Malcolm Andreoli https://blog.dnevnik.hr/andreoli

utorak, 12.07.2011.

Jumps on firm footing after funding lift

RACING Victoria yesterday approved a three-year funding package for jumps racing, a further sign that the sport in Victoria has a sound and viable future.
As part of the package, an $8.85 million prizemoney budget over the next three years will be put in place and there will also be an annual grant to the Australian Jumps Racing Association for administration of the sport.
A second set of obstacles will also be purchased to increase safety. The new-look obstacles, credited with helping to halve the fatality rate in Victorian jumps racing over the past 16 months, will become a fixture in the Western District.
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AJRA president Rodney Rae said the prizemoney committed to jumps racing for the next three years would help stimulate investment in the sport.
''This overall commitment will send a strong message to industry participants that jumping racing is here to stay,'' Rae said. ''We are extremely pleased with the safety performance of jumping racing over the past two years.
''We are thankful for the support of the Minister for Racing, Dr Denis Napthine, the coalition government and Racing Victoria as jumping racing now has the opportunity to relaunch with confidence into the future.''
Meanwhile, the Victorian government has endorsed recommendations from a review into an incident involving spectators during this year's Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool.
Educational programs about the risks of runaway horses and annual inspections of perimeter racecourse fencing are among the main recommendations.
Napthine ordered the review after a horse jumped a two-metre fence and injured seven spectators in May.
Warrnambool Racing Club has already been ordered to improve spectator safety.
 A four-win haul by John Moore at Sha Tin on Sunday gave the trainer a dramatic victory in the Hong Kong premiership.
Moore went into the day two wins behind Tony Cruz but mounted a charge in the second half of the program, with former Sydney jockey Darren Beadman riding three of his four winners.
Douglas Whyte failed to ride a winner on the final day of the season but celebrated an 11th premiership with a commanding 18-win victory over Australian Brett Prebble. Beadman was third.

utorak, 05.07.2011.

NFL: 25 Surprising Players Who Can Make the Pro Bowl

Every year, there are always those couple of players that have a breakout season, i.e. Brandon Lloyd, Arian Foster, Peyton Hillis and a few other players in 2010.

That's one of the things I enjoy about the NFL. You never know what to expect when it comes to player's performances. That's what makes the season so much more interesting and it's more than likely going to happen again this season (if there is one).

With the Pro Bowl now played before the Super Bowl, there may be a few players that will not play in the annual game, so there will be replacements named. Not to mention, there are also a few that don't want to risk an injury, so they too withdraw their names from playing in Hawaii.

Some of these players may not be selected through the voting process, but they can still make their respective teams due to the replacement factor.

So with that being said, here are 25 players that could be considered "surprises" when it comes to making the Pro Bowl.

petak, 01.07.2011.

Stocks dipped in June, but some think it's a blip

Stocks are headed for a correction. No, stocks are rallying. Wait, stocks are down again. Or up - a lot.

For investors, June was one long seesaw ride that began with a deep plunge on the first day of the month. Six days of declines were followed by a week of give and take and then four days of gains. The month ended with strong earnings from a consumer bellwether and signs that a European debt crisis could be averted. That led to a 4-day advance in the three major stock indexes.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 480 points, or 4 percent, the last four days of the month and the Standard & Poor's 500 index is on track for its best weekly return for since July 2010.

That strong ending didn't make June a winner. Stocks were down about 2 percent for the month, the second straight month that the market finished lower. Only the Dow Jones industrial average eked out a gain, of 0.8 percent, for the quarter.

All three indexes are still up for the year. The Dow is up the most, 7.2 percent. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are up 5 percent and 4.6 percent respectively. The Dow was down 6.3 percent at this time last year.

Concerns about the strength of the U.S. economy and a possible debt default by Greece spooked investors much of the month. One the first day of June investors were greeted with reports that American manufacturing output had expanded at the slowest pace in 20 months, that auto sales had tumbled in May, and that private companies added the fewest number of employees since September. By June 15, the S&P had lost nearly all of its gains for the year, before dividends.

