VEGAS A GOOD GAMBLE ALL-STAR GAME IN SIN CITY IN 2007.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer HOUSTON - 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). summed it up best, with all the winks and smiles and things left unsaid, that come with the NBA's decision to take 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 to Sin City next February. ``I think it'll be a lot of ... fun,'' O'Neal said. ``Just know that whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.'' For the first time in its history, the league has decided to take the All-Star Game to a city that does not have an NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= team, taking a chance on turning commissioner David Stern's basketball showcase into an episode of ``Party (at) the Palms.'' The game will be played at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center, home to a Lakers' exhibition game each October, and surely will set an unofficial record for the least defense ever played, given the late nights everyone expects. What Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. has is the hotel rooms - more than 130,000 in all - convention center space and international appeal necessary to host the NBA's Super Bowl. It also has legalized sports betting Sports betting is the general activity of predicting sports results by making a wager on the outcome of a sporting event. Perhaps more so than other forms of gambling, the legality and general acceptance of sports betting varies from nation to nation. , still a sticky issue, though no wagering will be allowed on the game. ``We're going to Las Vegas because we think it's a great destination city,'' Stern said at his annual state-of-the-NBA address Saturday. This season's game will be played tonight at Toyota Center Toyota Center is the name of several arenas in the United States:
Although the 2007 game will be played in Las Vegas, Stern said there would be no talk about the league relocating a team to the city as long as Nevada casinos took bets on NBA games. ``We have one issue with Las Vegas and it's not about gambling,'' Stern said, referring to state lotteries across the country. He later added, ``But we are not going to go there while they have betting on NBA basketball games.'' The NBA, comfortable enough with basketball and blackjack blackjack, one of the world's most widely played gambling card games; also known as twenty-one or vingt-et-un. Despite contesting claims between the French and Italians, its origins are unknown. , will host its family-friendly Jam Session exhibition at the Mandalay Bay casino's convention center. Whether the league ever would move a team to Las Vegas is uncertain. The city, one of the nation's fastest growing, long has held major-league aspirations. Mayor Oscar Goodman Oscar Baylin Goodman (born on June 26, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an attorney and the Mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayor Goodman is a member of the Democratic Party. Biography Goodman was born to a Jewish family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. previously lobbied to bring the Vancouver Grizzlies The name Grizzlies may refer to:
Stern said Saturday he had no plans to expand the NBA beyond 30 teams, then listed Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Mo., San Diego and Anaheim as the leading cities that have approached him about landing a relocated team. Las Vegas is host to the largest summer league and will be the site of USA Basketball's training camp this summer. But Thomas & Mack Center, built in 1983, is far from a modern arena by NBA standards. ``We can dress up an arena for an All-Star Game,'' deputy commissioner Russ Granik said, ``and it would be suitable, and use other facilities, but I don't think anybody thinks that's an NBA arena. ``If there were ever to be an NBA team there, I think everyone would accept there would have to be a new arena.'' The league also is negotiating to bring the 2008 game to New Orleans, home to the Hornets, who relocated to Oklahoma City this season in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Next season, the Hornets will play 35 home games in Oklahoma City - where sellout crowds have become the expectation - and six in New Orleans. But Stern said Saturday the league was committed to returning to the city for the 2007-08 season. ``All you can do is set things in motion and plan to follow through on them,'' Stern said, adding, ``We plan on going through with the commitment to return to New Orleans and, in fact, there is a lease that requires it.'' How the NBA can then take the All-Star Game to Boston, Charlotte, N.C., or Toronto - three possible future destinations after Las Vegas and New Orleans - is very much in question. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News the only way he would host the event is at the Dallas Cowboys' new retractable-roof stadium, to ensure his 14,000 season-ticket holders all get seats. But if the All-Star Game is to become a destination event, Stern said no European cities were on the horizon. ``I don't really think there's an overseas destination that makes sense for us from a building perspective,'' Stern said, ``and, in addition, we don't really currently have the time within the schedule to do something like that.'' So the countdown starts to Las Vegas, the only All-Star Game capable of bringing together Wayne Newton and Shaq, Kobe and craps craps: see dice. craps Gambling game in which each player in turn throws two dice, attempting to roll a winning combination. The term derives from a Louisiana French word, crabs, which means “losing throw. tables. --Also: The NBA approved two rules changes for next season: allowing coaches to call timeouts, and breakaway fouls resulting in two free throws, instead of one, and possession. ... The NBA Development League The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association's officially sponsored and operated developmental basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL will expand to 12 teams next season, Stern said. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: NBA ALL-STAR GAME |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion