Slow weekend for news. Seems like lots of columnists mailed it in this weekend (so heck I did too!). Good articles on small/mid market teams, Tony Massenburg, and great stuff out of Utah. Up, up and away...
Peter May: Wolves are at the door
On a recent team flight, Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett had food catered. He passed it around, making sure everyone had something before he did. And you wonder why he's such a valued teammate? "Everyone sees him on the court," says teammate Mark Madsen. "But he's every bit the class act off the court as well. He cares so much about all the guys, from one to 14. The sense I get is that all he wants to do is win. I don't think he cares about any individual accolades."
The Celtics will see Garnett tonight for the second and last time this season. Garnett is the runaway leader for Most Valuable Player, leading the Timberwolves to the top of the tough Midwest Division. As of last night, Garnett was leading the league in rebounding, and was among the top five scorers and the top 10 in blocks and minutes. You could almost make a case that he is having one of those Michael/Magic/Larry years.
"I think it's a lot more like Larry or Magic," said Garnett's boss, Kevin McHale. "Michael was more of a scorer. Kevin scores, but he's a much better basketball player than just a scorer. You look at this guy and he can dominate a game in more than one way. He can dominate at the defensive end. He can dominate on the glass. He can dominate at the offensive end."
Madsen recalled Garnett walking around the locker room after a close loss to the Spurs and talking to each player about what he needed to do to improve and what he did well that night.
"When I played against Kevin, I saw him as an unbelievable competitor," Madsen said. "And also someone with a huge heart, a lot of intensity, just fierce. We had some great battles. I'd read and heard how great of a guy he was and how everyone respected him and how he carried himself. And it's all true."
___
One scenario getting some legs around the league has Jim O'Brien surfacing in Portland when the Blazers allow Mo Cheeks to leave (although he just signed an extension last fall) for Philadelphia. O'Brien, a Philly guy, would be working for general manager John Nash, a Philly guy, and possibly with assistant Jim Lynam, also a Philly guy. The thinking behind this scenario is that Cheeks would rather be in Philadelphia (and that he gets along with Iverson) than stay in Portland. The other scenario involving O'Brien has him going to Orlando, where the GM is another Philly guy, John Gabriel. O'Brien and lieutenant Dick Harter would have their work cut out to turn that team into even a quasi-defensive unit. But having a free agent center such as Mark Blount might help things along, don't you think? Blount smiled when presented with that possibility.
http://tinyurl.com/yvz5r
Leery Paxson has seen enough of the preps
Bulls operations chief John Paxson didn't reveal whom he will draft this summer, but he stopped just short of saying whom he won't pick.
Paxson all but stated Friday he won't draft someone directly out of high school, and three of the top four prospects are prep seniors. The Bulls (18-43) own the second-worst record in the league, so Paxson will have plenty of prep talent to consider. If Paxson lands the top pick, Connecticut's Emeka Okafor is a lock.
"There is talent and potential in all of those [prep] kids,'' Paxson said. "But for franchises trying to get better in a hurry, those are risky propositions.''
"It's scary,'' Paxson said. "The guys we're counting on are so young -- I can't say never -- but it would be tough to throw somebody [right of high school] in the mix.''
http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls...t-bull063.html
David Moore: Young refs may not call it as they see it
The referees are no longer the topic du jour. But the younger officials in this league now operate with the conviction that it's better to ignore a tough call at the end of a close game rather than make the call and be flogged in public.
This isn't a conspiracy. It's not retribution. What we're talking about is human nature and preservation.
"An official has it in his contract that he can be fired at any time for any reason," said Mike Mathis, a retired official who worked in the NBA for 26 years and served as the union's president. "Fired at any time for any reason. How do you think Michael Henderson goes about his job now with that in his contract?
"Do the players have it written in their contracts that they can be fired if they make a mistake? Does the guy living next door to you go to work knowing that with one mistake he can be out of a job?"
The league office walks a fine line between holding officials accountable and creating a climate that influences how the game is called.
If the wrong call is made at the end of a close game, the official has altered the outcome. They have become a target.
Not making a call, even if it should have been made, arguably leaves the outcome in the hands of the players. You can still blame the official. But the league office and public opinion can't pin the loss on him or her.
One of the league's All-Stars was having a conversation with a referee during a game last week. The official told him that the younger refs – Henderson is in his third season – were afraid to make calls at the end of a close game after what happened to Henderson. He told the player that many of them have expressed the belief that it's "better to swallow their whistles."
http://tinyurl.com/2d4kb
Bob Wojnowski: Pistons owner is patient and aggressive
Every now and then, Davidson reminds us why he succeeds. He doesn’t always make the right decisions, and he has been criticized for several.
