NBA

by Marcel Mutoni
Seems like he does this almost every week, doesn’t it?
Shaquille O’Neal was back it last night, following his Suns’ loss in Portland. When the subject of his his little tiff with Joel Przybilla during the game was broached (plus his thoughts on Greg Oden), reporters in the locker room perked up as they knew that some typically Shaq-esque responses were on their way.

Bosh wants the world to know that he’s no deadbeat father: “In the immediate aftermath of the lawsuit being made public on Tuesday, Bosh would only say he loved his daughter, loved himself and respected his daughter’s mother.

It’s so palpable that musicians are paying him unsolicited visits in the Nets’ locker room: “Bruce Hornsby was ushered into the Nets locker room by Kiki Vandeweghe Sunday, and the GM asked the musician whether there was anyone he’d like to meet. Hornsby said he was interested only in Josh Boone, ‘because he looks so sad.’”

by Holly MacKenzie
Happy it’s Friday? I don’t know where this week has gone. Durant/Green/Westbrook and Co. in town tonight and I’m excited.
My hands are also tired of typing. I had two liveblogs last night and those college games took forever! Villanova took down Duke… Well, slaughtered them would be a better way to put it. How many of you had them defeating Duke? How many of you are happy people today?
16-60. That’s what the Blue Devils shot for the game.

He’s got his teammate’s back no matter what: “Garnett is well aware of the criticism Marbury has received at various NBA stops. In fact, it’s likely he had his own bone to pick when the point guard left him and the Wolves to pursue glory on warmer stages. But Garnett insists that none of what he’s heard can alter his impression. ‘That’s what you hold onto,’ he said. ‘Someone can have an opinion.

by Marcel Mutoni
Two nights ago, the Orlando Magic defeated the Boston Celtics in Florida, and in the process leap-frogged the C’s in the Eastern Conference standings. This made their coach a very happy man, and one who simply couldn’t resist throwing a shot at the team he’d just beaten.

Photo by Pier Nicola D’Amico
Originally published in SLAM 103

by Russ Bengtson
There are many ways I could start these notes. For example, I could ask a not-so-rhetorical question: “If Team A loses a game against Team B because Player C celebrates a would-be dagger dunk a bit too exuberantly, what chance is there that same player gives the refs the chance to make the same exact call in the same exact situation the very next time the teams meet?”

Even it’s at a Bar Mitzvah: “In an event that took place Saturday night, a Bar Mitzvah that featured T.I. as a performer and Dwayne Wade as a guest, it’s being reported that fisticuffs broke out. Not between the Hip-Hop artist or his crew, or Dwayne Wade and his associates, but between Cleveland Cavalier’s owner Dan Gilbert and former Rock Financial honcho David Hall.