason for him to come back," Smith said. "He's had two sound years and did it all. He could come back next year but it might jeopardize his health. You've got to strike while the iron is hot."
Russ Smith of Louisville Cardinals to enter NBA draft, according to father - ESPN
Indiana sophomore center Cody Zeller is heading to the NBA.
Zeller announced his plans to enter the 2013 NBA Draft during a Wednesday news conference at Assembly Hall.
"The past two years here have been probably the best two years of my life," Zeller said. "Being able to play basketball for these coaches and with the guys in that locker room and in front of the fans of Indiana has been great. At this part in my life I think it's best for me to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA."
On Tuesday, Indiana junior guard Victor Oladipo announced his decision to enter the draft.
Zeller averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds this season for the Hoosiers, who won the Big Ten regular-season title and finished with a record of 29-7 after losing to Syracuse in the East Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Over two seasons at Indiana, Zeller scored 1,157 points in 72 games.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban got himself some publicity last week by saying he'd consider drafting Baylor women's basketball star Brittney Griner in this year's NBA Draft. A few days later, UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma strongly disagreed with Cuban's idea that the 6-8 post player could play professionally against men.
During a conference call, Auriemma called the idea a "sham" and "absolutely ludicrous."
To settle the dispute, Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley gave his opinion on the topic.
Barkley, a Wednesday guest on The Dan Patrick Show, made it very clear that he sides with Auriemma. Not only did Barkley say Griner couldn't play in the NBA but he said she couldn't play in the NBA Developmental League.
"I agree with Geno," Barkley said. "If [Cuban] brought her in, yeah, they'd sell some tickets to the summer league, which I don't understand what type of losers would go to the summer league, anyway. I agree with Geno, 100 percent. A girl can't play against men. Listen, it's just a publicity [stunt]. Mark's one of my great friends, but a woman can't play against a man."
Barkley said if Griner got an opportunity to play for an NBA D-League team her competition would go against her "aggressively because you're offended that she's trying to play against you, because it is kind of an insult to you."
When Patrick tried to make the argument that possibly a smaller woman, like a guard, could compete in the NBA, Barkley quickly shot that idea down, too.
"Dan, Dan, Dan, stop it," Barkley responded. "A woman can't play against a man. Come on, man. A little woman, a big woman, come on. A woman can't play in the NBA."
Not sure if that settles it, but it's always entertaining to hear Barkley's opinion, especially knowing he's not going to sit on the fence.
Where will the Kings play next season? The NBA's heart says Sacramento, and its head says Seattle.
The wallet favors Seattle as well, following a decision late Friday by its potential ownership group to raise its overall bid to a league-record $550 million. Prior to kicking in the additional $25 million, the Seattle group already had an agreement with the Maloof family to buy 65 percent of the Kings.
The sentiment of maintaining the team's roots continues to benefit the potential ownership group in Sacramento. However, the dollars and facts that separate the two competing bids stand decidedly in favor of a move to the Pacific Northwest, according to a league source who attended Seattle's presentation to eight NBA owners last week in New York.
"We've never had a situation like this," said commissioner David Stern last week. Instead of calling for a vote on the future of the Kings at the board of governors meeting April 18-19, Stern warned of a delay on a final decision in order to give owners more time to analyze the choice between moving the team to Seattle and keeping it in Sacramento. The delay has created more time for Sacramento, which also presented its own plan to keep the Kings. Sacramento has been scrambling to assemble an ownership group and arena strategy that can compete with Seattle, which has been developing its plan for more than two years.
It is going to be a hard decision either way because something more than money is involved as Sacramento fights to keep its team. Seattle's fans understand the pain: Their Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 because local government would not work with the NBA to build a new arena.
The passion of Seattle to regain what was lost was displayed throughout its presentation, in which the group, led by investor Chris Hansen -- and backed by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer -- emphasized the strengths of its bid while relentlessly pointing out the weaknesses of Sacramento's plan. The league source told SI.com that the main points on behalf of Seattle included:
• A franchise in Seattle would pay into the NBA's new revenue-sharing plan, while Sacramento would be receiving bailouts from revenue-sharing.
• The economy of Seattle is growing, while Sacramento's is shrinking -- and media rights for an NBA franchise in Seattle would be almost double the rights fees earned by Sacramento.
• A new arena in Sacramento cannot be built within three years, as proposed by Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson. Based on an intrinsic set of checks-and-balances in California that have delayed local stadium projects by the Giants and 49ers, the Kings can expect to need at least six years to complete a new arena in Sacramento. The current site for a new arena in downtown Sacramento may not be viable.