But he makes tough decisions, chooses management people carefully and supports them. And in case you’re wondering, he has no regrets about the firing of Rick Carlisle, who led the Pistons to back-to-back 50-victory seasons.
Maybe Carlisle didn’t trust young players enough, although Brown seems to follow a similar pattern. Maybe Carlisle’s brusque manner disturbed some in the organization. Both sides have moved on, with Carlisle now leading Indiana, which has the best record in the NBA. But his firing was viewed as ruthless.
Davidson declined to waste much time discussing it.
Was it a tough decision to remove Carlisle?
“It wasn’t a tough decision at all,” he said.
So you’re pleased with Brown?
“Correct.”
After a pause, he expanded on the topic.
“When you make a change, there has to be an adjustment period,” Davidson said. “We hope we have a shot (at the title) this year or next year. Don’t rule out this year. I’m not putting any pressure on Larry, but he does better in the playoffs than the regular season, traditionally.”
Davidson doesn’t look back often, or for very long. Always, the next game. When the organization’s relationship with Isiah Thomas deteriorated, they moved on. When Hill bolted in 2000, they moved on. When Jerry Stackhouse neared the end of his contract, they moved on, with Dumars smartly trading Stackhouse for Richard Hamilton.
Wilson has worked with Davidson for 26 years, and his influence — and occasional willingness to wield it — cannot be overlooked. Neither can Davidson’s.
“He gives people the ability to succeed, and also the ability to fail,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to have the confidence to let them fail, or they won’t take any chances. What keeps him juiced is, he loves to compete."
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/.../c01-84376.htm
Falk vs. Isiah
The long-standing feud between agent David Falk and Isiah Thomas has been restoked in New York.
The feud goes back to Thomas' playing days. Falk blamed Thomas for the famous All-Star Game freeze-out of Michael Jordan back in the mid-1980s. Thomas blames Falk for him being left off the original Dream Team in 1992.
Falk has reopened the wounds, criticizing Thomas twice in the New York media over the last two weeks, calling him vindictive and immature. Two weeks ago, he blasted Thomas for not keeping him informed about trading his client, Keith Van Horn. Falk, most recently, said Thomas had benched his client, Dikembe Mutombo, partly because of their strained relationship.
"For me to deal effectively with the Knicks, Isiah has to put his personal feelings aside and only worry about business," Falk told the New York Daily News. "Because all he's doing now is showing his immaturity as an executive."
Mutombo, since being placed on the injured list, was benched in favor of Nazr Mohammed. Falk said he thought Thomas was using Mutombo to get at him.
"I question that sometimes because Isiah can be a very vindictive person," he said. "And if that is the case, he's being dumb because he should not allow his dislike for him directly affect the team."
Thomas has refused to get into a verbal match with Falk, even though Falk has threatened to keep his free-agent clients from playing for the Knicks.
"It would have tremendous repercussions," Falk said. "Some people you give them enough rope and they hang themselves. I have a saying, 'The decision that you made set the price that must be paid.'"
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...orts-83984.htm
Malone vs. Jazz 'unlikely'
Karl Malone wants nothing more than to return to the Lakers' lineup Monday night in Salt Lake City against his former team. He wants nothing more than to begin his playoff push and punish the impertinent Jazz employees who mocked him in January.
However, reality is dictating otherwise and Malone's anticipated return might take another week, or more.
"I'm becoming more realistic about when I can play again," Malone said Friday, a day after his doctor cleared him for unrestricted practice.
Ever since the Jazz staged a skit with a Malone impersonator during a Lakers-Jazz game in January, Malone has targeted the March 8 game to return from his knee injury. He hasn't been coy about his motives.
He now concedes it's unlikely.
"I don't know if the chance of me playing is really that big. I really don't," Malone said. "I think it's more important for me to get back on the court. To be honest with you, as a competitor, when they did what they did (in the skit), I wanted to be out there the next day and I kept that same thing in my gut up until right now.
"For a lot of different reasons, I don't even know if I'm interested in playing in that game," he said. "Not that I'm taking it lightly or nothing like that. I just think that there's more important things for me to do, and that's be 100 percent ready to come back and not 90 percent."
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1...999707,00.html
'I don't need Karl in my life,' Miller says
A relationship once akin to father-and-son has disintegrated into an epic family feud.
Karl Malone's reaction to a skit has upset Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller.
