Basketball

David Blatt is a Boston native, Princeton graduate and veteran European coach who's coached Euroleague teams in Israel, Russia, Turkey, Greece and italy as well as Team Russia. In that nomadic journey, he's won championships in three leagues and in 2007, as Team Russia coach, won the FIBA European championships. Now, reports Walla, an Israeli news site, he is considering joining the Nets as an assistant coach under Jason Kidd. According to a translation of the Hebrew language site, Blatt is expected to make his decision within 10 days, perhaps less. A league source, asked about the rumor, responded, "nope." Blatt, who is regarded as one of the world's best at X's and O's, just finished up coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv, which lost in the Israeli league championships to upstart Maccabi Haifa. Although still under contract, Blatt has an NBA out. He left the Russian national team last October. Blatt is a protege of Princeton coach Pete Carril, author of the Princeton offense that the Nets used so well when Kidd was playing in New Jersey. Basketball Exposure: David Blatt has offers from the NBA, considers leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv - Walla

Chad Ford Says Jazz Leaning Toward Brazilian Forward Broox Anderson RICHFIELD, UT—4:13 P.M.—With the release of Chad Ford’s latest mock draft, dubbed “Mock Draft 5.0,” an unfamiliar name leaped into the lottery: Lucas Nogueira, of Brazil. Supposedly pulled from the depths of the draft by the Jazz’s strehhhhhhhhtched grasp, Nogueira finds himself an unlikely lottery pick in Chad Ford’s latest draft installment/fantasy world. Surpassing the likes of Shabazz Muhammad, Shane Larkin, Mason Plumlee, Kelly Olynyk, Dennis Schroeder, Rudy Gobert, and Gorgui Dieng, the Brazilian center/forward seems like an interesting reach at 14th overall for the Jazz. His measurements stack up to be 7’0″ tall, 215-220 pounds, 7’6″ wingspan, with a 9’6″ standing reach. He’s a little slender at 215-220 pounds, but his mobility and athleticism are impressive. The Jazz could, in essence, take a gamble on him. His offensive game is extremely raw and he is entirely a catch-and-finish-at-the-rim player at this point. Nogueira makes troubling decisions with the ball and turns it over, unforced, at an astounding rate. But, all else aside, he is very athletic and protects the rim, averaging over three blocks per-40 minutes. If considering Nogueira, the Jazz would be looking at a third big in the rotation to complement Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. However, Lucas Nogueira’s frame is of question at only 215 pounds. He is bullied on the block and doesn’t have enough strength to post up players. Scouts are worried about Nogueira for the same reasons they pause when it comes to projected No. 1 pick Nerlens Noel. But, more than any other red flag, Lucas Nogueira might not be playing in the NBA next season due to his contract with Barcelona. Why the Jazz won’t draft him: He is seen as a “draft-and-stash” product who will be playing in Barcelona for the foreseeable future, and probably the next few years. The Jazz need players, not stashed projects. Chad Ford failed to realize this in his latest mock draft. *Ford did not reply to a direct question sent about Nogueira’s contract issues via Twitter. From DraftExpress: The question NBA teams will have to ask themselves is just how much he’ll continue to improve over the next few years. Turning 21 in July, he hasn’t put on a great deal of bulk to his frame in the past few years, as it’s not quite clear how much work he’s put in in the weight room. His love of the game, work ethic and overall mentality has been questioned by people who have worked closely with him in years past, even if he’s received nothing but strong reports this season from the people at Estudiantes. He’s definitely still a year or two away at the very least from being able to contribute at the NBA level from a physical standpoint, even if he’s in a terrific situation to continue to improve if his role increases next season [in Barcelona]. … Despite all the question marks, players with Nogueira’s physical tools and talent are rare and coveted commodities, and there isn’t a great deal of risk for an NBA team picking outside the top-20 to draft him and see what comes out of him…. The risks outweigh the benefits with Nogueira for the Jazz, who need to add players desperately. They have only five players under contract for next season; the league minimum for a roster is thirteen. I see Utah passing on the Brazilian forward at fourteen, and possibly even at twenty-one. ______________________________________________________________________________ Broox Anderson Staff Writer Purple and Blues | A Utah Jazz Site Twitter: @BrooxAnderson Facebook: Purple and Blues Email: brxanderson@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________________________