Market declines mean different things to different people. Rather than retreat further, some investors came to believe that stocks were relatively cheap. Stocks began to reverse course.

The upward climb continued this week when Nike Inc.'s earnings came in much higher than analysts had been expecting. That indicated that higher gas prices haven't stopped consumers from splurging on things like pricey sneakers and sportswear. In the last four days of the month, the S&P rose 4.1 percent.

Even so, the S&P 500 lost 1.8 percent for the month, the Dow finished down 1.2 percent for the month. The Nasdaq composite fell 2.2 percent. For the second quarter, the Dow gained 0.7 percent between April and June. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, however, lost 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

Most economists, analysts and investors agree that, at the very least, the U.S. economy has struggled through a soft patch. The weakness was brought on by gas prices that hit $4 a gallon, problems getting computer chips and auto parts from Japan and severe weather in the South. These factors weighed on consumer spending and confidence and made recession-weary companies reluctant to hire employees or expand domestically.

Whether the late June rally continues into July depends partly on results from upcoming earnings reports and lingering effects of that soft patch.

Most stock analysts think the economy's troubles are temporary. Few have lowered their estimates over the last month despite a dip in consumer spending and continued high unemployment. One reason: even if U.S. consumers spend less, American companies continue to make a significant portion of their profits overseas. As of 2010, 40 percent of the profits for U.S. companies in the S&P 500 came from overseas.

Alcoa Inc. is the first major U.S. company to report earnings every quarter. Many investors look to those results for indications of how the results of other major corporations might turn out. The aluminum maker, which tends to do well when the global economy is growing, reports its quarterly results on July 11.

Mark Schultz, portfolio manager for the $240 million MTB Mid-Cap Growth fund, believes that the impact of higher gas prices on U.S. corporate profits will be balanced out by growing revenue coming from sales in countries like China and Brazil, where companies are still expanding.

Some market strategists say the stock market is in for another up and down ride in July as earnings reports come out.

"We're worried that the earnings season will capture the soft patch in the second quarter," says Ron Florance, the managing director of investing strategy at Wells Fargo Private Bank. "If analysts haven't factored that into their estimates then we could be set up for disappointments."

Earnings season also gives investors a glimpse of what's to come. When companies report for the quarter, their executives often lay out their expectations for revenue and earnings for the next quarter. Gloomy predictions from key companies like JPMorgan Chase & Co, IBM and Caterpillar could make a second-half stock rally difficult.

On the other hand, if those forecasts are more bullish, that will bolster the belief that effects from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and high oil prices will be short-lived.

"The misses will probably not be repeatable because they could come from weather and commodity price spikes," says Phil Orlando, the chief market strategist at Federated Investors. "We all know that the third quarter will be better."

Of course, there's one unknown looming: Politics. The federal government will reach its debt limit on Aug. 2. If Republicans and Democrats in Congress can't reach a deal to prevent that from happening, the U.S. could find itself unable to borrow more money to meet all of its financial obligations.

The government would be forced to choose which payments it won't make. Those could include Social Security checks to more than 52 million recipients or military salaries for the 1.4 million currently in the armed forces. Alarming, yes. But skipping bond interest payments could be even worse. A default would lead to a sharp rise in interest rates and possibly trigger a recession.

As of now, many investors are betting that a deal will be reached. But look for big swings in the market if a deal isn't reached by mid-July, says Kevin Shacknofsky, co-manager of the $635 million Alpine Dynamic Dividend fund. "If we don't have signs that there's a deal by (then), you have to start positioning your portfolio for the worst."

subota, 25.06.2011.

Magic make a trade, selection on draft night

The Orlando Magic used the second round of the NBA Draft Thursday night to acquire forward Justin Harper from Richmond and guard DeAndre Liggins from Kentucky.

They traded two future second-round picks to Cleveland to acquire Harper, the 32nd pick in the draft, then used their own pick at 53 to snag Liggins.