Jazz owner Larry H. Miller is blasting ex-Jazz star Karl Malone, whose new team — the Los Angeles Lakers — visits his old one Monday night at the Delta Center.
His ire is so strong Miller does not know what will come of plans to raise a Malone statue outside the Salt Lake City arena — and he questions the status of their longstanding business alliance.
"I don't care," Miller said when asked if he wishes Malone, who now does not plan to play Monday because he's recovering from a torn knee ligament, will approach him to mend their fractures. "I don't need Karl in my life. I'm getting along just fine."
The owner's voice broke as he spoke, but Miller shed none of the tears that so frequently flow when he addresses an emotional issue.
Through his agent, Malone, who played his first 18 NBA seasons in Utah, declined comment Saturday.
But agent Dwight Manley did talk.
"Karl's on edge, rightly so, about where (the Jazz) are coming from," he said. "He (Malone) . . . was always very loyal. He never cried he was hurt and never didn't carry his load.
"So it's kind of sad," Manley added, "for somebody like Larry, who has so much, to cry like a child who has their toy taken away from them."
As for the statue, Miller intends to honor retired point guard John Stockton with one.
Malone, he's no longer so sure.
"I will tell you John will be going up in about a year," Miller said. "Karl hasn't bothered to show up to get measured. So if he doesn't care enough to get measured, I don't care enough to pay $250,000 to have a statue made."
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0...047375,00.html
Ira Winderman: Cavs' hottest hand is Paxson's
With the completion of the draft lottery last May, it appeared fortune had touched more than the Cavaliers' roster.
Not only was LeBron James on the way, but General Manager Jim Paxson was awarded a contract extension seemingly for little more than having four Ping-Pong balls bounce his way.
Since taking over in 1999, Paxson had directed the Cavaliers to a 108-220 freefall. For that, he was promoted.
Now, eight months after being elevated to team president, the logic is coming into view, as is Paxson's worth.
While the Heat has played the same hand since training camp, Cleveland continues to make subtle off-court gains in the race for a final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Already having upgraded with Eric Williams and Jeff McInnis, the Cavaliers last week brought in forward Lee Nailon for an offensive boost.
Having identified a core of James, power forward Carlos Boozer and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Paxson has displayed a deft touch at one of the most difficult tasks in today's salary-cap climate -- building a supporting cast.
http://tinyurl.com/25rtj
Bucks acquire Knight
The Milwaukee Bucks signed veteran point guard Brevin Knight on Friday and released guard Anthony Goldwire.
The Washington Wizards released Knight, a seventh-year pro from Stanford, this week. He began the season with the Phoenix Suns and was traded to Washington on Nov. 5.
Goldwire signed a 10-day contract with the Bucks last Saturday, a few days after point guard T.J. Ford bruised his spinal cord in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Goldwire didn't play in a game with Milwaukee.
Knight will provide backcourt depth, along with veteran Erick Strickland, while Ford recuperates from his injury. The rookie from Texas is on the injured list and is expected to miss from two to three weeks.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/mar04/212545.asp
Wizards Claim Baxter Off Waivers
The Washington Wizards claimed former Maryland center Lonny Baxter off waivers yesterday and had him in uniform for last night's game against Toronto at MCI Center.
Baxter, who grew up in Silver Spring and will be with Washington the rest of the season, was reunited with former Terrapins guards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake; the three formed the nucleus of Maryland's 2002 NCAA championship team.
"I'm just very glad that the Wizards picked me up," Baxter said. "It's definitely an honor playing in my home town. I feel very comfortable with two of my teammates from college on this team and I can't wait to get going."
The Raptors had placed him on waivers Sunday to clear a roster spot to sign free agent guard Dion Glover.
By claiming the 6-foot-8 Baxter, the Wizards are responsible for the prorated remainder of his $512,435 salary. Baxter, a forward as a pro, will become a free agent at the end of the season.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Mar3.html
Bones at practice
"Hey, who's the new kid?" Ridnour asked when Brent Barry stepped onto the practice floor.
It was a welcome sight, as Barry practiced for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his right hand on Jan. 27. Barry ran through basic offensive sets with Ridnour, Ansu Sesay, Richie Frahm and Ronald Murray without being defended.
Barry is hoping to play March 12, when the Sonics start a five-game road trip.
"I'll definitely need some time on the practice court to bang with some guys and get pushed around a bit before I'll be ready to step into a game," Barry said.
