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Earlier all we heard was that Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were smoking weed at the NBA Rookie Symposium. Now they deny it, but were still fined 20,000 dollars.

Security at the resort near New York where the event took place found Arthur and Chalmers in a room with two women, and the scent of marijuana was detected. No drugs or drug paraphernalia were found, but having guests in the room violated NBA policy, and the two rookies were sent home.

Arthur and Chalmers apologized but denied using marijuana. Next year they’ll have to again attend the symposium, which addresses the challenges of making the transition to pro ball.

source

Where there is smoke there is fire and where there is weed smell there is … hmm.
This not the way to start your NBA career.

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Why is it we all think of the NBA as a league full of pot smokers?

We don’t seem to worry too much about performance enhancing drugs, just weed.

Anyway, it has happened again. Players got caught. Rookies. Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were caught at the rookie transition program.

Chalmers, who sank the game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced overtime in Kansas’ 75-68 championship victory over Memphis, was drafted 34th by Minnesota. He was quickly traded to Miami, where he is expected to vie for the starting point guard position after playing well during summer league. Chalmers played three seasons for the Jayhawks.

Arthur, also an early-entry candidate who played two years at Kansas, was a sympathetic figure on draft night. Roundly believed to have lottery-type talent, Arthur sank to the 27th spot after erroneous rumors of a health problem circulated throughout the league.

Then, after being selected by New Orleans, the 6-foot-9 forward was traded to Portland, then Houston, before finally settling in Memphis.

source

Talk about making the transition!

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Clyde Drexler played on the great Portland teams with Kevin Duckworth

Kevin “Duck” Duckworth was found dead at the age of 44. Much too young to die. Cause is yet to be determined, but foul play has been ruled out.

Duckworth played on some great Portland Trailblazer teams with Terry Porter bombing from the outside and driving to the hoop, Buck Williams providing the upfront muscle, Jerome Kersey floating around the paint with mid range shooting and drives to the basket, and, of course, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler exploding to the hoop for another slamma jamma.

Kevin Duckworth was drafted by San Antonio, and then played most of his career with Portland. He also had stints with the Washington Bullets, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of his career.

Duck was the big man inside. He was the easy going big guy and got the job done.

“Within the world of basketball, within those Trail Blazers teams, he was a jokester,” said Phoenix Suns coach Terry Porter, who played with Duckworth. “He was a big loving teddy bear. At times guys got frustrated because he didn’t have a mean streak. He was just a great guy. He loved the team atmosphere, loved being a teammate in those successful Blazer teams.”

The 7-foot Duckworth averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over 11 seasons in the NBA, helping Portland reach the NBA finals in 1990 and 1992. The two-time All-Star also played for San Antonio, Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers.

source

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Think the Pau Gasol trade makes no difference?

Think again.

Even without Andrew Bynum, the Lakers won their ninth in a row.

Los Angeles 96 Portland 83.

Kobe had his usual 30 points. Kobe also added 9 rebounds and seven assists.

Pau Gasol had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The Lakers are on a roll.

Second-year backup point guard Jordan Farmar tied a career high with 21 points for the Lakers, who lead the Western Conference by one game over San Antonio and Phoenix and are 40-17, just two wins behind last season’s total with 25 games to play. source

Phil Jackson is trying to convince his team of the importance of home court for the playoffs and they seem to be listening.

Portland

Meanwhile, things are not so good in Portland.

The Blazers have lost eight of their last nine and 15 of 22 following a 17-1 surge. As a result, they are only one game over .500 (29-28) in the tightly bunched West, where the top nine teams are separated by just 6 1/2 games. Portland is in 10th place, 4 1/2 games behind Denver and 5 1/2 behind Golden State for the eighth and final seed.

Kobe speaks

Kobe even bragged about his bench.

“We have, in my estimation, the best bench in the league,” Bryant said. “Guys come in and do an extremely good job of playing, moving the basketball, knocking down shots and just playing extremely well.” source

It appears everything is ok in Laker land.

How can it even get better when Bynum gets back?

NBA Basketball Fan Question Will the Lakers win the NBA Title?

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LeBron has lately been Mr. 4th quarter

LeBron.

Maybe we should just end this right there.

It could be one of those existential things.

LeBron.

You would nod your head and repeat, “LeBron”.

Somehow we would all know what was meant.

Right now it means “Look out in the fourth quarter, because LeBron is taking over!”

LeBron just got done beating the Lakers and Kobe in the fourth on Sunday.

Now he has done it to the Trailblazers.

Frustrated by a couple of blocked shots, James took over against the Portland Trail Blazers and made a reverse layup with less than a second left to give the Cleveland Cavaliers an 84-83 victory Wednesday night.

James scored 17 points in the fourth quarter — two more than the entire Portland team. Teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas said James became frustrated when he was blocked twice by Blazers center Joel Przybilla.

“LeBron came down the court and he was really angry at himself. And then he took over,” Ilgauskas said. “I don’t think he missed the rest of the game.” source

Since watching LeBron dispatch the Pistons from last year’s playoffs, one gets the sense there are starting to be more and more nights that LeBron can have spurts where he can totally control a game.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Have you hopped on the LeBron bandwagon yet?

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Brandon Roy and Kevin Durant

Conventional wisdom, be as it may, does not always ring true.

Greg Oden is out with micro fracture surgery. Portland being a very young team and minus its big 7 footer should not be enjoying any success.

No, Portland should be looking forward to another high draft pick to complement Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. Maybe even a top 5 pick that would cement Portland as the team of the future.

Well, funny thing, no Greg Oden, no high draft pick and still Portland is winning. The future is unfolding right now.

Portland just won their 11th game in a row. Just where is this headed?

The latest win came Tuesday night when Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack each scored 17 points and Portland beat the Seattle SuperSonics 89-79.

The Blazers own the longest current winning streak in the NBA, and it’s their best run since they won 12 in a row during the 2001-02 season. source

Portland is now trying to steal the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association. Hey, they might win the division!

It is a close race right now with Denver and Utah.

Oddly, Seattle with Kevin Durant playing, and playing well enough to probably win Rookie of the Year is headed towards the high draft pick.

The NBA set up this game to showcase Kevin Durant vs. Greg Oden on Christmas day.

The Blazers all acknowledged this game was big. Not only was the streak on the line, but it was a nationally televised game on a holiday that has traditionally showcased stars such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

“I remember as a kid watching Michael Jordan play on Christmas,” Przybilla said. “This is really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I don’t know that I’ll ever get that chance again in my career.”

Portland is now thinking playoffs and what a surprise that is to everyone.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Will Portland be able to keep it up?

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Greg Oden was supposed to turn the Portland franchise around. Instead he finds himself sitting at home for the upcoming season.

He was with his mother at home when he found out how serious it was.

“I kinda looked at my mom and said, ‘I’m out for the season? You kidding me?’ ” he said.

Oden will be on crutches for six more weeks. Full recovery likely will take six to 12 months. He has started swimming, and a machine gently bends his knee for six hours a day. source

Next year, if Greg is fully recovered from micro fracture surgery, you will see the true power that he displayed at Ohio State.

But for now he sits.

He had spoken to Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, who have had micro fracture surgery and they warned him not to rush back.

Oden averaged 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds last season as a freshman at Ohio State, despite being hampered by a wrist injury. He led the Buckeyes to the national championship game, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the loss to Florida.

Greg, as usual, is trying to keep a level head and concentrate on getting ready for next year.

The NBA will have to wait as well.

NBA Fan Question Have you witnessed the power of the Oden?

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