Harper played four seasons at Richmond, averaging 17.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in his senior season when he shot 53 percent from the field. At 6-10, 225 pounds, Harper is expected to play both small and power forward if he can make the Magic roster, which already is filled with veterans.

Liggins averaged 8.6 points and 4 rebounds in his third and final season with Kentucky. He is known more for his defense and toughness.

The Magic did not have a first-round pick Thursday, trading it to Phoenix in December as part of the deal that sent Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus to the Suns in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson. The Suns then dealt the Magic pick (No. 23) to Houston in another trade. The Rockets used the pick Thursday to take forward Nikola Mirotic of Spain.

The Magic are hoping Liggins can give them some defensive help at shooting guard if they don't resign free agent Jason Richardson.

"He's a tough kid who isn't afraid to work," said Magic general manager Otis Smith. "He was one of those guys who was a little unnoticed at Kentucky, but he came up big when he was called upon."

The Magic are coming off a disappointing, first-round playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks, a sharp drop from back-to-back seasons playing in the Eastern Conference final.

They are hoping that Harper can give them some flexibility in the front court. They compared him on draft night to Rashard Lewis, a big man with good outside shooting skills.

"I'm thrilled to be coming to a good, established team," Harper said. "I think I can help them. It should be a good fit."

The Magic considered trading into the first round, but they didn't find what they liked. Smith said he was more interested in acquiring veteran help to improve the team. He said there is a chance of a trade could come before July 1.

They will try to build a better team around All-Star center Dwight Howard, who has said he will exercise an option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2011-12 season.

Howard still is eligible to sign a contract extension until July 1, but has declined, looking forward to free agency after next season.

He also has said several times since the season ended that he wants the Magic to find him more teammates who are focused on winning a championship.

The Magic do not have a good history with second-round picks. Since the team's inception in 1989, the Magic have not had a second-round pick spend more than two seasons with the team.

They are hoping that last year's first-round pick, Kentucky center Daniel Orton, can contribute for the first time. Because of knee problems, Orton did not play a single game last season.

They had hoped this summer to finally sign their 2005 first-round pick, Fran Vazquez, bringing him to Orlando for next season. Vazquez, who has been playing in Europe since the Magic drafted him, was eligible to sign this summer, but he was scared off by the NBA's labor uncertainty. He recently extended his contract with FC Barcelona in Spain for one more season.

petak, 17.06.2011.