"I'm really just excited to get back and start playing again," Barry said. "I hope that it gives our team a boost, but I know for our team personally, just getting out and playing is a good thing."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basket...90_sonx05.html
Chris McCosky's Quick Hits
There might be some friction building between Raptors General Manager Glen Grunwald and Coach Kevin O'Neill. O'Neill was clearly upset that Grunwald waived Lonny Baxter, who was in O'Neill's rotation. When asked why that happened, O'Neill said: "Those are reasonable questions. It became a numbers game and ... I don't (really) have an answer for it." O'Neill wanted someone other than Baxter released. O'Neill, for months, pushed Grunwald to trade for the Warriors' Cliff Robinson. Nothing happened there, either.
This one is for Chauncey Billups. Take solace Chauncey, you aren't the only point guard getting an overdose of a coach's tough love. Tony Parker is getting it twice as bad from Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. "When somebody is getting paid to do a job, they have to do the job more than once a week," Popovich said, complaining of Parker's inconsistency. "If you're a plumber or a doctor or a lawyer or a painter and you did a good job every third time out, your career in that business wouldn't last very long. The sooner Tony faces that, puts it on himself, accepts the responsibility and figures it out, then we will be a good basketball team capable of doing good things." After benching Parker last Monday, Popovich said: "Tony Parker has to participate in his own recovery. Sometimes people just have to figure some things out on their own. ... He has to figure out what he needs to do mental focus-wise to be a more consistent player. He owes that to this basketball team." Do I have to even tell you Popovich is a disciple of Larry Brown? That apple sure didn't fall far from this tree.
You figure if a guy as talented as Ron Mercer is continually traded or waived (as he was last week by San Antonio), something has to be wrong. He's not a bad character, per se, but apparently, he's not a source of joy, either. He simply made no effort to get close to his teammates. "Some people fit in and some people don't," Popovich said. The Pistons had showed slight interest in Mercer, but he apparently will sit out the rest of the season and apply for free agency in July.
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...orts-83983.htm
Dampier shopping for another agent
Erick Dampier said earlier this week that he will delay his decision on hiring a new agent, possibly until after the season.
Dan Fegan, Lon Babby and the Poston brothers, Kevin and Carl, are among the agents the Warriors' starting center said he has interviewed. Dampier denied a published report that he has settled on Fegan, whose clients include third-year players Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy, both of whom are eligible to negotiate contract extensions with the Warriors during a three-month window beginning Aug. 1.
Asked why he wants to switch agents now, Dampier said: "I think where I'm at in my career, to take me to the next level, I think I'm going to need a different agent.''
The next level?
"Well, I mean, the agents I've talked to, they have a good reputation,'' he said. "They have relationships with general managers. Agents that can get the job done, that's what I'm looking for, someone who has that reputation.
"I'm not necessarily saying (Cook) didn't get the job done. It's nothing personal. It's only business. That's how I have to look at it. It's like anybody else in their business. When they need to make a change, they're going to make changes. I think this is what I have to do.''
http://tinyurl.com/yqwnw
Mitch Lawrence: Lake eerie
It was a week of notable returns in the NBA, some happy and some definitely not. Before his comeback from the knee surgery that sidelined him for 10 months, Chris Webber took a beating out in Sacramento as fans demanded an apology for his eight-game suspension. Three were for lying to a federal grand jury investigating whether he took money from a booster at Michigan. Five were for violating the NBA drug policy.
"I pray I can be forgiven by people," Webber said after getting a standing ovation when he made his debut in a win over the Clippers. "I know God has forgiven me. I think everyone deserves a second chance. ... Sometimes, people have a right to be mad when people make mistakes or do stupid things. But have the facts straight. Don't guesstimate things that I've done."
Webber could have put a stop to all the guessing by specifying what he had done to violate the NBA's drug policy. But to no one's surprise, he elected not to. So his penalty could have been for anything from missing a test to failing one, or for something like missing a meeting.
"I apologize for the mistakes I've made, and I want to make sure the kids coming up watching me don't make the same mistakes," he said. "I know it's up to me to become a better person."
___
Making his first trip into Portland, another one of the old "Jail Blazers," Bonzi Wells, got booed every time he touched the ball and was the target of many derisive cheers.
"Dang," said Damon Stoudamire, "if I get traded, will it be that bad?"
For the most part, Wells shook off the hostility, scoring 28 in the Grizzlies' win.
"I did some stuff to make people boo," he admitted. "I'm not a saint, definitely. I may have deserved it. Maybe not."
We'll go with the former.
