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2011 NBA All-Star Starters Revealed, What About the Reserves?

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:57:51 +0000

Filed under: Bulls, Celtics, Clippers, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Jazz, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Eastern, Western, NBA All-Star Game, Thunder

Denver coach George Karl likes to say each All-Star squad should have 15 players, rather than 12.

It's a great idea for the West this season, with there about to be some serious snubs. As for the East, 10 seems a better number this season in a conference that after the top teams has as much depth as the local park's kiddie pool.

Perhaps the East should concede two spots to the West. Throw in that Houston's Yao Ming, named the West starting center, will miss the Feb. 20 Game in Los Angeles, and that would give the West 15 players with All-Star recognition.

The starters were announced Thursday night, and there wasn't anything to complain about other than how ridiculous it was that fans (hello, China) continued to vote for Yao in bunches even after it was announced Dec. 17 he was out for the season with a foot injury. Even before then, he was averaging 10.2 points in a meager five games.

The East starters will be Orlando's Dwight Howard at center, Miami's LeBron James and New York's Amar'e Stoudemire at forward and Miami's Dwyane Wade and Chicago's Derrick Rose at guard. Other than Yao, West starters named were Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Denver's Carmelo Anthony at forward and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and New Orleans' Chris Paul at guard.

Now, on to the reserves. After the coaches cast their ballots, here's who should be announced next Thursday as well as which players might be ticked off:

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Miami Heat Teammates Never Lost Faith in Chris Bosh

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:02:07 +0000

by Surya Fernandez

Filed under: Heat, Suns

MIAMI -- Despite a fairly consistent preseason with his new team, Chris Bosh struggled with his role on the Miami Heat in the first 10 games of the regular season. In fact, once Dwyane Wade returned to the lineup after missing the entire preseason, it was obvious that Bosh's role as the third option was going to take some time getting used to. That didn't stop an avalanche of criticism questioning his toughness and mentality now that the spotlight (or a bullseye) was on him.

Bosh's dominating performance against the Phoenix Suns may have only lasted for three quarters, and six rebounds still aren't enough for a player of his caliber, but it was nonetheless an important game to regain confidence in his game. Scoring 35 points in just 30 minutes while also chipping in four assists will do that.

"I think he was due, well overdue, for one of these games," a proud LeBron James said after the blowout victory. "I could see it in his eyes to start the game. I think he was a little disappointed in himself with the performance that he played against Toronto, but we weren't. I think he put a lot of pressure on himself."

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Chris Bosh, Miami Heat Dominate Suns

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:02:07 +0000

by Surya Fernandez

Filed under: Heat, Suns

MIAMI -- It was only one game, but the Miami Heat were able to address a few knocks against the team with a convincing 123-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns, an opponent worthy enough to measure up to. They were also able to stop an elite point guard in Steve Nash from torching them after struggling against the likes of Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams so far this season. But the biggest revelation was that the blowout was led by perhaps their most criticized player, Chris Bosh, who scored an efficient 35 points (12-of-17 shooting, 11-of-11 free throws) in only three quarters of work.

Those other guys weren't too shabby either. LeBron James narrowly missed another triple-double with 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 23 foul-plagued minutes. Dwyane Wade also filled up the box score with 17 points, six assists and six rebounds.

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NBA Schedule 2010-11: Key Matchups You Need to Know About

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:35:11 +0000

by Jordan Schultz

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Suns, Trail Blazers, Wizards, Eastern, Western, NBA Media Watch, Thunder, NBA Previews, Sports Business and Media

The NBA season doesn't start until Oct. 26, but it's never too early to highlight some of the most exciting and critical matchups on tap.

The league opener is sure to be full of drama as the revamped Miami Heat travel to Beantown to play the Celtics and their most recent addition, Shaquille O'Neal, which will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT.

Other notable early season games include a matchup of the Florida teams as Orlando travels to South Beach to play the Heat on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

In a rematch of the 2009 Western Conference finals, the two-time defending champion L.A. Lakers will play in Phoenix against the Amare-less Suns in Game 2 of ESPN's double-header the night of Oct. 29th.

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Despite Champion Lakers, NBA Seeing Power Shift From West to East

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:36:03 +0000

by Chris Tomasson

Filed under: 76ers, Bobcats, Bucks, Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Heat, Jazz, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nets, Nuggets, Spurs, Suns, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Wizards, Eastern, Western, Thunder, NBA Free Agents

LAS VEGAS -- This continental divide started in 1996 when Shaquille O'Neal bolted from Orlando in the East to the Lakers in the West. It really got going when Michael Jordan retired from Chicago in the East in 1998.

But those in the East are getting tired of having sand kicked in their faces.

Yes, the Western Conference still has won nine of the past 12 NBA titles and 10 of the last 11 seasonal inter-conference battles. Yet there finally is starting to be some chortling in the East.

After losing the conference regular season match-up for nine straight years, the East finally broke through in 2008-09 to win 51.3 percent of the games between the conferences. The West came back to win 54.7 percent of the battles last season (it didn't help that New Jersey and New York, in trying to clear salary-cap room, weren't trying to win). But this summer has shown the East could end up being the dominant conference this decade.