The Seattle group laid out the recent history of arena building projects in the Sacramento region for NBA owners. The 49ers began their project to build a facility in Santa Clara, 88 miles from Sacramento, in August 2008; the new stadium is expected to open in 2014. The Giants launched their new stadium project 75 miles from Sacramento in April 1996, and it opened in 2000. The Warriors began work on a new arena in December 2012 with an anticipated opening in 2017.
Sacramento faces numerous issues in its attempt to complete its new arena project. The proposed downtown site involves at least 25 parcels of land that are controlled by five independent owners. Two previous attempts to plan an arena at the site have been abandoned because of high costs and other complications.
A 2004 Sacramento city cost estimate revealed that one million square feet would be demolished and more than 1,000 jobs would be displaced. The same report by the city valued the "hard costs" of building an arena downtown at $559 million. The current Sacramento plan prices the same work in 2013 at the same site at $345 million. In other words, according to the presentation made by Seattle, the Sacramento bid projects that the costs of land acquisition, demolition, infrastructure, construction and other overhead charges have fallen inexplicably by $214 million over the last nine years.
A 2005 Sacramento City Council report investigated the current downtown site and concluded: "This site has been previously studied and evaluated ... it offers exciting opportunities within a downtown setting yet has significant development issues. Due to its existing use as an urban shopping mall, this site is expensive to purchase and prepare for construction. Demolition and construction are difficult to complete without disruption to existing businesses. In addition, there are issues associated with historic structures. Staff believes that the costs associated with this site, as estimated by the consultant team, make it infeasible."
Sacramento's current plan calls for a new arena to open on this site in 2016.
No such issues exist for the Seattle site on the southern edge of downtown. The parcel is owned entirely by the group that is trying to buy the Kings. Hansen began working to purchase the land before his interest in building an NBA arena became public.
The economies of the two competing cities was another big part of Seattle's presentation to NBA owners. The online retailer Amazon is building a 3.3 million square-foot campus in Seattle that will serve as one of the country's largest corporate headquarters in a city location. As many as 17,000 young college-educated workers are expected to be hired by Amazon in Seattle, which could increase Seattle's annual GDP by more than 15 percent.
Hansen's group told NBA owners that Seattle has 13 companies rated in the Fortune 1000; Sacramento has none. The Seattle economy has been ranked among the top five in the U.S. for the last four years, according to the independent research firm POLICOM, while Sacramento has dropped from No. 19 in 2011 to No. 55 this year. The Seattle group told owners that Sacramento's fall has been structural
An empty chair sat in front of Kobe Bryant's locker Sunday night, and the Los Angeles Lakers realized they would have to fill it together.
With their playoff hopes likely on the line against powerful San Antonio, the Lakers cobbled together a group effort that kept them in the hunt.
Dwight Howard had 26 points and 17 rebounds, and the Lakers staged a dramatic rally in the fourth quarter to win their first game since losing Bryant for the season, beating the Spurs 91-86 on Sunday night to stay in playoff position. Steve Blake scored 23 points for the Lakers (44-37), who lead Utah (42-38) by 1½ games for the eighth postseason spot in the Western Conference after their seventh victory in eight games -- even with Bryant watching from home following surgery on his torn Achilles tendon.
The Lakers weren't exactly relishing a future without their leading scorer, but they warmed to the challenge down the stretch.
"It definitely gives us confidence that if we play as hard as we did tonight, we can beat anybody," said Pau Gasol, who had seven points and 16 rebounds.
Bryant limped off the Staples Center floor Friday night, his 17th NBA season finished. He'll be largely immobile for the next few weeks, but he tweeted a plan to call in at halftime with adjustments for his teammates.
Most of the Lakers said they didn't actually hear from Kobe, but they knew he was proud.
"Whew!! Well done my dudes. Well done. UNO MAS (hash)playoffs," Bryant tweeted after the game.
The Lakers all shared Bryant's playmaking and defensive duties, working together imperfectly but effectively. Blake filled in for injured point guard Steve Nash and provided an unexpected scoring punch along with top reserve Antawn Jamison, who scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. "We knew everybody doubted us, but that's fine," Howard said. "We're going to push even harder. I told our guys before the game, 'Nobody believes we can win. We've just got to go out there and play like it. We're all professional athletes. We've all done some great things in our career, so why not just go out there and play hard, and let everything happen?' "
Los Angeles blew open a tied game with a 15-4 run midway through the fourth. Bryant's starting replacement, Jodie Meeks, hit two 3-pointers during the rally, and Blake added three free throws in the final seconds while the Lakers fended off Tim Duncan's late rally for the Spurs.
The Lakers were clunky at times, with Gasol missing 12 of his first 13 shots and Howard struggling at the free-throw line when San Antonio intentionally fouled him in the third quarter. They were still markedly effective, with a late-game smoothness they haven't often shown this season.
