COMMENTARY: ALL-STAR SPOT IS PERFECT CURE.Byline: David Moore David Moore is a common English name and may refer to:
Miami's Tim Hardaway Timothy Duane (Tim) Hardaway (born September 1 1966 in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American basketball point guard who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and who in his prime was one of the league's best at his position. Six feet (1. has been the best point guard in the Eastern Conference this season. The fans responded by voting Orlando's Anfernee Hardaway, who had been out since Dec. 10 with a bad knee, as the starter. Tim didn't take it well. The Heat guard said Anfernee should automatically be removed from the lineup and replaced by him. This made sense in light of the fact the Magic was under the impression that Anfernee wouldn't return until after the All-Star break. But guess what? After Anfernee was named a starter, he told Orlando his leg felt better. He returned Thursday night against Houston and added he should play in the All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games since the fans want him there. Again, Tim was not amused. ``He got chosen for it, but I think he wants to play in the All-Star Game moreso than he wants to play for his team,'' Tim said. ``If he wasn't in the All-Star Game, I bet he wouldn't be playing for another week or two. I bet you that. ``Let him go ahead and play, and I bet his team is mad at him.'' Bet he's right. The Magic players like Anfernee. But privately, they grumble that he has a bit of prima donna in him. Management, meanwhile, is forced to fuel that tendency because it can't afford to lose Hardaway to free agency the way it did Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). . Sick and tired: Damon Stoudamire Damon Lamon Stoudamire (born September 3 1973 in Portland, Oregon) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the first round (seventh pick overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft. remains in Toronto. For now. But the Raptors have grown weary of the Stoudamire saga as the team attempts to trade its point guard. ``Basically, we're at the point where we want it to get done,'' Raptors forward Marcus Camby Marcus D. Camby (born March 22, 1974 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays center for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He won the 2006-07 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award[1] said. ``We've had one distraction after another this year. This only adds fuel to the fire. We're tired of reading about it. It's real bad around here. ``It's hard to focus when you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. who's going to be here and I think it's unfair for the players that are going to be here. . . . We all want Damon and Walt (Williams) and (Zan) Tabak to be here, but if they're going to trade them, handle the situation now.'' Stoudamire, Williams and Tabak were all part of an aborted deal with Houston. A dream come true: Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born Akeem Abdul Olajuwon on January 21, 1963) is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). is scheduled to return for Tuesday's game against Vancouver, and it won't come a minute too soon. The Rockets' plunge in the standings and the Stoudamire trade rumors have affected confidence and morale. Rockets guard Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named one of basketball's fifty greatest players by the NBA. said the team's goal is to win at least 30 games in the second half of the season. Rookie Rodrick Rhodes Rodrick Rhodes (born September 24 1973, in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round (24th overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft. Coaching career In 2005, he was an assistant coach at St. said once Olajuwon returns - he's played in just 11 games - the Rockets will have no more excuses. ``We have everything we need to win the championship,'' said Kevin Willis Kevin Alvin Willis (born September 6, 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a 7-foot power forward/center. At age 44, he is the oldest active player in the league. , who has been superb in Olajuwon's absence. ``What we have to do is maintain our composure, stick together and improve more and more, especially on defense. ``If we can get Dream back, he only needs four or five games to get everything back to normal, and then we can go from there.'' The Rockets also appear to have Mario Elie Mario Antoine Elie (born November 26 1963 in New York City, United States) is a former professional basketball player and coach. Currently, he works for the Houston Rockets as a post-game analyst. Elie, an American of Haitian heritage, grew up in New York City. back. The small forward criticized the team's lack of defense and its offensive strategies after he was included in the package that was supposed to pry Stoudamire loose from the Raptors. After the deal unraveled, he apologized to his teammates for his comments and has accepted his new role off the bench. ``What Mario did is very important for this team,'' forward Charles Barkley This article is about the basketball player. For the politican, see Charles E. Barkley Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. said. ``He did the right thing and I'm very proud of him.'' Copy cat: Championship teams inspire imitation, so it should come as no surprise that Utah's