Just checked and you are indeed correct Sandymout. Jim Benson who owns the Saints bought the Hornets back off the league last month for $338million. They will be staying in New Orleans but rebranded with a new name. The Kings move from Sacramento to Anheim isnāt set in stone yet so maybe thereās some leverege for a possible Seattle franchise there yet.
Speaking of evil owners earlier hereās an expose on Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers and a truly ignorant cunt if ever there was one. The article is a couple of years old so itās perhaps only fair to state in his defense he is at least making the Clippers competitive at last http://sports.espn.gā¦tory?id=4193431
Stern and the NBA made a nice few bob out of that deal too Laz. The Kings are another to be linked but the major hiccup is the arena. The city of Seattle has no will to fork out for another arena, the Qwest or whatever it is called now is hugely popular with the Seahawks and Sounders pulling in massive crowds, but Safeco field is something of a white elephant as the Mariners have been shite for years now. The tax payers are still paying for that.
And IMO there is something very wrong with some billionaires like the Maloof family that own the Kings threatening cities with the relocation of their franchises if they dont build state of the art arenas for them.
Itās some joke, the only games they show live donāt begin till after midnight, they could have shown the heat/knicks last night starting at 8.30, instead they had some regular season baseball game on.
Having beaten the then defending champs LA Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference semiās last year, Dallas Maverics faced the ignominy of being swept themselves as defending Champions earlier in the week. Itās no great surprise that they were knocked out as they offloaded a lot of the players that were key to their success last year, notably JJ Barea and Tyson Chandler who won defensive player of the year award this year playing for the Knicks. Perhaps they were unlucky to get many peoples idea of this years champions Oklahoma Thunder in the first round or more likely they just wernāt as arsed and age has caught up.
Chandler could do little last night as the Heat knocked out New York 4-1. Miami will play Indiana Pacers in the next round after they beat Orlando 4-1.
Boston can secure their place in the Eastern semiās with a win tonight at home to Atlanta where they would face the winners of Bulls/76ers(2-3) who also play tonight . Philly have a great chance to close it out tonight at home against a Bulls team whoāve been decimated by injuries to key players. What this means is that in all probability we are looking at a Boston/Miami Eastern Final.
Out West OKC await the winners of the Lakers/Nuggets series who play tonight in Denver 3-2 currently to LA.
San Antonio are also sitting pretty after they swept the Jazz, they will play the winners of Clippers/Grizzlies(3-2). I am calling a Spurs v Thunder Final here
In the East, Number 1 seeded Chicago Bulls beaten by the Number 8 seeded Philiadelphia 76āers last night. Not as big a shock as it seems at first glance. Bulls badly hit with injuries to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in the post season. Bulls face the Boston Celtics next. Celtics prevailed over Atlanta Hawks last night.
Out west Denver have forced a Game 7 decider against the Lakers.
Wow,great game Grizzlies miss a shitload of FTs but still manage to hold on 90/88. Two games 7s it is, both involving Los Angeles teams Lakers/Nuggets roughly 3,30 Sat nite and Grizzlies/Clippers around 6pm Sunday
I see Denver @ LA is on ESPN tonight. Tempted to set the alarm to get up for the last quarter.
Metta World Peace returns from suspension tonight, it might give the Lakers enough of a lift to overcome the nuggets tonight, Bynam & Gasol have been absolutely dire alongside the imperious Kobe. But I can see OKC making clean shit of them in 4 or 5 games in the next round. Cue a major revamp of the franchise in the summer after a few playoff disasters, I can see Dwight Howard pling his trade there next year.
King James was crowned League MVP for the 3rd time in 4 seasons also, I can see him top it with a finals MVP award before the year is out. He has played some awesome stuff ths year in fairness, he must be the most complete player since MJ.
Lakers get it done, more relief than anything by the looks of their celebrations. Tomorrows G7 should be epic, Clippers/Grizzlies as good a matchup as thereās been. When Lebron has a ring or two on his finger we can start worrying how comlete he is compared to MJ
All in good time, but donāt be so hung up on waiting for that to happen that you donāt get to appreciate just how good he is right now. IMO he is the best athlete playing in any sport at the moment and a joy to watch in full flight.
MJ wouldnāt have done any better with that Cleveland team IMO. A testament to just how good Lebron is, is their record since he left. Gone from title contenders to one of the worst teams in the blink if an eye. There werenāt too many Scotty Pippens on that team with him after allā¦
I do appreciate it, the manās a sporting genius, anyone who canāt see that hasnāt a clue. He does however have question to answer in the clutch, heād be the first to admit himself Iād imagine and he did go missing in last years Finals when it really counted,thatās undeniable. The MJ comparision that you made needs to be shelved until he gets it done where it counts the most. We can of course appreciate how good he is in the meantime. Greatness is another thing altogether.
Boston just got done at home by Philly in G2, series now 1-1. The best SF matchup about to kick off with the Lakers heading to OKC. Mr World Peace is back in earnest after his 7 game ban where he practically concussed OKCās Jimmy Harden with an elbow to the face. Ronnie has served his 7 game ban and helped LA finally finish off Denver in G7 last time. Artest hasnāt apoligized for his elbow on Harden and sure why would he with with form like this, Joey Barton wouldnāt get a look in here, believe me!
Lakers getting totally pummelled by Thunder here, no great surprise I suppose. They need to watch it, could easily get swept for the 2nd year running on this evidence.
LeChoke strikes again, Heat a point down with less than a minute on the clock and James misses 2 FTs :o
Pacers grind it out for the win 78-75, blasts the series wide open. Miami just aināt the same team without Chris Bosh.
Clippers @ Spurs up next, should be relatively straightforward for Spurs here against a tired and half hobbled Clips side but have taken a wee snip of the 7.4 on LA. No team with Chris Paul should ever be that big
saw the highlights of it last night, imperious stuff from LeBron, 40-18-9 scarcely believable figures. He managed to dominate an opponent 6 inches taller than him around the rim, testament to his unbeliveable athlethicism.
He still has questions to answer on the mental side of the game though alright, hopefully he doesnāt shrink in the remainder of the series, and we get to see more of this stuff.