___
Recent flareup at Suns practice started when Stoudemire and rookie Maciej Lampe went face-to-face and ended with Stoudemire taking an open-handed swipe at Lampe and connecting to the ex-Knick's face. "Amare's crazy," noted one teammate. Lampe, meanwhile, scored points with teammates for not backing down.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...p-149228c.html
Peter May: Wolves are at the door
On a recent team flight, Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett had food catered. He passed it around, making sure everyone had something before he did. And you wonder why he's such a valued teammate? "Everyone sees him on the court," says teammate Mark Madsen. "But he's every bit the class act off the court as well. He cares so much about all the guys, from one to 14. The sense I get is that all he wants to do is win. I don't think he cares about any individual accolades."
The Celtics will see Garnett tonight for the second and last time this season. Garnett is the runaway leader for Most Valuable Player, leading the Timberwolves to the top of the tough Midwest Division. As of last night, Garnett was leading the league in rebounding, and was among the top five scorers and the top 10 in blocks and minutes. You could almost make a case that he is having one of those Michael/Magic/Larry years.
"I think it's a lot more like Larry or Magic," said Garnett's boss, Kevin McHale. "Michael was more of a scorer. Kevin scores, but he's a much better basketball player than just a scorer. You look at this guy and he can dominate a game in more than one way. He can dominate at the defensive end. He can dominate on the glass. He can dominate at the offensive end."
Madsen recalled Garnett walking around the locker room after a close loss to the Spurs and talking to each player about what he needed to do to improve and what he did well that night.
"When I played against Kevin, I saw him as an unbelievable competitor," Madsen said. "And also someone with a huge heart, a lot of intensity, just fierce. We had some great battles. I'd read and heard how great of a guy he was and how everyone respected him and how he carried himself. And it's all true."
___
One scenario getting some legs around the league has Jim O'Brien surfacing in Portland when the Blazers allow Mo Cheeks to leave (although he just signed an extension last fall) for Philadelphia. O'Brien, a Philly guy, would be working for general manager John Nash, a Philly guy, and possibly with assistant Jim Lynam, also a Philly guy. The thinking behind this scenario is that Cheeks would rather be in Philadelphia (and that he gets along with Iverson) than stay in Portland. The other scenario involving O'Brien has him going to Orlando, where the GM is another Philly guy, John Gabriel. O'Brien and lieutenant Dick Harter would have their work cut out to turn that team into even a quasi-defensive unit. But having a free agent center such as Mark Blount might help things along, don't you think? Blount smiled when presented with that possibility.
http://tinyurl.com/yvz5r
Leery Paxson has seen enough of the preps
Bulls operations chief John Paxson didn't reveal whom he will draft this summer, but he stopped just short of saying whom he won't pick.
Paxson all but stated Friday he won't draft someone directly out of high school, and three of the top four prospects are prep seniors. The Bulls (18-43) own the second-worst record in the league, so Paxson will have plenty of prep talent to consider. If Paxson lands the top pick, Connecticut's Emeka Okafor is a lock.
"There is talent and potential in all of those [prep] kids,'' Paxson said. "But for franchises trying to get better in a hurry, those are risky propositions.''
"It's scary,'' Paxson said. "The guys we're counting on are so young -- I can't say never -- but it would be tough to throw somebody [right of high school] in the mix.''
http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls...t-bull063.html
David Moore: Young refs may not call it as they see it
The referees are no longer the topic du jour. But the younger officials in this league now operate with the conviction that it's better to ignore a tough call at the end of a close game rather than make the call and be flogged in public.
This isn't a conspiracy. It's not retribution. What we're talking about is human nature and preservation.
"An official has it in his contract that he can be fired at any time for any reason," said Mike Mathis, a retired official who worked in the NBA for 26 years and served as the union's president. "Fired at any time for any reason. How do you think Michael Henderson goes about his job now with that in his contract?
"Do the players have it written in their contracts that they can be fired if they make a mistake? Does the guy living next door to you go to work knowing that with one mistake he can be out of a job?"
The league office walks a fine line between holding officials accountable and creating a climate that influences how the game is called.
If the wrong call is made at the end of a close game, the official has altered the outcome. They have become a target.
Not making a call, even if it should have been made, arguably leaves the outcome in the hands of the players. You can still blame the official. But the league office and public opinion can't pin the loss on him or her.
One of the league's All-Stars was having a conversation with a referee during a game last week. The official told him that the younger refs – Henderson is in his third season – were afraid to make calls at the end of a close game after what happened to Henderson. He told the player that many of them have expressed the belief that it's "better to swallow their whistles."
http://tinyurl.com/2d4kb
Bob Wojnowski: Pistons owner is patient and aggressive
Every now and then, Davidson reminds us why he succeeds. He doesn’t always make the right decisions, and he has been criticized for several.