Of those generally believed to be the top eight free agents, seven signed with East teams. Five (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce) stayed in the East and two went from West to East (Amar'e Stoudemire from Phoenix to New York and Carlos Boozer from Utah to Chicago). The only one to end up with a West team was Dirk Nowitzki re-signing with Dallas.

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Stoudemire, Knicks Agree on Max Deal

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:49:23 +0000

by FanHouse Newswire

Filed under: Knicks, Suns, NBA Free Agents

NEW YORK (AP) -- Amar'e Stoudemire is headed to the New York Knicks, and both sides are hoping he's not coming alone.

The Knicks said Monday they intend to sign Stoudemire to a contract later this week when the free agent moratorium period ends. Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walters, said the deal is for the maximum allowed, which would be nearly $100 million over five years.

Wearing a blue Knicks hat, Stoudemire said he looked forward to rebuilding a franchise and bringing the Knicks back to the top-maybe with a player such as LeBron James or Dwyane Wade with him.

"I feel great about being a pioneer and showing my leadership," he said at Madison Square Garden, where signs throughout the entrances showed the player pictured in a Knicks uniform and reading "Welcome, Amar'e Stoudemire."

The deal can't be signed until Thursday, after the salary cap for next season has been set.

It was a desperately needed score in free agency for the Knicks, who spent two seasons clearing enough cap space to afford two top players. They met with James, Wade and Chris Bosh last week and believe they could still land one of them.

Shoals: Does Stoudemire Have Something to Prove? | SI.com: What's Next for Knicks?

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The Economic Quandary of 2010 Max Players

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:05:40 +0000

by Bethlehem Shoals

Filed under: Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat, Knicks, Raptors, Suns, NBA Free Agents

There is no one -- I mean, no one -- who doesn't believe LeBron James should get the most money an NBA player can be legally tendered. This generosity, of course, comes with limits, and these limits are called the salary caps. James is only eligible to earn X amount of money, based on the reigning Collective Bargaining Agreement and LeBron's tenure in the league. Bored yet?

Here's the simple part: The NBA sets parameters for how much superstars like LeBron can be paid. The question is, what does this mean for everyone else looking to get paid this summer? Do we see whatever James, the uber-player, gets as the uppermost point on a curve? Or, as I have proposed elsewhere, are NBA salaries like government pay grades, where some signings simply offer a better value than others?

The paradox of 2010 is, to say the least, unseemly. No one disputes the fact that James deserves gobs of cash, but there are rules to restrict this figure -- and prevent an all-out bidding war from breaking out. That's life for the league's absolute best players, but produces the artificial effect of squeezing out stars like Joe Johnson.

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Report: LeBron to Chicago ‘a Done Deal’

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:59:19 +0000

by Brett Pollakoff

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat, Knicks, Raptors, Suns, NBA Rumors, NBA Free Agents

LeBron James has decided against going on a free agency tour of the five cities that have made his short list of places (along with Cleveland) where he'd like to play next season, and will instead hold those meetings at home. The reason for this change of plans could be due to the backlash from fans and media alike over the idea, or it could be that James simply would like to hold court in his own castle, and be treated like the NBA royalty that he has become.

Or, it could be something else entirely. Like the possibility that James may have already made his decision.

Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times is reporting that these meetings, which will begin on July 1, may be nothing more than a formality, since he has spoken to one anonymous NBA executive who believes that LeBron is heading to Chicago, along with another of the prized free agents of this summer, Toronto's Chris Bosh.

"I think it's a done deal," the executive told Abrams.

Share In other free agent news, the Knicks, who have gutted their roster in recent years in hopes of luring LeBron to NYC, aren't putting all of their eggs in King James' basket.

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Suns have options if Amare Stoudemire leaves

Tyler Lockman — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:33:54 +0000

For months now, Amare Stoudemire has put his chances of staying in Phoenix at “50-50.” We now know that he definitely won’t be picking up his player option for nearly $18 million...

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The Mini-Max Contract: Where 2010 All Began

Fanhouse NBA Blog - suns — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:29:18 +0000

by Bethlehem Shoals

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Heat, Hornets, Jazz, Magic, Nets, Nuggets, Suns, NBA Rumors

No one likes the Free Agent Super-Summit, even those rumored to be involved. It may or may not be collusion, and on a good day, makes LeBron James and friends look like ardent disciples of Mikhail Prokhorov -- without the funny accent that charms out all into submission.

Certainly, the forced drama and posturing around the event, which may or may not have ever been meant literally, grate on even the most pro-player observers. And admittedly, there's a hill of difference between this summer and Jim Brown -- an avowed supporter of LeBron's hunt for fulfillment -- trying to get some basic dignity for himself and other NFL players. But silliness and bad public relations aside, there's an important middle ground missing here. It's the place where NBA players, all too long held hostage by incompetent organizations and the truism that heaven was six years at max money, risk stability for a chance at some leverage.

It's the mini-max effort of 2006, where James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh coordinated shorter deals exactly so their teams would have to do right by them (and so they could sneak in under the upcoming CBA). Was the goal solidarity down the road? Or just smart business they all suggested to each other? Either way, it was such a good idea that Chris Paul and Deron Williams followed suit two seasons later.

No longer could a superstar be paid off and taken for granted -- or, if you want to be glum about it, invested in heavily and find themselves an albatross down the road. This was a power-grab, but in a much-deserved way.

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