Rep. Anthony Weiner resigns in sexting scandal's 3rd week

WASHINGTON — Disgraced New York Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned his House seat Thursday, after a nearly three-week Internet sex scandal that has left his political career in tatters and Democrats on the defensive ahead of the 2012 elections.
Weiner, 46, said he had hoped to continue representing his district, but the "distraction that I have created has made this impossible."
"I am here today to again to apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarassment I have caused," Weiner said during an announcement at a packed Brooklyn, N.Y., senior citizens' center. His statement was interrupted several times by hecklers. "I make this apology to my neighbors and my constituents, but I make it particularly to my wife."
Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin was not with him at the announcement. Abedin, a senior aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, is pregnant with the couple's first child.
BLOG: More from Weiner's news conference
PHOTOS: Rep. Weiner scandal
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who called for Weiner's resignation nearly a week ago, said the seven-term Democrat "made the right judgment."
The departure marks an dramatic fall for Weiner, who ran for New York City mayor in 2005 and talked about seeking the office again in 2013. The controversy, splashed across the front pages of New York City's tabloids for weeks, has been a distraction for Democrats who have sought to promote a jobs agenda and gain momentum ahead of the 2012 elections.
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"Democrats have been off message since it happened," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report. But the Weiner scandal is unlikely to shape an election that's nearly 18 months away, he said.
"The election is going to be about the president and the Republican nominee and unemployment and the war in Afghanistan and lots of other topics," he said. "It's not going to be about Anthony Weiner."
Across Capitol Hill, Democrats expressed relief and regret.
"It's difficult to watch the self destruction of a friend and to witness the breaking of hearts over what can only be categorized as reprehensible behavior and bad judgment," said Connecticut Rep. John Larson, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus.
Weiner's troubles began last month after a lewd photograph of him that he intended only for a Seattle college student was posted briefly on his public Twitter account. At first, Weiner issued angry denials, saying he was the victim of a computer hacker. But in a tearful news conference June 6, he recanted and confessed to sexually charged Internet exchanges with at least six women during the past three years.
Still, he refused to resign. Party leaders, however, ramped up pressure as more damaging material surfaced, including an X-rated photo. Democrats had prepared to hold a meeting Thursday afternoon to consider taking away Weiner's committee assignments.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, is expected to call a special election to fill the seat, the second such House election this year in the Empire State. (Former representative Chris Lee, a Republican, created the first vacancy in February when he quit abruptly after he sent a photo of himself, shirtless, to a woman.)
Weiner's district, which spans Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods, is traditionally Democrat, but was in jeopardy as New York lawmakers worked to redraw congressional districts. The state is slated to lose two seats as a result of the 2010 Census.
"There was already talk of redistricting Anthony Weiner out of Congress before he resigned," said Christopher Malone, an associate professor of political science at Pace University, who is active in New York Democratic politics.
A House ethics investigation launched last week into Weiner's actions likely will close because the panel does not have authority to police the actions of former lawmakers.
But what of Weiner's political future? He has spent his entire adult live in politics, serving as congressional aide before his election in 1991 to New York City Council at age 27. In Congress, he was best known as a brash defender of liberal Democratic policies during combative floor speeches and appearances on cable television.
Weiner did not offer many clues on his future Thursday, saying only, "I'll be looking for other ways to contribute my talents."
Fellow New Yorker, Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel, said, "I don't know if he has a future in politics," but suggested Weiner might still find a second act as a public figure.
"Eliot Spitzer is now on TV," Engel said of former New York governor who resigned 2008 after admitting to sex with prostitutes. Spitzer now hosts a CNN talk show.
"I would not take anything away from Anthony," Engel said. "Anthony's got a way of moving up and doing things. … I think he'll land on his feet."

subota, 11.06.2011.

Coming to own defense

DALLAS — He already had been downplaying his return home, and the decisive play of Game 2 of the NBA Finals encouraged Chris Bosh to talk even less about it.

Bosh led Lincoln High School in Dallas to a 40-0 record and a Class 4A state title in 2002, and a year later was the fourth overall pick of the NBA draft, taken by the Toronto Raptors. He has come to Dallas several times during his career but never under the circumstances he dealt with last night.

Bosh said he was never a Mavericks fan growing up, “more a fan of the NBA,’’ and none of his family members are fans of the home team. His homecoming became a bigger story line after Dirk Nowitzki scored the winning basket against Bosh in Game 2.

After the Heat’s 88-86 victory last night, with Bosh scoring 18 points and hitting the winning jumper in the final minute, the story line changed again — to Miami being two wins away from the NBA title.

“It’s not what happens, it’s how you react,’’ said Bosh, who is shooting 31 percent (16 of 52) in the series. “We knew this was not going to be easy. I think it’s just symbolic of our season. You just have to keep overcoming. If you lose Game 2 at home, blow a 15-point lead, and you’re out on the road and everything is against you, you have to get it done.’’

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was heavily criticized for allowing Bosh to defend Nowitzki, who simply drove past his defender and kissed a lefthanded layup off the glass with 3.6 seconds left in Game 2, capping Dallas’s rally from a 15-point deficit. Last night, with the game on the line, Udonis Haslem was on Nowitzki when the Mavericks star missed a long fadeaway at the buzzer.

Bosh said he has kept potential distractions at arm’s length and handed out only four tickets to Game 3.

“I’ve done a job of just keeping everything where it’s supposed to be,’’ he said. “As I said before, we have all summer to kick it and do what we want to do. It’s all about basketball.’’

