Showing posts with label NBA Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA Season. Show all posts

Friday

Rosberg reluctant to fuel the flames


MONTREAL - Nico Rosberg steered clear of fighting talk on Thursday (Friday, PHL time) but recognized relations with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton had become trickier since the Formula One championship turned into a duel between the two.

The red hot rivalry between the title contenders has been the talk of Formula One for weeks and both drivers did their best to avoid stirring things up ahead of Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.

"Of course it is more difficult," Rosberg told reporters as he faced the same wall of cameras and tape recorders that had greeted Hamilton earlier in the day at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. "We are fighting every single race weekend.

"There is more at stake, there is the opportunity of winning the championship this year and that is the ultimate goal in racing so there is a lot at stake," added the championship leader.

With six wins from six races so far, Mercedes are in a dominant position. Hamilton had taken four successive victories before Rosberg won and seized back the overall lead in Monaco two weeks ago.

That last race saw the rivalry turned up a notch with Hamilton suggesting the German had deliberately run wide in the final seconds of qualifying, bringing out yellow warning flags and forcing the 2008 world champion to slow when he might have taken pole.

The battles on the track and war of words off it have rekindled memories of the fierce rivalry between McLaren team mates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost that captivated Formula One during the 1988-89 campaigns.

"In a way I am honored to hear those comparisons because that was an extremely high level, a big battle at the time," said Rosberg. "But I leave it at that. I don't compare myself to that era I just want to do my own thing and go my own way."

Before arriving in Canada, Hamilton and Rosberg met to discuss the situation.

Rosberg refused to reveal details of what was said, only that he and his British teammate - who have been challenging each other on the track since their go-karting days - had settled their differences.

"I didn't see it as too unusual. We have always had periods where it was more difficult and we have that base respect that goes back 15 years and that's the important thing," said Rosberg. "As a result we always discuss things and move on.

"That's how it's been this time too."

The 28-year-old made clear he saw the bigger picture, and what was good for his team and Formula One.

"I want to win races," offered Rosberg. "Everything I do is focused on that.

"You are all trying to build it into a war which I can understand because it makes it all the more exciting but I want to try and avoid putting extra fuel on it.

"I was in the factory this week talking to everybody and for them the Constructors' [championship] is so important so if we take each other out [on track], for all our team members that would be a disaster.

"In the end we are a team and I do think about everybody else too."  - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Nets working out openly gay free agent center Jason Collins - ESPN


NEW YORK - Jason Collins, who revealed his homosexuality last April, could become the first openly gay player in the NBA by signing a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reported Thursday (Friday, PHL time).

Citing unnamed sources, the sport television network's website reported that the Nets worked out the free agent center this week in Los Angeles.

The Nets did not make a deal for a big man Tuesday at the NBA trade deadline, leaving open the possibility they might add the 35-year-old American to their front court in a short-term trial deal after watching him in a private workout.

Collins was praised for his courage in coming out as gay by US President Barack Obama, former president Bill Clinton and many players in the NBA.

If he takes the court in an NBA game, Collins would be the first openly gay man to play in one of the four major North American pro sports leagues.

Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers became the first openly gay male athlete to play in a US league when he took the field for a Major League Soccer match last May, three months after revealing he was gay.

In addition, University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, a US college star in American football who is likely to be selected in the NFL Draft later this year, announced earlier this month that he is gay but his first chance to play in the NFL could not come until an exhibition game in August at the earliest.

Collins called Sam "a great young man who has shown tremendous courage and leadership" in a tweet after Sam's announcement.

Collins played for the Nets in his first six seasons in the league, helping take the team to the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals when it was based in nearby New Jersey.

At Brooklyn, Collins would be united with former Nets teammate Jason Kidd, now the Nets' coach.

Brooklyn officials wanted to see how fit Collins was since he had not played in the NBA since his revelation just after last season, when he had played out his contract with the Washington Wizards.

The Nets, 25-27 and fighting to hold onto a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, are on a five-game western road trip and could add Collins during the swing. - AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

Wednesday

LeBron James explodes for 42 as Heat blast Mavs in the fourth


DALLAS - LeBron James received very little rest during a busy All-Star weekend, and he had just one day off between Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) All-Star Game and the resumption of the season Tuesday night (Wednesday, PHL time) at the American Airlines Center.

It didn't matter. The Miami forward was at his best, posting 42 points, nine rebounds and six assists while carrying the Heat past the Dallas Mavericks, 117-106.

Dallas led 95-92 when swingman Vince Carter completed a four-point play with 7:47 left in the game. Miami then turned to a swarming defense that was missing for most of a very entertaining offensive game. The Heat produced a 16-0 run, extending the lead to 106-95 with 3:21 to go. Dallas finally ended its drought when center Samuel Dalembert hit the second of two free throws with 2:29 to go to make it 106-96.

The Mavericks went five minutes without scoring and six minutes between field goals as Miami closed out the game with a 25-8 run.

Dallas had a chance to earn a big home win in its first game since defeating the East-leading Indiana Pacers on the road in the final game before the All-Star break. However, the Mavericks' opportunity slipped away during the opening four minutes of the final quarter.

James took a breather while Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, was hard at work trying to extend Dallas' small lead.

Instead, the Heat held a one-point lead by the time James checked back in.

James wound up hitting 16-of-23 shots. Miami guard Dwyane Wade was limited to 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting. He also had seven assists. Heat forward Chris Bosh added 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, plus five rebounds. Reserve big man Chris Andersen scored 18 points, and guard Mario Chalmers added 10 points and nine assists.

Dallas got 15 points from Carter off the bench. Mavericks guard Monta Ellis, guard Jose Calderon and backup center Brandan Wright each scored 12 points, but they combined to shoot 13-for-35 from the floor.

Heat backup center Greg Oden had an impact at both ends in the first half. He scored five points on a finger roll and a dunk that became a three-point play with the foul. He also helped quiet Wright, who had a fast run of three thunderous dunks before the insertion of the 7’0” Oden.

In five minutes of action, Oden finished with the five points and one rebound. - Reuters


The scores:
HEAT 117 - James 42, Bosh 22, Andersen 18, Wade 13, Chalmers 10, Oden 5, Cole 3, Beasley 2, Battier 2, Allen 0

MAVERICKS 106 - Nowitzki 22, Carter 15, Calderon 12, Ellis 12, Wright 12, Harris 9, Marion 7, Dalembert 7, Crowder 5, Ellington 3, Blair 2, James 0, Larkin 0

Miami     30-30-24-33
Dallas    28-26-31-21

source: gmanetwork.com