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Los Angeles Lakers Waive Metta World Peace

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 12, 2013 at 3:03pm

Metta World Peace, a hero of 2010 title run, is waived via 'amnesty,' potentially saving team $15 million. Lakers also sign swingman Nick Young.

The Lakers waived Metta World Peace via the so-called amnesty provision Thursday, a cost-cutting move that could save them about $15 million in luxury taxes.

When Dwight Howard bolted for Houston last week as a free agent, it ensured a roster spot for Pau Gasol but immediately put World Peace, 33, in jeopardy.

With World Peace gone, the Lakers have ni

Why Lakers Legacy Will Have Dynasty Back Up and Running in No Time

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 11, 2013 at 10:38pm

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers told Dwight Howard he could be the future of the franchise.

But now that Superman has flown his talents to the Houston Rockets, there's not a panicked Lakers fan in sight. Nor should there be.

The proud purple-and-gold nation knows that there may well be a letdown in the short-term now that their disastrous one-year experiment with Howard is officially over. It also knows that better days still lie ahead in a not-so distant future.

With a $70-

Report: Dwight Howard Headed to The Rockets!

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 5, 2013 at 6:00pm

After 20 months of twists and turns in the Dwight Howard saga, a person with knowledge of his decision told USA TODAY Sports he will join the Houston Rockets.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because his decision had not yet been announced.

After being traded from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team deal a year ago, Howard entered the summer unsure of what he might do because of the awful Lakers season that had unfolded.

His partnership with Kobe Bryant

Butler's Brad Stevens Hired as Next Boston Celtics Coach

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 4, 2013 at 12:50pm

The Green are getting greener.

With aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on their way to the Brooklyn Nets and Doc Rivers coaching the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics hired 36-year-old Brad Stevens from Butler as their next head coach Wednesday.

A source close to the Celtics confirmed that Stevens' deal is for six years and $22 million. Yahoo! Sports earlier reported terms of the contract.

The move turns the tradition-bound franchise over to a mentor who is younger than Garnett

Kevin Durant Says Jay-Z Switch Doesn't Mean He's Leaving OKC

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 1, 2013 at 8:24pm

Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder claps after scoring during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on May 13, 2013 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America)

Kevin Durant told The Oklahoman that his decision to change his representation to Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports doesn't mean he's looking to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder when his contract expires.

"He has nothing to do with if

According to Report, Rockets Put Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin On Trading Block

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 1, 2013 at 4:18pm

The Rockets are confident that they will land Dwight Howard in free agency, and because of that, they're making Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin available in a trade.

Confident that they will land Dwight Howard in free agency, the Houston Rockets have put Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin on the trading block, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger.

The Rockets have the first meeting with Howard when free agency opens up at 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, and they are "oozing confidence" that they will be able to nab the

Doc Rivers Is the New Coach for the Los Angeles Clippers

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 25, 2013 at 7:14pm

The Los Angeles Clippers will formally introduce Doc Rivers as their new head coach on Wednesday.

Rivers, who will be introduced by the Clippers at a 2 p.m. ET news conference, also will have the title of senior vice president of basketball operations.

Rivers spoke with ESPBoston.com's Jackie MacMullan, discussing his departure from the Boston Celtics.

"It was just time,'' Rivers answered. "I really don't think it would be fair to get into all of that right now. I made a decision to talk with

How Lin Can Maximize Potential with Rockets

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 20, 2013 at 5:09pm

After a few "Linsane" weeks in New York, Jeremy Lin faced lofty expectations when he signed with the Houston Rockets.

The skeptics said he was a one-hit wonder who shouldn't have gotten a $25 million contract after only 25 games. The believers said he needed more experience.

It was a largely inconsistent year, hit-or-miss each game as his confidence level fluctuated.

There was the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in late December, where Lin had seven turnovers--tying a season high--a

LeBron James on Game 4: 'I Have to Do Whatever It Takes'

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 13, 2013 at 5:43pm

LeBron James issued a guarantee Wednesday entering Game 4 of the NBA Finals: Don't expect his series-long struggles to continue against the San Antonio Spurs.

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Coming off one of the worst postseason performances of his career in Tuesday's 36-point loss to San Antonio in Game 3, James vowed to be far more aggressive amid suggestions the Spurs have knocked him off his game.

James missed 14-of-21 shots and didn't attempt a free throw for only

Miami Heat In NBA Finals for Third Straight Year After Beating Pacers

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 4, 2013 at 12:20pm

LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat reacts after the Heat won 99-77 against the Indiana Pacers during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 3, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images North America)

Their season, their legacy, their reign atop the NBA was all at stake, and the Miami Heat responded in a manner befitting defending champions -- with a blowout.

LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, a

David West Steps Up, Pacers Take Game 2 Over Heat

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on May 25, 2013 at 9:21am

David West was more than a little disappointed when the Indiana Pacers failed to make a defensive play at the end to win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

So in Game 2, he made those plays himself. Twice, in fact.

And he victimized the game's best player to make them happen.

LeBron James had two turnovers in the last minute - both when passes that he called "careless" got broken up by West - and the Miami Heat lost both a game and the home-court edge in the series. Roy Hibbert scored a p

Whoa!! Kobe Bryant Says He Never Gave His Mom Permission to Sell His Stuff

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on May 9, 2013 at 3:57pm

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant says in a court filing that he never gave his mother permission to sell mementos from his high school days and early professional basketball career.

Bryant is in a court battle over whether hundreds of items can be auctioned off.

Pamela Bryant says her son told her the memorabilia was hers. She arranged earlier this year to auction it off through Berlin, N.J.-based Goldin Auctions and received a $450,000 advance.

Last week, lawyers for Kobe Bryant wrote to t

LeBron James Only 1 Vote Shy of Unanimous MVP Honor. Did He Deserve To Win The MVP Award?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on May 5, 2013 at 5:45pm

After picking up his fourth MVP trophy Sunday, Miami Heat star LeBron James gained a new appreciation for the rivalry his team has with the New York Knicks.

James, 28, became the youngest player in NBA history to win four MVPs after receiving 120 of 121 first-place votes by league media members and analysts. The lone other first-place vote went to Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.

It was the second time a player fell one vote short of an unanimous MVP selection, with Shaquille O'Neal also receiving

The Greatest Of All Time Michael Jordan Marries Yvette Prieto In Large Wedding at Florida Church

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 28, 2013 at 5:54pm

NBA legend and Bobcats owner Michael Jordan married longtime girlfriend Yvette Prieto, a former model, at a wedding in Florida on Saturday.

Jordan, who turned 50 in February, and Prieto, 35, were wed in a ceremony at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach.

The first church building of Bethesda-by-the-Sea was built in 1889 and was the first Protestant church in southeast Florida. The second church was built in 1894 and still stands today as a private residence on North Lake Trail

Trainer Says Michael Jordan Was Poisoned Before The Famous Flu Game. What Are Your Thoughts?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 18, 2013 at 8:15pm

The legend of Michael Jordan's flu game from the 1997 NBA Finals continues to grow, maybe a bit like Pinocchio's nose, you decide.

Tim Grover, Jordan's former personal trainer, told TrueHoop TV that MJ contracted food poisoning before his famed 37-point performance in Game 5. The food poisoning itself isn't the issue -- it was originally suspected that the "flu" from which Jordan suffered was related to something he ate. What's newsworthy is Grover's claim that a rogue pizza delivery man was

Los Angeles Lakers Pressured to Make the Playoffs Without Kobe Bryant

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 17, 2013 at 4:39pm

The Los Angeles Lakers have come down to the final game of their rocky 2012-13 regular season and in a most appropriate scenario, considering everything that's happened to the team this year, L.A.'s postseason fate is still up in the air.