Haywood sits out
Dallas center Brendan Haywood was inactive for last night’s game after injuring his hip in Game 2, forcing coach Rick Carlisle to use little-used Ian Mahinmi as the primary backup to Tyson Chandler.

Haywood, who signed a six-year, $55 million contract last summer, is considered an offensive liability but can block shots and grab rebounds.

“It will change our rotation, obviously,’’ Carlisle said. “He’s one of our biggest guys, we all know that.’’

Haywood is hoping to be available for Game 4 tomorrow night.

Frank a contender
Celtics assistant Lawrence Frank is a candidate for the head coaching job with the Pistons, who fired John Kuester yesterday. Frank was beaten out by Celtics legend Kevin McHale for the Rockets vacancy, and doesn’t appear to be a serious candidate in the Warriors’ search . . . LeBron James attempted six free throws in the first two games, a frequency he said he would change by being “more aggressive in the paint.’’ Last night, James matched his Game 2 total with four attempts, making them all. The Heat went to the line just 15 times, the Mavericks 27.

utorak, 31.05.2011.

Keep an eye out for Rip

Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams in year two of the post-LeBron James rebuilding phase? The Cavaliers will take that. Although this deal may be a long ways away.

But the inclusion of Richard Hamilton, who would go to Cleveland in the proposed deal, may open up another potential option for the Bulls this offseason.

The Bulls' season came to an abrupt end after a five-game defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat. While their future is bright, they know work needs to be done if they want to compete with the Heat for next year and years to come.

An immediate position to upgrade at is shooting guard. With respect to Keith Bogans, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver, each have their flaws and it's tough to win with either on the floor late in games.

The Bulls found that out the hard way.

Bogans doesn't represent the threat offensively you'd want on the court with Derrick Rose. Brewer is probably the Bulls' best defender from the two guard position, but has an inconsistent jumper. And Korver showed in the postseason exactly what he was in the regular-season: A streaky shooter and terrible defender.

Hamilton might not be the answer. In fact, with Jason Richardson, Jamal Crawford and Arron Afflalo, among others, as upcoming free agents this summer, Hamilton may not even be in the Bulls' top three.

But the Collective Bargaining Agreement is a question-mark. If Richardson and Crawford demand more than the Bulls can offer and Afflalo is kept by the Denver Nuggets, which is likely, the Bulls have to form a backup plan. That could come via trade, as a popular name has been Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, but his postseason play (11 points per game on 41 percent from three) has definitely made him much more expensive than when the Bulls inquired on the former third overall pick midseason.

It's going to be an interesting time with the potential lockout looming and several free agents on the market to fill the Bulls' need. Yes, Richardson, Crawford, Afflalo and Mayo are ahead of Hamilton in the pecking order, but if they aren't available, the Bulls could certainly turn to Hamilton.
With the Pistons in rebuilding mode, along with the Cavaliers, Hamilton may be bought out either way -- traded or not.

Hamilton was rumored to have interest in playing in Chicago or Boston if he was bought out this season. But it didn't happen as he and the Pistons never agreed on a buyout.

And the Bulls don't want to touch his contract -- $25 million over the next two seasons -- in any potential trade. The only way he ends up in Chicago is if he's bought out.

Hamilton, 33, would give the Bulls size (6-7), though he isn't the player he once was, as he shot just 42 percent from the field the past two seasons (45 percent career shooting percentage).

Durability is also a concern with Hamilton, who's missed 63 games the past two seasons.

But it's safe to say he's a better option than Bogans, can shoot better than Brewer and is a better defender than Korver, though the latter might not say much.

There are better options out there, there's no question. Although with the question-mark that is the CBA, Hamilton could emerge as the Bulls' sole option to upgrade at shooting guard.

Update: No, nothing new on the Hamilton-to-the-Bulls talks. But it should go without saying, the Bulls won't be able to offer anything but a mid-level exception to Hamilton if he is bought out. The way Hamilton played this season, averaging 14 points in 55 games, he'll probably take that to play with a championship contender.

petak, 20.05.2011.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: What Will Happen to Kentucky's Players?