March 19, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors former player Chris Mullin speaks during the half time ceremony to retire his Former Golden State Warriors executive Chris Mullin has been offered a role to be a consultant with the Sacramento Kings, according to the Sacramento Bee.   Mullin, a Hall of Famer, is expected to accept the position, according to the Sacramento Bee’s report. The Kings have offered Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame player and former Golden State Warriors executive Chris Mullin a role as a consultant, The Bee learned Sunday. Sources said Mullin likely will accept. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the offer. There are all sorts of connections here, and the Warriors are again in the middle of the Kings’ hirings. Vivek Ranadive, a former minority owner for the Warriors, hired Mike Malone in early June. Malone was a former assistant for the Warriors. Current Warriors assistant Bob Beyer could join Malone in Sacramento at some point, but those rumors have ceased since the report was released over two weeks ago. Moreover, Pete D’Alessandro, who was recently hired to be the Kings’ general manager, worked for the Warriors from 2004-2008. In the final two years, he served as Golden State’s assistant GM. In short, Ranadive continues to use his connections within the Warriors’ organization to patch up the Kings’ front office and coaching vacancies.

International prospects can sometimes be more appealing to fans of basketball due to the lack of knowledge and understanding about them. For that reason, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most mysterious and intriguing prospects in the 2013 NBA Draft. Antetokounmpo is a young 18-year-old point forward that was born in Greece but is of Nigerian descent. With Giannis' interesting background and his potential future in the NBA, his story is most certainly something for people to keep an eye on. Giannis Antetokounmpo Position: Small Forward Height: 6'10" Weight: 205 lbs Age: 18 Nicknamed "The Greek Freak," there has been some confusion on the correct spelling of his last name. Giannis' last name is spelled as Antetokounmpo in Greek and on his passport. However, Adetokunbo is his Nigerian family name. For this scouting report, I will be referring to him as "Antetokounmpo." Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @Kevin__OConnor and let me know what players you'd like to see profiled next! Follow @Kevin__OConnor Offensive Overview With point guard skills and small forward size, Giannis Antetokounmpo has the versatility to be a very effective point forward in the NBA. Giannis has huge potential as a playmaker in both transition and the half-court. Antetokounmpo's advanced dribbling ability allowed him to get to the basket with ease in the Greek A2 league. He showcases a sleek euro-step, along with a nice crossover, and hop step. He dribbles and passes the ball well with both hands, giving him more freedom to make plays at the rim. Giannis Antetokounmpo shot 61.2 percent from the field last season, with the majority of his baskets coming in the lane. He only averaged 1.4 assists per game but he could have had more with a more prominent point guard role. From the perimeter, Giannis Antetokounmpo needs to improve his consistency, but he shows good potential from three-point range. Defensive Overview Giannis Antetokounmpo has great upside on the defensive end due to his long arms, measuring in with a 7'3" wingspan. Giannis can alter shots but also has the speed to stay in front of his man on the perimeter. Antetokounmpo struggles off-the-ball because he can sometimes lose his man or have a hard time fighting through screens. With more coaching and experience, Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely improve that aspect of his game due to his willingness to work hard. Keep an eye on the hyperlinks throughout this article, click on them to see videos of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Full Analysis Athleticism and Intangibles With his tall, lanky frame, and long, skinny arms, Giannis Antetokounmpo has a ways to go in order to look the part of an NBA player. Right now, Giannis is only 205 pounds despite standing at 6'10". His body will remind optimists of Kevin Durant and realists of Nicolas Batum. At only 18 years old, he has plenty of time to develop his body and add muscle to his frame. It's reported he grew about three inches in the last year, so reaching 6'11" is not out of the question. Unlike Durant and Batum, Antetokounmpo appears to have slightly wider shoulders, which could allow him to put on more weight. Right now his lack of strength will hinder him in the NBA, but with time he should be able to compete with the big boys and still retain his speed to stay with guards and wings. "The Greek Freak" doesn't exactly have freakish athletic ability to go along with his nickname. Compared to some ‘freaks' in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo might appear relatively normal. Giannis doesn't explode out of the gym with insane leaping ability and he won't blow past anyone with his speed either. That is not to say that Giannis doesn't have good athleticism -- he does -- but the ‘freak' nickname shouldn't fool anyone into thinking that he is an all-world athlete. His lengthy 7'3" wingspan and excellent body controlare what truly give him the ability to compete at the next level. Better yet, at only 18 years old, Anteto