But he makes tough decisions, chooses management people carefully and supports them. And in case you’re wondering, he has no regrets about the firing of Rick Carlisle, who led the Pistons to back-to-back 50-victory seasons.
Maybe Carlisle didn’t trust young players enough, although Brown seems to follow a similar pattern. Maybe Carlisle’s brusque manner disturbed some in the organization. Both sides have moved on, with Carlisle now leading Indiana, which has the best record in the NBA. But his firing was viewed as ruthless.
Davidson declined to waste much time discussing it.
Was it a tough decision to remove Carlisle?
“It wasn’t a tough decision at all,” he said.
So you’re pleased with Brown?
“Correct.”
After a pause, he expanded on the topic.
“When you make a change, there has to be an adjustment period,” Davidson said. “We hope we have a shot (at the title) this year or next year. Don’t rule out this year. I’m not putting any pressure on Larry, but he does better in the playoffs than the regular season, traditionally.”
Davidson doesn’t look back often, or for very long. Always, the next game. When the organization’s relationship with Isiah Thomas deteriorated, they moved on. When Hill bolted in 2000, they moved on. When Jerry Stackhouse neared the end of his contract, they moved on, with Dumars smartly trading Stackhouse for Richard Hamilton.
Wilson has worked with Davidson for 26 years, and his influence — and occasional willingness to wield it — cannot be overlooked. Neither can Davidson’s.
“He gives people the ability to succeed, and also the ability to fail,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to have the confidence to let them fail, or they won’t take any chances. What keeps him juiced is, he loves to compete."
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/.../c01-84376.htm
Falk vs. Isiah
The long-standing feud between agent David Falk and Isiah Thomas has been restoked in New York.
The feud goes back to Thomas' playing days. Falk blamed Thomas for the famous All-Star Game freeze-out of Michael Jordan back in the mid-1980s. Thomas blames Falk for him being left off the original Dream Team in 1992.
Falk has reopened the wounds, criticizing Thomas twice in the New York media over the last two weeks, calling him vindictive and immature. Two weeks ago, he blasted Thomas for not keeping him informed about trading his client, Keith Van Horn. Falk, most recently, said Thomas had benched his client, Dikembe Mutombo, partly because of their strained relationship.
"For me to deal effectively with the Knicks, Isiah has to put his personal feelings aside and only worry about business," Falk told the New York Daily News. "Because all he's doing now is showing his immaturity as an executive."
Mutombo, since being placed on the injured list, was benched in favor of Nazr Mohammed. Falk said he thought Thomas was using Mutombo to get at him.
"I question that sometimes because Isiah can be a very vindictive person," he said. "And if that is the case, he's being dumb because he should not allow his dislike for him directly affect the team."
Thomas has refused to get into a verbal match with Falk, even though Falk has threatened to keep his free-agent clients from playing for the Knicks.
"It would have tremendous repercussions," Falk said. "Some people you give them enough rope and they hang themselves. I have a saying, 'The decision that you made set the price that must be paid.'"
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...orts-83984.htm
Malone vs. Jazz 'unlikely'
Karl Malone wants nothing more than to return to the Lakers' lineup Monday night in Salt Lake City against his former team. He wants nothing more than to begin his playoff push and punish the impertinent Jazz employees who mocked him in January.
However, reality is dictating otherwise and Malone's anticipated return might take another week, or more.
"I'm becoming more realistic about when I can play again," Malone said Friday, a day after his doctor cleared him for unrestricted practice.
Ever since the Jazz staged a skit with a Malone impersonator during a Lakers-Jazz game in January, Malone has targeted the March 8 game to return from his knee injury. He hasn't been coy about his motives.
He now concedes it's unlikely.
"I don't know if the chance of me playing is really that big. I really don't," Malone said. "I think it's more important for me to get back on the court. To be honest with you, as a competitor, when they did what they did (in the skit), I wanted to be out there the next day and I kept that same thing in my gut up until right now.
"For a lot of different reasons, I don't even know if I'm interested in playing in that game," he said. "Not that I'm taking it lightly or nothing like that. I just think that there's more important things for me to do, and that's be 100 percent ready to come back and not 90 percent."
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1...999707,00.html
'I don't need Karl in my life,' Miller says
A relationship once akin to father-and-son has disintegrated into an epic family feud.
Karl Malone's reaction to a skit has upset Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller.
Jazz owner Larry H. Miller is blasting ex-Jazz star Karl Malone, whose new team — the Los Angeles Lakers — visits his old one Monday night at the Delta Center.
