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.

 

Report: Sloan to meet with Bobcats' officials Friday (The SportsXchange)

Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he is scheduled to talk to Charlotte Bobcats officials on Friday about the Bobcats' head coaching vacancy, SI.com reported Thursday.

 

NBA: Oden having surgery in hopes of reviving career (The SportsXchange)

Former No. 1 NBA draft pick Greg Oden reportedly has undergone a controversial procedure to try to kick-start his waning basketball career.

 

Greg Oden underwent the same knee procedure that served Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez so well (Ball Don't Lie)

It's become apparent that former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden is going all-out, in his attempts to recover from the litany of knee injuries that limited him to just 82 total games in five seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. The free-agent center, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard , underwent the same knee treatment that Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez underwent in Germany to correct their balky knees. The technical difference is that Oden had his procedure performed in New York. The sad difference is that both Bryant and Rodriguez are in their mid-30s, and have championships to their credit. Oden, at age 24, has no such pedigree. Only potential, as it's always been, cruelly cut down by a series of unfortunate maladies that resulted in an NBA-unprecedented third microfracture surgery. Oden has been in the news quite a bit since the Blazers released him in March. He was the subject of some discussion as to the Portland staff's role in his botched recovery, his admission to drinking heavily and struggling with the pressures of his status as the top pick in the 2007 draft, and his willingness to (of course) want to play for the downright center-less Miami Heat all hit our site this spring. Now, according to Broussard , he went to great and experimental lengths in order to strengthen those knees for one last attempt to cash in on that tantalizing potential. Here's Chris :

 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, ‘Jeopardy!’ is no place for your dirty mind (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)

Of all the foes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has faced in his illustrious career as a basketball player, actor, author and ambassador, there's one he has yet to vanquish: Alex Trebek. The NBA's all-time leading scorer appeared on an episode of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" back in October 2009 and famously flubbed a clue seeking the name of the former UCLA Bruins and Portland Trail Blazers big man whom pilot Roger Murdock said he dragged up and down the basketball court in a classic line from the 1980 comedy "Airplane!" The answer, of course, is Bill Walton. Despite having played the pilot and delivered the line himself, Kareem offered his own name . People laughed a lot. [Related:  Top 10 worst dressed NBA draft picks ever, featuring Jalen Rose ] Luckily, Kareem's not someone who takes offense at perceived slights or holds grudges , so it didn't become some whole big thing. Still, when he was invited back to "Jeopardy!" to take part in the popular quiz show's "Power Players" Week — a five-night stand in Washington, D.C., featuring 15 celebrity contestants from the field of politics, literature, journalism and entertainment — you'd figure he had a measure of redemption on his mind. The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers legend would not only defeat CNBC anchor David Faber and Fox News commentator Dana Perino in this competition for charity, but he'd look good doing it. Well, about that ... That answer + that bow tie + Faber coming away with the win = another couple years of stewing for Kareem, I suspect. Oh, well. At least we're all thinking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar watching pornography now. I'm sure he feels really good about that. Video via retronewfoundland . Hat-tip to Jim Weber at Lost Letterman .

 

NBA union seeks arbitration over Bird rights issue (The Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) The NBA players' association said Tuesday it is seeking an arbitrator's ruling in hopes that Jeremy Lin and three other players maintain valuable rights in free agency.

 

LeBron James wins 2012 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award (NBA)

LeBron James wins 2012 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award

 

NBA MVP Award Winners (NBA)

NBA MVP Award Winners

 

Blazers F Aldridge has surgery on right hip (The Associated Press)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Trail Blazers say forward LaMarcus Aldridge had surgery on his right hip.

 

Pacers' David Morway emerges as a frontrunner for Blazers GM job; to meet with owner (Yahoo! Sports)

Top candidates in GM search hint that Portland is changing team-building strategy