Some fans and analysts have used the concept of a Big Three as a prism through which to view the 2013 NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs boast Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, and Tim Duncan, while the Miami Heat have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. San Antonio has the chance to wrap up the series Tuesday night in Miami, prompting ESPN Insider analyst Tom Harberstroh to dive into the question of how the Spurs and Heat trios stack up next to the NBA's all-time great threesomes since 1974. More NBA Finals coverage: Hot Hot Hoops Pounding the Rock Haberstroh defines a Big Three as any group of three teammates who individually posted at least a five Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP) in a given season. The ESPN scribe only considers trios from 1974 onward, as that year is when the NBA began counting turnovers, a component of WARP, as an official statistic. Somewhat surprisingly, the Orlando Magic crack Haberstroh's top-10 list, with the trio of Shaquille O'Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, and Nick Anderson coming in 10th. The trio qualified for Big Three status, under Haberstroh's definition, from 1994-96, making one NBA Finals appearance in that span. Despite not having homecourt advantage, the Houston Rockets swept the Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals. Orlando would not return to the NBA's biggest stage until 2009, where it lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. That Lakers squad, featuring Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom, ranks sixth on Haberstroh's list of all-time great Big Threes. O'Neal infamously left the Magic as a free agent in 1996. The team kept Hardaway and Anderson together for another three seasons after O'Neal's departure, only to trade them within two days of each other in August of 1999 as John Gabriel looked to create salary-cap space to sign max-dollar free agents the following summer. Though the O'Neal/Hardaway/Anderson triumvirate is undoubtedly the best Big Three in Magic history, one can argue that the late-aughts squad which advanced to the Finals was a better overall team. It didn't boast any secondary stars on the level of Hardaway or Anderson, but Stan Van Gundy coached it expertly, and it had stronger role players than the mid-90s squad did. And while Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson aren't on the level of Hardaway or Anderson, they nonetheless earned All-Star berths in 2009. According to Haberstroh's methodology, the best Big Threes since 1974 are the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics (1982-87); Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant of the Chicago Bulls (1990-93); and San Antonio's Duncan, Parker, and Ginóbili (2004-09, 2011). Looking for Orlando Magic tickets? Orlando Pinstriped Post has you covered. We invite you to follow Orlando Pinstriped Post on Twitter and like Orlando Pinstriped Post on Facebook.

Miami has gone very small against the Spurs — and it worked at first, the Heat won a game and forced the Spurs to adjust to them. However a consequence of that has been Chris Andersen has slid out of the rotation. The Birdman’s size was key against the large Pacers front line last series,…

Jun 16, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) lays the ball up past San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) during the fourth quarter of game five in the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT Before the NBA Finals started,  iff I had told you that the Spurs would hold a 3-2 series lead going into Game 6, what would you have said? Probably something along the lines of “Uhhh…hahahaha…. ….. Yeah.  No.” (I’ll be the first to admit, those would probably would have been my initial thoughts.) Unless you’re the diehardest San Antonio Spurs fan in the history of all diehard San Antonio Spurs fans (you know, the ones that have a Tim Duncan snuggie, or sleep with Tony Parker’s rookie card tucked underneath their Manu Ginobili pillow, or both) you probably didn’t have San Antonio winning this series. But right now they are one game away from doing just that.  Which means this guy will probably be s        himself for the entirety of Game 6. As for Diehard Spurs Fan #2, what happens if Tim Duncan pulls a Jordan, and retires, only to come back with a non-Spurs team?  What if it’s the Mavs?  Or the Lakers?  And what if he leads them to a title at age 53 (or however old he is)?  What then? Miami’s going to win Game 6.  Miami hasn’t lost back-to-back playoff games and I don’t think tonight will be the night (at home, to boot) that they lose back-to-back playoff games.  Too much is on the line for Miami, while San Antonio doesn’t have as much pressure (for the Spurs, there’s always Game 7; for the Heat, this is their Game 7, at least for the moment). On top of that, Manu Ginobili probably won’t have another big game tonight.  (Read more to see why.)

The NBA Draft is Thursday (next Thursday). That means it's coming up pretty soon. ESPN's Chad Ford released the 50683rd version of his mock draft and I was anticipating this version quite a bit, actually. It doesn't have much change in it as far as the Cleveland Cavaliers are concerned, but that's a good thing. Recently, various people have been reporting that they think the Cavs are leaning towards selecting Alex Len with the first overall pick. If Chad Ford got on this bandwagon too, I'd really start to get concerned. However, Ford stuck with what he has been saying all along. 1. Cleveland Cavaliers select Nerlens Noel Here's part of Ford's blurb about this selection: "Sources in Cleveland strongly suggest that the Cavs have yet to make their decision. Anthony Bennett, Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter, Alex Len and Noel all have visits and/or workouts scheduled in Cleveland this week. Noel is scheduled to visit the team Thursday and has a chance to seal the deal as the No. 1 pick if he performs well." 19. Cleveland Cavaliers select Reggie Bullock Here's what Ford says about the selection of Bullock: "If the Cavs grab Noel at No. 1, look for them to add a small forward or shooter with the second first-round pick. They would love to get their hands on Karasev, but I'm told they believe Bullock wouldn't be a bad consolation prize. Bullock shot 44 percent from 3-point range this season and has the size to play both wing positions." Other highlights from Mock Draft 5.0: Lucas Nogueira rose all the way up to the Utah Jazz at #14 Sergey Karasev rose all the way up to the Dallas Mavericks at #13 Alex Len fell to the New Orleans Pelicans at #6 Rudy Gobert fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves at #26 Giannis Antetokounmpo rose to the Atlanta Hawks at #18