"It's come down to it's in our hands and that's kind of what we've been playing for and we've wanted, so here it is," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said after practice Tuesday. "Let's go out and get it and take care of our own destiny."

The Lakers (44-37) host th

Injured Kobe Bryant Aiming to Return for Start of Season

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 14, 2013 at 7:18pm

So much for all that premature talk about Kobe Bryant retiring.

The morning after the Achilles tendon pop heard 'round Laker Nation, team trainer Gary Vitti said the timetable for Bryant's return is six to nine months and that he is aiming to return for the start of the 2013-14 regular season.

"That's the plan," Vitti said, according to the team's Twitter account.

Bryant, who shared his deepest thoughts on the matter by way of Facebook late Friday night, tweeted a picture of his MRI today a

Miami Heat Down Boston, Carry NBA Win Streak to 23

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 19, 2013 at 4:26pm

LeBron James and the Miami Heat escaped Boston with their 23rd win in a row. All that's in front of them now is the NBA record for consecutive victories.

Five years to the day after the Celtics snapped Houston's winning streak at 22 games, James scored 37 points and made the go-ahead basket with 10.5 seconds left in Miami's 105-103 victory on Monday night.

After overcoming the largest deficit they've faced during their streak, the only team left for the Heat to catch is the 1971-72 Los Angeles

Epic NBA Games ITunes Should Sell

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 29, 2013 at 9:01pm

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The NBA is headed to your iPods as iTunes is currently offering 10 basketball games throughout the league's storied history.

In other words, awesome!

Unless you've got the desire to go out and buy countless DVD box sets, DVR everything on NBA TV and have kept the old VHS tapes that I know you all meticulously used to record nationally televised games from the 90s, it's incredibly difficult to get ahold of classic basketball games.

So far iTunes offers games from

Chris Paul Says ‘No’ to Contract Renewal with LA Clips

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2013 at 9:30pm

*Chris Paul may be leaving the Los Angeles Clippers.

After gaining stardom and helping to create a new age dream team, the All Star decided to turn down a three-year $60 million contract renewal. And so the possibilities of becoming a New York Knick are looking more likely.

Tim Fuller of USA Today reminds us that at Carmelo Anthony’s wedding, he gave a toast, professing that he, Carmelo, and Amar’e Stoudemire would one day be called “own big three in New York,” referencing the triple threat th

nba (547)

Los Angeles Lakers Waive Metta World Peace

Why Lakers Legacy Will Have Dynasty Back Up and Running in No Time

Report: Dwight Howard Headed to The Rockets!

Butler's Brad Stevens Hired as Next Boston Celtics Coach

Kevin Durant Says Jay-Z Switch Doesn't Mean He's Leaving OKC

According to Report, Rockets Put Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin On Trading Block

Doc Rivers Is the New Coach for the Los Angeles Clippers

How Lin Can Maximize Potential with Rockets

LeBron James on Game 4: 'I Have to Do Whatever It Takes'

Miami Heat In NBA Finals for Third Straight Year After Beating Pacers

David West Steps Up, Pacers Take Game 2 Over Heat

Whoa!! Kobe Bryant Says He Never Gave His Mom Permission to Sell His Stuff

LeBron James Only 1 Vote Shy of Unanimous MVP Honor. Did He Deserve To Win The MVP Award?

The Greatest Of All Time Michael Jordan Marries Yvette Prieto In Large Wedding at Florida Church

Trainer Says Michael Jordan Was Poisoned Before The Famous Flu Game. What Are Your Thoughts?

Los Angeles Lakers Pressured to Make the Playoffs Without Kobe Bryant

Injured Kobe Bryant Aiming to Return for Start of Season

Miami Heat Down Boston, Carry NBA Win Streak to 23

Epic NBA Games ITunes Should Sell

Chris Paul Says ‘No’ to Contract Renewal with LA Clips

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