"Kobe is such a dominating player," Blake said. "He's going to have the ball in his hands, and we always want to play through him. Tonight, I think everybody felt they could show what they can do."
Los Angeles only needs one more victory or one Utah loss to clinch its 16th playoff berth in Bryant's career. The Jazz visit Minnesota on Monday before finishing the season against Memphis, while the Lakers have the next two days off before their finale at home against Houston.
Duncan had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who have lost six consecutive road games. San Antonio (58-22) is likely to finish second in the West behind Oklahoma City (59-21), which holds the tiebreaker.
Tony Parker scored only four points on 1-of-10 shooting while playing for just the fourth time in April, possibly slowed by his injured shin in the Spurs' first game since waiving disenchanted forward Stephen Jackson. San Antonio is headed into another postseason as a top-two seed, but the Spurs have lost five of eight after failing to complete a season sweep of the Lakers.
"We didn't match their energy at all," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "I just thought we sort of floated through the game. Duncan was great, as usual. Timmy is a pro. ... He's really the only guy on the team that played like somebody who wanted to win a championship."
Duncan echoed Popovich's concerns about the Spurs' recent play while also expressing surprise at Popovich's decision to disrupt the team's chemistry by dumping Jackson so close to the postseason. Kawhi Leonard, whose increased prominence led to Jackson's dissatisfaction and dismissal, managed just eight points in 33 minutes against the Lakers, making only one field goal.
"We're two games away from the playoffs, and Manu [Ginobili] is still not here, Tony is still finding his rhythm," Duncan said. "We're not scoring at the rate we need to, but we're a veteran team, and we're confident we can get it together."
The Spurs couldn't have anticipated that the Lakers' biggest offensive surprise would be their backup point guard: Blake scored 14 points in the second quarter and hit four 3-pointers, fearlessly stepping up to create shots while Nash missed his seventh consecutive game with a right hamstring injury. Los Angeles is hoping Nash can return for the season finale.
Notes
Blake outscored Parker 18-2 in the first half.
The Lakers signed G Andrew Goudelock in time for the second-year pro to be in uniform. Goudelock was Los Angeles' second-round pick in 2011, and he showed enough scoring promise in 40 games of action last season to earn the nickname "Mini Mamba" from Lakers fans. He was waived in training camp last fall and spent this season with two NBA D-League teams. Goudelock would be eligible for the postseason if the Lakers make it.
Charlize Theron, Edward James Olmos and Andy Garcia watched near courtside.
NBA Recap - San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers - Apr 14, 2013 - CBSSports-com
Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel will enter the N.B.A. draft. Noel, a 6-foot-10 freshman, is projected to be a lottery pick despite sustaining a season-ending knee injury Feb. 12. He led the nation with 4.4 blocks a game, and averaged 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. Noel also had 50 steals for Kentucky (21-12), earning Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year honors, along with first team all-conference honors.
THE San Antonio Spurs gave their playoff push an added boost Tuesday by signing two-time league scoring champ Tracy McGrady for the rest of the National Basketball Association season.
The 33-year-old McGrady recently finished playing in the Chinese Basketball Association, with the Qingdao Eagles where he averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
McGrady last played in the NBA in 2011-12, averaging 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds over 52 games with Atlanta.
In 982 NBA games, the veteran McGrady averaged 19.6 points and 5.6 rebounds with the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Hawks.
Many NBA fans would remember McGrady for his time with the Rockets, during which he formed a formidable partnership with Chinese centre Yao Ming. During that time he famously brought the Rockets back to victory - ironically against the team he will now join - by scoring an astonishing 13 points in the final 33 seconds of the match.
WATCH THE WIN IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
The Rockets had trailed San Antonio by 10 points before McGrady hit a series of big three pointers, including the game-winner with just 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock, to cap Houston's remarkable comeback.
San Antonio waived veteran forward Stephen Jackson on Friday.
Here's the schedule for the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs. All times local, then ET. * indicates "if necessary."