The NBA Finals are a hot ticket, which means that famous people and their friends are bound to show up in the first few rows to get a firsthand look (and get noticed) at the biggest games of the NBA schedule. On certain occasions, those celebrities end up becoming stories only slightly less attention-grabbing than the play on the court. In Game 7 of the Miami Heat's Eastern Conference Finals, Freezy, the manager of the rapper Flo Rida, was ejected from the arena for apparently talking trash to or around the Indiana Pacers bench. It was a bizarre moment, to be sure, but also the sort of thing that happens sometimes at professional sporting events. There was no indication that Freezy had become persona non grata at all Heat games. However, it now appears that he will not be able to attend either Game 6 or Game 7 of the NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena, apparently because San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich requested it. From Larry Brown Sports: During an appearance on 104.3 The Ticket’s “Hochman and Zaslow Show” Tuesday morning, Freezy explained how the NBA contacted him and told him that he would be arrested if he tried to attend Game 6 on Tuesday night. “They were sending me emails all week and kind threats but I was ignoring them,” he said. “Then I got emails and phone calls from their lawyers telling me I’m not allowed in the building for the next two games. So I’m like, ‘What violation did I (commit)’” According to Freezy, San Antonio Spurs Head coach Gregg Popovich asked that his crew not be allowed back because they were getting too rowdy in support of the Heat. “They were just telling me we had too much energy and the head coach complained about it,” Freezy claimed. “Them cats want an easy win. They ain’t used to that Miami Heat support right next to them in their ears.” Freezy was also asked to leave the arena by the Indiana Pacers during the Eastern Conference Finals, but he said the Pacers were more disrespectful about it than the Spurs. “The Spurs are just scared,” he explained. “They’re scared of the energy. The Pacers were disrespectful. The Spurs don’t want that building to erupt around them. What I do to cheer for my team is no different than what Spike Lee does in New York or Jack Nicholson does in LA.” Freezy also put some extended thoughts on the matter on social media. The Instagram photo with his comments contains some NSFW language, so here's a clean version: JUST GOT A CALL FROM THE NBA KINDLY ASKING ME NOT TO SHOW UP TO THE HEAT GAME TONIGHT!! SPURS HEAD COACH REPORTED ME TO THE NBA SAYING ITS TOO MUCH ENERGY NEAR THE TEAM!!!! THATS SOMEBULLS--- !!!!! We have no way of knowing exactly what Flo Rida, Freezy, and Co. said near the Spurs bench, but if they really were just supporting their team and yelling in the manner we're accustomed to seeing from fans then this seems like an overreaction. While fans in the first few rows are typically not the most hyped-up people in the building, that doesn't mean they have a responsibility to keep quiet around the opposing bench. As Freezy says, Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee shout all the time. What's especially different here? The other question, of course, is what Popovich said to get the NBA and Heat officials to bar Freezy from the premises. Because no one is going to reveal that information, we can only guess at the severity of his words. Perhaps he just asked the notoriously irascible Pop standard-issue sideline reporter questions to get on his bad side.

Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com digs into the advanced stats to produce this interesting look at the best "Big 3" combinations of players in NBA history. The Portland Trail Blazers' combination of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter and Jerome Kersey ranks eighth on his list of the top 10 since 1974. For this study, I considered every potential star trio in the NBA since 1974. Why 1974? That's the first season that the NBA officially tracked turnovers. Using that as a starting point allows us to measure each player using the same rubric. Turnovers are a pretty big deal. ... Don't think of this Blazers trio as a Big Three? Think again. Clyde Drexler and two-time All-Star Terry Porter made up one of the best backcourts of the Jordan era, and Jerome Kersey was no slouch either. Most youngsters these days remember Kersey as the washed-up vet on the 1999 Spurs championship squad, but Kersey was a big-time rebounder and defender at small forward for the Blazers and helped push them to two Finals appearances. If the rise of this Blazers' core hadn't run parallel with the "Bad Boy" Pistons and Jordan's Bulls, we probably would think of them much differently. The top three overall on the list... 1) Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish (Boston Celtics) 2) Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant (Chicago Bulls) 3) Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs) Hat tip: Casey Holdahl, Blazers.com -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter