Latest News Updates

NBA Playoffs Schedule: Conference Finals (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The back-and-forth series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelpiha 76ers continues, with a decisive Game 7 set for Saturday, May 27.

 

Thunder, Spurs bring connection into West finals (The Associated Press)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) When Clay Bennett was seeking a leader for his team that would one day become the Oklahoma City Thunder, he picked a rising star from a San Antonio franchise on the verge of winning its fourth NBA championship in a decade.

 

Kevin Durant is tired of hearing about the Spurs (Ball Don't Lie)

The Western Conference Finals, which tip off on Sunday, figures to be the best series of the playoffs so far. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have been the two most impressive teams in the postseason by a wide margin, losing a whopping one game between them and seeming to have very few, if any, major weaknesses. It's the kind of series where predicting who will win is almost besides the point — really, it's best just to watch some great basketball and enjoy whatever happens. In the meantime, though, we're all going to speculate about what might happen and how each team might attack the other. For the media, that means asking key players what they expect from the opposition. For some reason, Kevin Durant is tired of being asked these questions. From Darnell Mayberry for The Oklahoman (via SLAM ):

 

NBA roundup: Shaq decides not to interview for Magic GM job (The SportsXchange)

NBA great Shaquille O'Neal has declined an invitation to interview for the Orlando Magic's vacant general manager position.

 

James, Bryant lead All-NBA team (The Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) LeBron James was the leading vote-getter for the All-NBA team, while Kobe Bryant earned his 10th first-team selection, tied for second on the career list.

 

James, Durant headline All-NBA team (The SportsXchange)

Superstars LeBron James of the Miami Heat and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder headline the All-NBA team that was announced Thursday.

 

James and Durant headline All-NBA selections (Reuters)

(Reuters) - Most Valuable Player LeBron James of the Miami Heat and top scorer Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder headlined the list of players selected for the All-NBA team, the league said on Thursday.

 

After the city canceled its outdoor viewing party, Oklahoma City Thunder fans work to get it back (Ball Don't Lie)

It's a little too easy, in the wake of news like this, to point to "one bad apple" and declare overreaction. We're not law enforcement officials. We don't do this for a living. We weren't there and we don't know better. Now that we've shown respect to the Oklahoma City officials that decided to cancel the outdoor playoff game viewings at "Thunder Alley" during OKC Thunder games, in the wake of the shooting that marred the team's Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, it does appear that the city might be overreacting. Thunder Alley will remain open pregame, so you get to slap on your facepaint and buy a Thunder-sanctioned something or other, but once the game tips off, according to Dan Mahoney, Thunder vice president of corporate communications and community relations , those without a ticket can then "go to their favorite viewing establishment to watch the game." Not to the big outdoor screen, where a cast of thousands watched the Thunder play in the team's opening-round series against Dallas, and the group's triumph over the Lakers. Undeterred, Thunder fans at Welcome To Loud City are attempting to streamline fan efforts to swamp the OKC mayor and city council with requests that fans without a ticket be given the chance to continue to watch the game outside. Considering that sports fans are often as superstitious (if not considerably more) than the players who play the game, we can understand if there are some jittery OKC backers worried about what's going to happen when next Thursday's Game 3 (the first contest in the Western Conference finals to be played in Oklahoma City) tips off.

 

Western Conference Finals Preview Capsule (The Associated Press)

A look at the Western Conference finals, which begin Sunday (with regular-season and playoff records):

 

Police say 16-year-old shot eight outside NBA game (Reuters)

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - A 16-year-old boy is in custody and suspected of opening fire after an NBA game on Monday, injuring eight people who had gathered outside an arena to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Los Angeles Lakers, police said on Wednesday. The police said they expect to file charges against the youth of shooting with intent to kill the eight victims, after filing an affidavit in court on Wednesday detailing the evidence against the boy. The Daily Oklahoman newspaper reported on Wednesday that the boy confessed to the shooting, but that could not immediately be confirmed. ...