With last night’s NBA Draft Lottery complete and the draft order set, it is time to start speculating and projecting where the draft eligible Wildcats may be playing next year.

Kentucky is losing three players to the Draft; four if you count big man Enes Kanter. Kanter, as everyone knows, was ruled ineligible for UK last season and never suited up for the Cats. Josh Harrelson leaves via graduation after a monster senior year. DeAndre Liggins and Brandon Knight have declared early for the NBA Draft and signed with agents.

DeAndre Liggins decided that it would be best for him to capitalize on his best season as a Wildcat and declare for the Draft after his junior season. Kentucky’s lockdown defensive specialist opted for the NBA rather than taking the advice of Calipari and returning for his senior year.

However, there are some external factors that may have played into Liggins decision. Liggins has a child, and playing basketball professionally, whether it is in the NBA, NBDL, or another professional league, would allow for him to better provide for his family. Also, returning for his senior season, with perhaps one of the best recruiting classes of all time coming in, would not guarantee him a chance to improve his draft stock.

Liggins is a guy who is known for his toughness and defensive prowess. He is also a guy who has vastly improved his range and jump shot, and he is certainly capable of getting to the basket. If he is lucky, he will get picked up by a playoff team that needs help on the perimeter and on the defensive end. Liggins was great as a role player for the Cats, and that is what he projects as at the next level. If a team is looking for a lock down defender who can spot up and make a big shot, do not be surprised to see them take DeAndre Liggins. The Lakers had trouble defending in the playoffs and could use a guy like Liggins in certain spots to D-up on certain players. If Liggins were to go undrafted, a team like the Knicks, who struggled mightily on defense all season, could sign Liggins as a free agent and could use Liggins as their lock down defender down the road. Projections have Liggins going anywhere from the late first round all the way to undrafted. But as everyone knows, it just takes one team to like you to get drafted.

Harrelson’s coming out party came in a 78-63 victory over cross state rival Louisville. The man they call “Jorts” scored 23 points on 10-12 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds. Harrelson had a solid SEC season, ranking near the top in rebounds throughout conference play. But Harrelson really made a name for himself during UK’s Final Four run and became one of college basketball’s top centers.

After the NBA’s first round, Harrelson may be trading in his jorts for a juit (a denim suit if you will). Once “Jorts” signs his first-round deal, he will have plenty of cashola to by some denim swag. Harrelson’s rise to fame and his run of dominance in the NCAA Tournament put him pretty firmly at the backend of the first round. That is potentially a great situation for a guy like Harrelson who can give some minutes, grab some rebounds, but still develop for a likely contender.

A couple of playoff teams that could use a guy like Harrelson are Boston and San Antonio. The Celtics hold the 25th pick in the first round and have aging veterans at the power forward and center positions. With Shaquille O’Neal’s injury and likely retirement along with Jermaine O’Neal’s age, Harrelson could be a good fit for the C’s. San Antonio has an aging Hall of Famer also in the post in Tim Duncan. They also did not get the desired production they sought from DeJuan Blair. With the 29th pick in the first round, San Antonio could pull the trigger on Harrelson to backup Duncan and push DeJuan Blair for playing time. Houston at 23 may also be a player for a center, but other needs may take them in another direction.

However, some projections do not even list Harrelson in the first or second round. Maybe they just forgot how he dominated Ohio State’s Jarred Sullinger and North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller in consecutive rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Harrelson will be a steal for an NBA team, because where he lacks in skill, he makes up for in effort and toughness.

Now for the lottery picks.

Kentucky is now known for their “one and done” players. But what about UK’s first “none and done” Enes Kanter? Kanter, who was ruled by the NCAA as a professional and no longer a player with amateur status, is about to get PAID for real. Kanter is a virtual lock for one of the top three picks and if Kanter fell to the Cavaliers at four, it would be a steal. That would signify a first round of Kyrie Irving and Enes Kanter. That would be quite a haul. Most mock drafts have Kanter going to the Minnesota Timberwolves who hold the second pick overall. Kanter is a guy who can come in right away and play. Many NBA officials said that Kanter would have been one of the top picks had he gone to the draft last season, but he wanted to play college basketball.

Kanter would be a dream pick for Minnesota and makes all the sense in the world for them. With Darko Milicic, Anthony Tolliver, and Nikola Pekovic at the center position, Kanter would start almost immediately and be an impact player along side of Kevin Love and Michael Beasley in the post. The Timberwolves just have to hope that Kanter does not pull a Ricky Rubio and decide to play ball back over in Europe. But if Minnesota screws up their pick or goes with a Derrick Williams, Utah might be there to clean up Kanter to replace an aging Mehmet Okur and give newly acquired Derrick Favors a running mate down in the post.

After a strong rookie season and a phenomenal run through the NCAA Tournament, perhaps nobody improved their NBA stock quite like Brandon Knight did. Knight hit clutch shot after clutch shot for the Cats on their run to the University’s first Final Four since 1998. When Knight initially put his name into the Draft, he must have received some strong feedback. If that feedback is that he would be a lottery pick and potentially top-5, it is a no-brainer for him to go pro.

Knight is a tough guy to project because he could go anywhere. He will more than likely be a top-10 pick, and could sneak into the top five. He gets out in transition, he has in-the-gym range, gets to the basket at will, and handles the ball like a true point guard. In a point guard league, Knight should fit in well and flourish in the right situation. He is more versatile than Kemba Walker from Connecticut, who may be a better scorer, and should have no problem playing big minutes in his first season in the NBA.

There are a handful of teams that could use a point guard in the first 15 picks. Knight’s destination will likely be determined by the drafting of Kyrie Irving. Irving is projected by most to go number one overall to Cleveland. But if Cleveland goes another direction, it could directly affect Knight’s selection. Irving will likely be the first point guard off the board and it is likely that Knight will be the second.

Cleveland, Utah, Toronto, and Sacramento could all be in play for the services of Brandon Knight.

Cleveland would be off the board for Knight with the fourth pick if they take Irving number one. But if they went with Kanter or Arizona’s Derrick Williams at the top, Knight could be an option at number four.

Utah is definitely a player for Knight, who lost their franchise point guard when they traded Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets. Yes, the Jazz now have Devin Harris, but he has never won anything with the Nets and he is not a franchise point guard like Knight can be.

Toronto has an aging and overpaid Jose Calderon along with Jerryd Bayless out of Arizona, but Brandon Knight would be an improvement over both of those players. The Raptors, however, may see they have more pressing needs and opt to go another route.

Sacramento would be an intriguing place for Brandon Knight. With a young roster full of budding stars, the Kings (for at least one more year) could take Brandon Knight and move Tyreke Evans off the ball to the two guard. The combination of Knight and Evans along with fellow Calipari disciple Demarcus Cousins in the post could be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Now the Wildcats certainly won’t have five players drafted in the first round unless Mark Krebs has declared for the draft and shoots up the projection boards, but this year will continue the trend of John Calipari getting his players to the NBA. With four more players heading to the league, it is just further evidence that Calipari is a master at his craft and will continue to recruit and land the top talent in each recruiting class for the duration of his time at Kentucky. Good luck to this year’s “Draft Cats” in the 2011 NBA Draft and to long, prosperous careers in the league.

subota, 09.04.2011.

Celtics dominate Bulls, the seeds of this approach in principle

Derrick Rose Bulls, this training camp will begin. Well, Chicago is close to enveloping the seed in the Eastern Conference.

Rose scored 30 points and the Chicago Bulls closed head in the Eastern Conference series against the Boston Celtics 97-81 on Thursday.

Bulls win 17 in 19 games to set up four games in Boston and Miami to play with four and the heat is removed to get the No. 1 seed. He also gave them a split of the four games with the Celtics.

Boston plays the Heat on Sunday, still a mathematical chance in the first place, although a remote control. But if the collapse of Chicago is the favorite in the East.