His ire is so strong Miller does not know what will come of plans to raise a Malone statue outside the Salt Lake City arena — and he questions the status of their longstanding business alliance.
"I don't care," Miller said when asked if he wishes Malone, who now does not plan to play Monday because he's recovering from a torn knee ligament, will approach him to mend their fractures. "I don't need Karl in my life. I'm getting along just fine."
The owner's voice broke as he spoke, but Miller shed none of the tears that so frequently flow when he addresses an emotional issue.
Through his agent, Malone, who played his first 18 NBA seasons in Utah, declined comment Saturday.
But agent Dwight Manley did talk.
"Karl's on edge, rightly so, about where (the Jazz) are coming from," he said. "He (Malone) . . . was always very loyal. He never cried he was hurt and never didn't carry his load.
"So it's kind of sad," Manley added, "for somebody like Larry, who has so much, to cry like a child who has their toy taken away from them."
As for the statue, Miller intends to honor retired point guard John Stockton with one.
Malone, he's no longer so sure.
"I will tell you John will be going up in about a year," Miller said. "Karl hasn't bothered to show up to get measured. So if he doesn't care enough to get measured, I don't care enough to pay $250,000 to have a statue made."
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0...047375,00.html
Ira Winderman: Cavs' hottest hand is Paxson's
With the completion of the draft lottery last May, it appeared fortune had touched more than the Cavaliers' roster.
Not only was LeBron James on the way, but General Manager Jim Paxson was awarded a contract extension seemingly for little more than having four Ping-Pong balls bounce his way.
Since taking over in 1999, Paxson had directed the Cavaliers to a 108-220 freefall. For that, he was promoted.
Now, eight months after being elevated to team president, the logic is coming into view, as is Paxson's worth.
While the Heat has played the same hand since training camp, Cleveland continues to make subtle off-court gains in the race for a final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Already having upgraded with Eric Williams and Jeff McInnis, the Cavaliers last week brought in forward Lee Nailon for an offensive boost.
Having identified a core of James, power forward Carlos Boozer and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Paxson has displayed a deft touch at one of the most difficult tasks in today's salary-cap climate -- building a supporting cast.
http://tinyurl.com/25rtj
Bucks acquire Knight
The Milwaukee Bucks signed veteran point guard Brevin Knight on Friday and released guard Anthony Goldwire.
The Washington Wizards released Knight, a seventh-year pro from Stanford, this week. He began the season with the Phoenix Suns and was traded to Washington on Nov. 5.
Goldwire signed a 10-day contract with the Bucks last Saturday, a few days after point guard T.J. Ford bruised his spinal cord in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Goldwire didn't play in a game with Milwaukee.
Knight will provide backcourt depth, along with veteran Erick Strickland, while Ford recuperates from his injury. The rookie from Texas is on the injured list and is expected to miss from two to three weeks.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/mar04/212545.asp
Wizards Claim Baxter Off Waivers
The Washington Wizards claimed former Maryland center Lonny Baxter off waivers yesterday and had him in uniform for last night's game against Toronto at MCI Center.
Baxter, who grew up in Silver Spring and will be with Washington the rest of the season, was reunited with former Terrapins guards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake; the three formed the nucleus of Maryland's 2002 NCAA championship team.
"I'm just very glad that the Wizards picked me up," Baxter said. "It's definitely an honor playing in my home town. I feel very comfortable with two of my teammates from college on this team and I can't wait to get going."
The Raptors had placed him on waivers Sunday to clear a roster spot to sign free agent guard Dion Glover.
By claiming the 6-foot-8 Baxter, the Wizards are responsible for the prorated remainder of his $512,435 salary. Baxter, a forward as a pro, will become a free agent at the end of the season.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Mar3.html
Bones at practice
"Hey, who's the new kid?" Ridnour asked when Brent Barry stepped onto the practice floor.
It was a welcome sight, as Barry practiced for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his right hand on Jan. 27. Barry ran through basic offensive sets with Ridnour, Ansu Sesay, Richie Frahm and Ronald Murray without being defended.
Barry is hoping to play March 12, when the Sonics start a five-game road trip.
"I'll definitely need some time on the practice court to bang with some guys and get pushed around a bit before I'll be ready to step into a game," Barry said.
"I'm really just excited to get back and start playing again," Barry said. "I hope that it gives our team a boost, but I know for our team personally, just getting out and playing is a good thing."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basket...90_sonx05.html
Chris McCosky's Quick Hits
There might be some friction building between Raptors General Manager Glen Grunwald and Coach Kevin O'Neill. O'Neill was clearly upset that Grunwald waived Lonny Baxter, who was in O'Neill's rotation. When asked why that happened, O'Neill said: "Those are reasonable questions. It became a numbers game and ... I don't (really) have an answer for it." O'Neill wanted someone other than Baxter released. O'Neill, for months, pushed Grunwald to trade for the Warriors' Cliff Robinson. Nothing happened there, either.
This one is for Chauncey Billups. Take solace Chauncey, you aren't the only point guard getting an overdose of a coach's tough love. Tony Parker is getting it twice as bad from Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. "When somebody is getting paid to do a job, they have to do the job more than once a week," Popovich said, complaining of Parker's inconsistency. "If you're a plumber or a doctor or a lawyer or a painter and you did a good job every third time out, your career in that business wouldn't last very long. The sooner Tony faces that, puts it on himself, accepts the responsibility and figures it out, then we will be a good basketball team capable of doing good things." After benching Parker last Monday, Popovich said: "Tony Parker has to participate in his own recovery. Sometimes people just have to figure some things out on their own. ... He has to figure out what he needs to do mental focus-wise to be a more consistent player. He owes that to this basketball team." Do I have to even tell you Popovich is a disciple of Larry Brown? That apple sure didn't fall far from this tree.
You figure if a guy as talented as Ron Mercer is continually traded or waived (as he was last week by San Antonio), something has to be wrong. He's not a bad character, per se, but apparently, he's not a source of joy, either. He simply made no effort to get close to his teammates. "Some people fit in and some people don't," Popovich said. The Pistons had showed slight interest in Mercer, but he apparently will sit out the rest of the season and apply for free agency in July.
http://www.detnews.com/2004/pistons/...orts-83983.htm
Dampier shopping for another agent
Erick Dampier said earlier this week that he will delay his decision on hiring a new agent, possibly until after the season.
Dan Fegan, Lon Babby and the Poston brothers, Kevin and Carl, are among the agents the Warriors' starting center said he has interviewed. Dampier denied a published report that he has settled on Fegan, whose clients include third-year players Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy, both of whom are eligible to negotiate contract extensions with the Warriors during a three-month window beginning Aug. 1.
Asked why he wants to switch agents now, Dampier said: "I think where I'm at in my career, to take me to the next level, I think I'm going to need a different agent.''
The next level?
"Well, I mean, the agents I've talked to, they have a good reputation,'' he said. "They have relationships with general managers. Agents that can get the job done, that's what I'm looking for, someone who has that reputation.
"I'm not necessarily saying (Cook) didn't get the job done. It's nothing personal. It's only business. That's how I have to look at it. It's like anybody else in their business. When they need to make a change, they're going to make changes. I think this is what I have to do.''
http://tinyurl.com/yqwnw
Mitch Lawrence: Lake eerie
It was a week of notable returns in the NBA, some happy and some definitely not. Before his comeback from the knee surgery that sidelined him for 10 months, Chris Webber took a beating out in Sacramento as fans demanded an apology for his eight-game suspension. Three were for lying to a federal grand jury investigating whether he took money from a booster at Michigan. Five were for violating the NBA drug policy.
"I pray I can be forgiven by people," Webber said after getting a standing ovation when he made his debut in a win over the Clippers. "I know God has forgiven me. I think everyone deserves a second chance. ... Sometimes, people have a right to be mad when people make mistakes or do stupid things. But have the facts straight. Don't guesstimate things that I've done."
Webber could have put a stop to all the guessing by specifying what he had done to violate the NBA's drug policy. But to no one's surprise, he elected not to. So his penalty could have been for anything from missing a test to failing one, or for something like missing a meeting.
"I apologize for the mistakes I've made, and I want to make sure the kids coming up watching me don't make the same mistakes," he said. "I know it's up to me to become a better person."
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Making his first trip into Portland, another one of the old "Jail Blazers," Bonzi Wells, got booed every time he touched the ball and was the target of many derisive cheers.
"Dang," said Damon Stoudamire, "if I get traded, will it be that bad?"
For the most part, Wells shook off the hostility, scoring 28 in the Grizzlies' win.
"I did some stuff to make people boo," he admitted. "I'm not a saint, definitely. I may have deserved it. Maybe not."
We'll go with the former.
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Recent flareup at Suns practice started when Stoudemire and rookie Maciej Lampe went face-to-face and ended with Stoudemire taking an open-handed swipe at Lampe and connecting to the ex-Knick's face. "Amare's crazy," noted one teammate. Lampe, meanwhile, scored points with teammates for not backing down.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...p-149228c.html
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