Karl Malone Chicago's Michael Jordan This article is about the former basketball player. For other uses, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. , after all, has said he won't play for a coach other than the Bulls' Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. . ``If coach Sloan is not here, I'm not here,'' said Malone, whose contract expires at the end of the 1998-99 season. ``Our contracts end at the same time. That's my attitude. ``I've been coached (mostly) by coach Sloan. He's enabled me to do the things I've done as a player. I'm not going to bail on him. If the situation doesn't work out for him, I'll take two or three years and play somewhere else. ``I'll always make my home in Utah. I built my dream home there. I'm not making any threats. But if he's not my coach, I'm not here.'' Paradise lost Paradise Lost Milton’s epic poem of man’s first disobedience. [Br. Lit.: Paradise Lost] See : Epic : It's been said money can't buy happiness. Ask Minnesota's Kevin Garnett. ``I'm having nowhere near as much fun as I had my first two years,'' Garnett said. ``I don't know what triggers it. I think I'm being a little too hard on myself. ``A lot of times, I've been acting the way someone else wants me to act. People tell me, `You don't act like most 21-year olds.' I need to do more soul searching. I need to find myself.'' Cynics Cynics (sĭn`ĭks) [Gr.,=doglike, probably from their manners and their meeting place, the Cynosarges, an academy for Athenian youths], ancient school of philosophy founded c.440 B.C. by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates. would say the $126 million extension Garnett signed should help him locate his inner self. Notes: San Antonio forward Sean Elliott will be out at least two months after having surgery to repair a degenerated left quadricep tendon. The Spurs need Elliott for the long haul, but he hadn't giving them much lately. The small forward was just 5 of 26 from the field on a recent, five-game East Coast trip, averaging 2.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in the five games. ``We have no crystal ball on Sean's future,'' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ``We believe his knees are his problem, and we're optimistic he will be able to return and play the way he is capable of playing.'' . . . Phoenix coach Danny Ainge pushed point guard Jason Kidd for the All-Star team, but that doesn't mean he's ready to stop pushing him to improve. ``He needs to become more of a leader,'' Ainge said. ``And he needs to become a better shooter. If these things happen, he'll be a superstar. He's not there yet.'' . . . Atlanta lost 13 of 21 games after a strong start. ``I told the players I haven't done what I promised,'' Hawks general manager Pete Babcock said. ``I promised them a championship atmosphere, and I promised them we'd have a team that would work harder than any other team in the league toward winning a championship, and that hasn't happened.'' It may take a trade - Christian Laettner, are you listening? - to make that happen. . . . Mavericks coach Don Nelson has been bashed by former players in recent years. Charlotte's Anthony Mason, who played for Nelson in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , isn't one of them. ``He took my game to another level,'' Mason said. TOP 10 AND NO. 29 1. Chicago - Jordan won't shoot 2 for 17 against Lakers 2. Seattle - Light week, but faces pesky Nets today 3. Lakers - Van Exel, Horry doubtful today 4. San Antonio - Three straight wins, but two vs. Clippers 5. Indiana - Hottest team in the league 6. Utah - Mailman will pass Big O in scoring today 7. Miami - Hardaway set to terrorize ter·ror·ize tr.v. ter·ror·ized, ter·ror·iz·ing, ter·ror·iz·es 1. To fill or overpower with terror; terrify. 2. To coerce by intimidation or fear. See Synonyms at frighten. Knicks again 8. Phoenix - Beat Heat Friday on the road 9. Charlotte - Caught Hawks by winning five straight 10. Minnesota - Impressed Lakers with comeback in loss 29. Denver - Beating Clippers meant nothing TECHNICAL FOUL Jerry Stackhouse, Detroit The Pistons traded for him and must be wondering how much they want to pay him as a free agent. He's shooting 18 percent on 3-pointers and his drives to the basket have chased Brian Williams out of the post; Williams is averaging 11.5 points and 11.6 shots in Stackhouse's last 11 starts compared to 19 points and 17 shots before that. Pistons are 11 victories behind last year's pace. PLAYER WATCH Reggie Miller, Indiana Today's other game in L.A. features the Clippers playing host to the Pacers, the league's hottest team. Coach Larry Bird has received most of the attention, but Miller has the been the spark, scoring 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter of Friday's 89-83 victory over Cleveland. Miller hit two consecutive 3-pointers late to give the Pacers the lead in a game they trailed by 16. L.A. AT PLAY Lakers Today vs. Chicago, 12:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Portland, 7:30 p.m. Clippers Today vs. Indiana, 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Utah at Anaheim, 7:30 p.m. - Daily News CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO Miami's Tim Hardaway is unhappy about getting snubbed for the All-Star Game when Orlando's Anfernee Hardaway was voted in. Associated Press BOX: TOP 10 AND NO. 29 (see text) |
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