It is a further step for a team that expects great things after a thorough examination, and have done all the bulls, is giving his best season since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen was a regular event to celebrate championship.


Rose was a coil of a man identified disadvantages Rajon Rondo beats it with his crossover and reach the edge, especially in early stages. Rose scored 16 points in the first half as the Bulls jumped to a lead of 48-43 and Chicago for a while after the third.

Luol Deng scored 23 points and Carlos Boozer added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Like it or not these are probably the types that we do justice to the conference finals or beyond, said Rondo.

Chicago dominated the Celtics 44-22 in the paint, outrebounded 44-35 and held Boston to 38.4 percent shooting. The Bulls did not move, either, after fighting back to Toronto and Phoenix eliminated in the games again.

I think the offensive, we have been very good for 10 games now, coach Tom Thibodeau, the former assistant with the Celtics.


Paul Pierce led Boston with 15 points. Kevin Garnett scored his 10 points in the second half and scored seven Rondo in the last two quarters.



The Bulls led 48-43 at halftime, when a bridge to give Pierce and Rondo hit his first two baskets of Boston lead with a point, but the Bulls responded with a 10th

It was 61-58 after two free throws Glen Davis met with just over three minutes in the quarter when the Bulls started 13-2 run straight into the room.

Deng began the series with three, followed by a plateau Boozer sales to steal a plate and left him with 68-58 1.31. Davis hit two free throws to Boston. But Rose a period of three to 23 seconds of the fourth and Boozer has added a game to three points in 45 seconds in the fourth to rise to 74-60 Chicago.

Not only that, the Bulls still one of the best teams in the East, Pippen was also honored with the presentation of a sculpture of him during a ceremony at half time, a tribute to Hall of Fame, which they helped you win six championships.

How far you can go to this group? It remains to be seen.

Rose is certainly one thing, but. We can play, he said. We can play a little.

petak, 25.03.2011.

Grizzlies hold the Celtics 90-87 victory in Boston

Marc Gasol scored 11 points and 11 rebounds and Zach Randolph had 13 and eight to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 90-87 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Gasol has stolen the ball from Ray Allen, then click on a tray with a little more than a minute before Memphis 88-85. After Gasol missed a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds and a chance to go for five years, Paul Pierce missed an off-balance 3-pointer that would have sent the game into overtime have.

Memphis victory helped to consolidate its control over the play-off spot in the West. The Grizzlies (40-32) are only half a game behind New Orleans in the seventh.

The Celtics (50-20), the possibility of a link with Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference lost.

Pierce scored 22 for Boston, which for the fifth time in nine games without defeat. Rajon Rondo had six points, seven steals, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Memphis led 84-77 in the fourth quarter before Boston cut the deficit to one point, 86-85, with less than 3 minutes to Pierce 3-pointer. Gasol has a set of three points ahead of Glen Big Baby Davis has cut a jumper with 52 seconds to the lead to one point.

Rondo to miss Memphis jumped and took the ball the length of the Court of floating a shot with a single bounce off the back of the rim.
The Celtics sent Mike Conley at the line with 14 seconds left and made two free throws.

3-point attempt Davis has lost band, but was fouled by Gasol, the two free throws missed. Ball game in Boston, but Pierce was not a good shot.

After back 36-26 in the second quarter, the Celtics eight straight points - including back-to-back 3-all three times in a game with two points. He was 38-34 in Boston again scored eight in a row to take the lead, before Memphis scored two goals in the last minute to 45-44 at halftime.

Notes: Former Celtics Leon Powe and Tony Allen received warmly by the crowd in the introduction. ... Ray Allen wore a bandage over his right eye. He received seven stitches after being struck by Jared Jeffries on the night pushed the game Monday against the Knicks in New York. Allen and Pierce, the Celtics are only playing in all 70 games this season. ... The Grizzlies, said on Tuesday, No. 2 scorer Rudy Gay will miss the rest of the season surgery on his dislocated left shoulder, partly to undergo.

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