Western Conference
Houston vs. Oklahoma City
Game 1 - Sun April 21 Houston at Oklahoma City 8:30PM 9:30PM
Game 2 - Wed April 24 Houston at Oklahoma City 6:00PM 7:00PM
Game 3 - Sat April 27 Oklahoma City at Houston 8:30PM 9:30PM
Game 4 - Mon April 29 Oklahoma City at Houston TBD TBD TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1 Houston at Oklahoma City TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3 Oklahoma City at Houston TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5 Houston at Oklahoma City TBD TBD TBD
San Antonio vs. L.A. Lakers
Game 1 - Sun April 21 L.A. Lakers at San Antonio 2:30PM 3:30PM
Game 2 - Wed April 24 L.A. Lakers at San Antonio 8:30PM 9:30PM
Game 3 - Fri April 26 San Antonio at L.A. Lakers 7:30PM 10:30PM
Game 4 - Sun April 28 San Antonio at L.A. Lakers 4:00PM 7:00PM
Game 5 * Tue April 30 L.A. Lakers at San Antonio TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2 San Antonio at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4 L.A. Lakers at San Antonio TBD TBD
Denver vs. Golden State
Game 1 - Sat April 20 Golden State at Denver 3:30PM 5:30PM
Game 2 - Tue April 23 Golden State at Denver 8:30PM 10:30PM
Game 3 - Fri April 26 Denver at Golden State 7:30PM 10:30PM
Game 4 - Sun April 28 Denver at Golden State 6:30PM 9:30PM
Game 5 * Tue April 30 Golden State at Denver TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2 Denver at Golden State TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4 Golden State at Denver TBD TBD
L.A. Clippers vs. Memphis
Game 1 - Sat April 20 Memphis at L.A. Clippers 7:30PM 10:30PM
Game 2 - Mon April 22 Memphis at L.A. Clippers 7:30PM 10:30PM
Game 3 - Thu April 25 L.A. Clippers at Memphis 8:30PM 9:30PM
Game 4 - Sat April 27 L.A. Clippers at Memphis 3:30PM 4:30PM
Game 5 * Tue April 30 Memphis at L.A. Clippers TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3 L.A. Clippers at Memphis TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5 Memphis at L.A. Clippers TBD TBD TBD
Eastern Conference
Miami vs. Milwaukee
Game 1 - Sun April 21 Milwaukee at Miami 7:00PM 7:00PM
Game 2 - Tue April 23 Milwaukee at Miami 7:30PM 7:30PM
Game 3 - Thu April 25 Miami at Milwaukee 6:00PM 7:00PM
Game 4 - Sun April 28 Miami at Milwaukee 2:30PM 3:30PM
Game 5 * Tue April 30 Milwaukee at Miami TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2 Miami at Milwaukee TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4 Milwaukee at Miami TBD TBD
New York vs. Boston
Game 1 - Sat April 20 Boston at New York 3:00PM 3:00PM
Game 2 - Tue April 23 Boston at New York 8:00PM 8:00PM
Game 3 - Fri April 26 New York at Boston 8:00PM 8:00PM
Game 4 - Sun April 28 New York at Boston 1:00PM 1:00PM
Game 5 * Wed May 1 Boston at New York TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3 New York at Boston TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5 Boston at New York TBD TBD TBD
Indiana vs. Atlanta
Game 1 - Sun April 21 Atlanta at Indiana 1:00PM 1:00PM
Game 2 - Wed April 24 Atlanta at Indiana 7:30PM 7:30PM
Game 3 - Sat April 27 Indiana at Atlanta 7:00PM 7:00PM
Game 4 - Mon April 29 Indiana at Atlanta TBD TBD TBD
Game 5 * Wed May 1 Atlanta at Indiana TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 3 Indiana at Atlanta TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 5 Atlanta at Indiana TBD TBD TBD
Brooklyn vs. Chicago
Game 1 - Sat April 20 Chicago at Brooklyn 8:00PM 8:00PM
Game 2 - Mon April 22 Chicago at Brooklyn 8:00PM 8:00PM
Game 3 - Thu April 25 Brooklyn at Chicago 7:30PM 8:30PM
Game 4 - Sat April 27 Brooklyn at Chicago 1:00PM 2:00PM
Game 5 * Mon April 29 Chicago at Brooklyn TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Thu May 2 Brooklyn at Chicago TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 4 Chicago at Brooklyn TBD TBD
2013 NBA Playoffs first-round schedule - CBSSports-com
The NBA toughened its anti-flopping rules for the playoffs, perhaps giving the Lakers an unintended nudge.
The team widely expected to meet the Miami Heat in the Finals made a sham-mockery of the season's first four months, not to mention its league-high $100-million payroll, before securing a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season.
Not that forward Metta World Peace believes the Lakers will be an easy out given that they have won five consecutive games, a relatively epic streak by their standards.
"We're very scary," World Peace said Wednesday night. "Like Halloween. Boo."
Miami has put the fear of LeBron James in the rest of the NBA, with the league's best player somehow improving while helping his team attain the top seeding in the Eastern Conference — by 12 games.
The Heat's first-round opponent, sub-.500 Milwaukee, is so bad that it should be shipped to Dayton, Ohio, for a play-in game.
Among other alleged challengers in the East, New York has not won a playoff series since 2000, Indiana is missing its most dynamic player in Danny Granger and Brooklyn's Big Three pose about as much of a threat to their Miami counterparts as "The Golden Girls'" Blanche, Rose and Dorothy would in a pickup game in South Beach.
So let's dispense with the formalities and pencil in Miami to reach the Finals. You can use a Sharpie if you'd like.
The West is trickier to predict. James Harden is no longer in Oklahoma City, unless you count his appearances there in the opening two games of Houston's first-round series against the Thunder.
The Rockets, who hemorrhage points on defense like a Saturn V leaks fuel, won't make it back to Chesapeake Energy Arena for Game 5.
San Antonio should get past the Lakers with ease in the first round, unless the injured Kobe Bryant can tweet the Spurs into submission. A four-game sweep would ease some of the heartbreak lingering from Derek Fisher's point-four fling in 2004.
But old-and-slow San Antonio will have trouble with run-and-fun Denver in the conference semifinals, particularly if Kenneth Faried's ankle holds up. The Nuggets, owners of an NBA-best 38-3 home record, need to win only one game at the AT&T Center to make the series a mile-high mess for the Spurs.
The Clippers are eager to take Lob City to new heights after the low of being swept in the conference semifinals last season. Memphis in the first round shouldn't be too tough — been there, won that — but the Thunder and Serge Ibaka's rogue right hand will await in the next round.
Oklahoma City swept the regular-season series, three games to none, providing a psychological edge before the opening tip. The Thunder will also have the home-court advantage and a pair of freakish talents named Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. See ya, Clippers.
A Thunder-Nuggets conference finals might not thrill TV executives, but it should be a winner for those who love epic thrillers. Or maybe you weren't watching in early March when Ty Lawson's 21-foot jumper with 0.2 seconds left capped a wild Nuggets victory over the Thunder.
Can a series go nine games?
Here's guessing Oklahoma City wins the West, setting up a Finals rematch against Miami. It's tempting to go with the Thunder until you remember it no longer has Harden and the Heat still has James.
Oklahoma City does have Fisher, who at 38 is more likely to make news for a flopping fine than a clutch shot.
As a friendly reminder, there are no warnings for faking contact in the playoffs; the league is imposing a $5,000 fine for the first offense.
Fisher has bigger worries, of course. There are worse kinds of flops in the playoffs.
What to expect from teams leading up to the NBA Finals - latimes-com
After helping the Brooklyn Nets to relocate from New Jersey to his hometown borough this season, Jay-Z announced Friday that he will be selling his stake in the pro basketball team.
Earlier this month, the rapper and entrepreneur launched Roc Nation Sports, a joint-venture sports management agency with Creative Arts Agency.
National Basketball Association rules stipulate that agents can't both represent professional athletes and have a stake in a team. For Jay-Z to move forward as an agent, he had to relinquish control of the sports franchise.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, explained his departure in the following statement:
"Being a member of the Nets organization surpassed some of my greatest ambitions. It was never about an investment; it was about the NETS and Brooklyn. My job as an owner is over but as a fan it has just begun. I'm a Brooklyn Net forever. It's been an honor to work with Mikhail Prokhorov, Dmitry Razumov, Christophe Charlier, ONEXIM Sports and Entertainment, Brett Yormark and all the wonderful people involved in making the Nets first class. My sincerest thanks goes to Bruce Ratner, who first introduced the idea of moving the Nets to Brooklyn. A thank you and deepest appreciation goes to the fans. You are the lifeblood of any team."
The statement continued: "The Nets have made their mark on the NBA and as they enter a new era, Roc Nation does as well; as we embark on Roc Nation Sports. Our newest endeavor is committed to building the brands of professional athletes as we have done for some of today's top music artists. For Roc Nation Sports to function at its full potential, NBA rules stipulate that I relinquish my ownership in the Brooklyn Nets. It was a tough decision but as I stated earlier, it's not about ownership. Congratulations to The Nets on a great season and making the playoffs! I will always be a Brooklyn Net."
Roc Nation Sports signed New York Yankees all-star second basement Robinson Cano as its first client.
Friday was far from normal for the Celtics. They hadn't been home since Tuesday, the day after the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and wounded more than 170. They had flown straight from Toronto, where they concluded their regular season, to New York for the beginning of their first-round playoff series with the Knicks. The terror of Friday's daylong manhunt for the suspected bombers reached them at Columbia University, where they were practicing. "Stay in the house!" they shouted into their cell phones, to their loved ones back at home, unable as they were to protect them themselves.
Their practice, said head coach Doc Rivers, was sloppy and unfocused, and understandably so. Rajon Rondo, their injured point guard, was supposed to join his teammates yesterday, but he was locked down like the rest of Boston.
"Yesterday was a strange day," said Rivers early Saturday afternoon. "Thank gosh it's over. I'm sure our players can exhale."
He added: "What that does today, I have no idea."
Just before tip-off on Saturday, in a game that ended as a 85-78 Knicks win, it seemed as if the emotions of the last week might carry over. Reporters hurried to post photos to Twitter of the small black patches the Celtics wore on the right shoulder of their jerseys -- "BOSTON STANDS AS ONE," they read. The Boston Fire Department Color Guard and representatives of the FDNY presented the colors together. About ten minutes before the game began, Carmelo Anthony and Paul Pierce offered brief remarks to the crowd at Madison Square Garden about the week's events.
"We, as New Yorkers, understand what you guys are going through, so once again we want to send our prayers out and our condolences to the city of Boston and the people of Boston as well," Anthony said to warm applause.
"The Boston Celtics, the city of Boston, would like to thank you for your support, and all the support from people around the country throughout this tragic event," Pierce said. "Boston will rise and run again." More applause.
Then it was as if a switch had been flipped. "Let's go Knicks!" the crowd chanted even as a saxophonist played the national anthem. As the Celtics' starting lineup was announced, it was lustily booed, and the players were booed even more as they jumped around together near the free throw line. The few Celtics fans in the arena were admonished when they applauded their team's early baskets. "Is this guy serious?" shouted one blue-wearing fan. "No clapping!" Mark Sanchez, the Jets' perennially struggling quarterback, was booed also, when he was revealed to be in the crowd.
The game, too, progressed as might have been expected even before Monday's tragedy and the events that followed. Carmelo Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, was unstoppable early (he scored ten of the Knicks' first 12 points) and unstoppable late (eight of their last 13). Even though his shot failed him for a while -- he hit just 13 of 29 attempts -- he still finished with a game-high 36 points, having averaged 36.9 in the regular season's final month. J.R. Smith was his usual maddening, disruptive self (he chipped in 15 points, with five rebounds and five assists). The Knicks' deep cadre of wizened veterans did their wizened veteran things, especially Jason Kidd (eight points, three steals) and Kenyon Martin. Martin took over when it mattered for a still gimpy Tyson Chandler, still bothered by a neck injury, who went scoreless in 20 minutes in his first game in three weeks. Martin had nine rebounds and ten points, the last two on a layup after a terrific catch of an Anthony bullet pass that gave New York its winning margin.
The Celtics, too, played as expected. They are a proud team, and despite their coach's worry about an emotional hangover they played to a high level through halftime. They entered the break with a 53-49 lead, thanks in large measure to 20 first-half points from Jeff Green. But then the troubles that led them to lose 11 of their last 17 regular season games reemerged. Kevin Garnett, who did not play in 12 of those games due to an inflamed ankle, was not himself, scoring just eight points on four of 12 shooting. A thin bench -- Rivers gave court time to just eight players -- did very little, as Jordan Crawford, Courtney Lee and Jason Terry combined to go zero for seven from the field in nearly 51 combined minutes.
Mostly, the absence of Rondo -- who made it to New York for the game and watched from the bench -- continued to hurt them. Rondo's intelligence makes him an asset in practices ("I always tell him, if he wasn't so crazy, he'd be a great coach," said Rivers), but his ruptured ACL might continue to doom his team in games. Without the NBA assists leader's facilitating, the Celtics' players resorted to standing around, holding the ball and trying to make their own play when they weren't hoping that Pierce (who had 21 points) would make one for them.
"Couldn't get `em out of it," Rivers said. "We were making post passes from the other side of the floor. Those are not good passes." In the fourth quarter, the Celtics scored as many points as they committed turnovers: eight.
After it was over, the talk almost exclusively concerned basketball. How the Knicks' defense had stiffened ("Second half, we were as solid as we've been all year, from a defensive standpoint," said Knicks head coach Mike Woodson). How the Celtics' struggles stemmed not from what they and their city had endured this week, but, simply, from their makeup and performance. "Emotionally, we were pretty good, to be honest," Rivers said. "We just stopped playing the right way."
It will be difficult, in this series, for the Celtics to start playing the right way for any extended period of time, particularly as they can't expect 26 points from Green again, nor a 13-of-29 afternoon from Anthony. "What more do you want?" Green asked, about Anthony's shooting.
"It felt like old times," said Kenyon Martin. He was refe
LeBron James began the Miami Heat's playoff campaign with a display of deadly efficiency today, leading the defending NBA champions to a 110-87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
James had 27 points, snaffled 10 rebounds and dished eight assists, leading all players in those categories. He also finished 9/11 shooting.
His performance may have lacked the dominance of some of his previous displays, but cracking 80% shooting for the first time in a post-season game left Bucks head coach Jim Boylan wondering how he could stop James.
"He was incredibly efficient," he said. "When you have a game like that what can you do?
"I thought Luc [Mbah a Moute] and Marquis [Daniels] battled him well, tried to make him as uncomfortable as possible, but the guy is the best player in the world right now, so what can you do? You just tip your hat to him."
Ray Allen put up 20 points for Miami, with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade making 15 and 16 points. Chris Andersen made his heavily-tattooed presence felt with 10 points and seven rebounds in lively bursts from the bench.
"He is in playoff mode - we love him in that mode," said Wade. "Now he is focused on his goal, and his goal is to dominate every game and help take this team to a championship."
James, who was critical of the team's 19 turnovers, including five from himself, joked that he was making a rod for his own back with his shooting percentage.
"I'm setting the bar, actually too high for myself, shooting nine-of-11. If I go nine-for-18, you'll look at me crazy. "We have so many threats out on the floor, it just allows me to go out there without stress. We have so many guys who can also make plays."
But that team element works both ways for the Heat, with James' presence looming so large that opponents sometimes find it tough to keep their focus across the court.
"It's not so much his scoring, it's the way he gets everyone else involved," said Brandon Jennings, who led Milwaukeee with 26 points.
"Every time he has the ball, he draws so much attention to himself, so sometimes you can be falling asleep out there, because you are just so worried about what LeBron is going to do."
The series continues with Game Two in Miami on Wednesday (NZT).
Triple double
Earlier, guard Paul George collected a triple double of 23 points/11 rebounds/12 assists, as hosts Indiana took Game One of their series from Atlanta 107-90.
George went 17/18 from the free-throw line to lead a 30/34 effort from the stripe by the Pacers. George Hill added 18 points and Roy Hibbert had 16 for Indiana, which will host Game Two of the best-of-seven series on Thursday (NZT).
Jeff Teague recorded 21 points and seven assists, and Josh Smith scored 15, as the Hawks dropped their opening post-season game for the first time since 2008 at Boston.
The Pacers used a 13-2 run in the first quarter to take the lead and did not trail again. They went ahead 77-61, after Lance Stephenson's three-pointer with 4m 52s left in the third.
In the Western Conference, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili scored 18 points apiece, as host San Antonio pulled away 91-79 in the second half of its first-round opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tim Duncan added 17 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Spurs, who entered the post-season with three straight losses, but raised their game to take a 1-0 lead into Thursday's Game two of the best-of-seven series.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 16 and 16 rebounds for the Lakers, who struggled from the perimeter without injured superstar Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles went 3/15 from three-point range.
San Antonio trailed only once - Lakers scored first - and took a 70-57 lead entering the fourth.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and Russell Westbrook had 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, as hosts Oklahoma City Thunder routed Houston Rockets.
The top-seeded Thunder never trailed en route to matching the largest margin of victory in a post-season game in the franchise's five seasons since relocating from Seattle.
James Harden scored 20 points as the only starter in double figures for the eighth-seeded Rockets, who were playing their first playoff game in four years. The other Houston starters combined for just 28 points.
The Thunder led by 13 points at halftime and quickly increased the advantage to 74-54 on two free throws by Westbrook with 8m 07s left in the third quarter.
Game Two is in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
LeBron on fire, as Heat coast in NBA playoff opener - Basketball News | TVNZ
Throughout Chicago's injury-ravaged regular season, one that has yet to see Derrick Rose slip on a uniform, one that ended with Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson battling through a smorgasbord of strains, bumps and bruises, what has haunted coach Tom Thibodeau most is this: The defense has suffered. It was still good. The brilliance of Thibodeau is in his system, disciplined, flawlessly executed, with players programmed to relentlessly contest every shot. Chicago ranked sixth in the league in defensive efficiency this season and top-10 in critical categories like defensive field-goal percentage and points allowed. By NBA standards, it's elite; by the Bulls, which ranked in the top-two in all three defensive metrics in Thibodeau's first two seasons, it needed work.
Still, addressing a roomful of reporters before Game 2 of the Nets-Bulls first round series, Brooklyn coach P.J. Carlesimo issued an emphatic warning: We have to push the tempo, Carlesimo said. We can't get into a half court game with them. On Monday night, Carlesimo's worst fears were realized: Chicago dealt Brooklyn a 90-82 defeat, limiting the Nets to 35.4 percent shooting, including 19.0 percent from the 3-point line. Brooklyn's transition offense stalled (15 fast break points), and with the Bulls clogging the lane the Nets were limited to just 30 points in the paint.
"We were playing against their halfcourt defense a lot and missed shots," deadpanned Carlesimo. "Most of the shots we missed were because they defended us so well, and they were contested."
Indeed, with the roster resembling a M.A.S.H. unit, the Bulls' best chance to advance is still with a suffocating defense. In so many ways, it has been a challenging season for Chicago. The absence of Rose has been an never-ending saga, but it is hardly the only issue the Bulls have had to deal with. Unwilling to shell out the money to keep Omer Asik, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson around in the offseason, Thibodeau was forced to teach his system to a new crop of players which, coupled with the string of injuries, caused the defense to slip beneath standard.
"We had a lot of injuries," Deng said. "The first two years, we were able to stay healthy the majority of the season. This year we had a lot of guys in and out, that affected us."
At its best, though, the Bulls' defense is stifling. The team held what guard Jimmy Butler called a "brutal" film session on Sunday, dissecting the mistakes made in Game 1. Up a point at halftime on Monday, Chicago shut down the Nets in the third, holding Brooklyn to 11 points on 2-of-19 shooting to extend the lead to 12 at the end of the quarter. Every time a Nets guard rose up for a jump shot, a Chicago defender was there to contest it. Every time All-Star center Brook Lopez looked to post up, Joakim Noah or Nazr Mohammed was there to push him deep onto the perimeter.
"Nothing was falling," Deron Williams said. "You have to give credit to their defense for taking us out of our stuff; that was the quarter that definitely did it to us."
This is Chicago's identity, what it must rely on to have any hope of extending the season. The presence of Rose is a constant, tantalizing tease. Before the game on Monday, Rose, wearing Bulls practice gear and a brace on his surgically repaired left knee, knocked down jump shot after jump shot, moving fluidly with every one. The Bulls won't pressure Rose to play, not until he is ready, not with another four years left on his deal, not with a relatively young team ready to welcome him back next season. As good as he looks, it's not a risk worth taking.
"If Derrick comes into this locker room and says he wants to play tomorrow, his uniform is ready," Deng said. "If he doesn't, we are with him 100 percent. As a teammate and as a friend, I know how much he loves the game and how competitive he is. He really wants to play. This decision, even though people are coming down on him, it's really killing him, it's really hurting him. I know how much he wants to be out there with us."
Without Rose, the Bulls will grind games out. They will squeeze everything they can out of their battered bodies, which are unlikely to improve anytime soon. Noah hobbled down a hallway towards the Bulls bus late Monday night, landing gently on his right foot, grimacing with every step. The plantar fasciitis that has troubled Noah since the All-Star break is ever present, sending sharp, searing pains shooting through his foot. It's there, as is the knee pain that limited Gibson to 11 minutes, the thigh pain Hinrich is playing through, the bumps and bruises that Deng regularly deals with.
"We feel OK, but we can't get hyped right now," Gibson said. "We still have a long way to go."
Read More: Battered Bulls climb back into NBA playoffs by rediscovering their identity - NBA - Chris Mannix - SI-com
After insisting that he would return for his second year at Pitt, Adams has changed his mind and will sign with an agent, thereby forfeiting his final three seasons of college eligibility.
The 7-foot center announced his intentions today in a statement released by Pitt's athletic department.
"In discussing options with my family and Coach Dixon, I feel that it is in my best interest to declare for the NBA Draft," Adams said. "I want to thank everyone at Pitt, including my teammates, coaching staff, the administration and the fans who have all supported me over the last year."
Before his freshman college season, Adams was rated as a possible top ten NBA draft pick, but has slipped down the rankings due to some indifferent form throughout the year. He is still expected to be drafted in the first round.
Adams was named the Big East's preseason Rookie of the Year and was selected to the conference's All-Rookie team after averaging 7.2 points a game and leading the Panthers in blocked shots (65), rebounding (6.3) and field goal percentage (.571) in 32 starts.
The Panthers reached the NCAA basketball championships last month before losing to Wichita State 73-55 in the opening round. Adams led the side with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat.
"After talking with Steven and his family, we fully support him in this decision," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said in a statement. "We support him in choosing to pursue his dreams and in having the opportunity to provide for his family back in New Zealand. We will continue to stay involved in the process and he will always be a part of the Pitt Basketball family."
The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 27 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
If drafted, Adams -brother of Olympic gold medallist Valerie - would become just the third New Zealander to play in the NBA. Sean Marks was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1998 second round and played for six NBA teams before retiring after the 2010-11 season, while Kirk Penney had two games for the Heat in 2003/04 and then four for the LA Clippers in the 2004/05 season.
Basketball: Adams declares for NBA draft - Sport - NZ Herald News