Amar'e Dunks On Celtics Erden, Electrifies MSG - video

 Amar'e Stoudemire rocked the rim at Madison Square Garden with a devastating dunk on Celtic center Semih Erden. The jam came off a smooth pick and roll with Knick point guard Raymond Felton. The play's execution may have made coach Mike D'Antoni forget about Steve Nash for good.
 Erden did his best Chris Bosh imitation and tried to escape the poster, but to no avail. Better to put a hand up and get dunked on than recoil and run away. Erden, fail.
 Stoudemire scored 39 points and extended his franchise record of consecutive of 30+ games to nine. The Knicks lost when Amar'e sank a three point shot 0.1 of a second too late. The loss snaps the Knicks winning streak at eight, their longest such streak since 1994.

 Moral victories don't mean much, but this game is a sign that basketball is back in a big way in New York City. Amar'e is playing better than any Knick since young Patrick Ewing and maybe even since Bernard King in the '80s. He's tied for the league lead in dunks with 53. He's third in the league in scoring (26.2 ppg), eighth in blocks (1.96 bpg) and tenth in double-doubles (12).
 The Miami Heat are up next. The Garden will be rocking in anticipation. Hopefully Amar'e will wreak thunder on Chris Bosh and the Knicks will stop the Heat's winning streak at ten.

Blake Griffin Dunks On Knicks, Amar'e Shows Respect - video

 Blake Griffin continued his dunking dominance Saturday night against the Knicks. His latest monster slam was so nasty that Amar'e Stoudemire gave the rookie a nod during the next dead ball situation. 

 Griffin finished the game with career highs at 44 points and 7 assists. He also grabbed 15 rebounds. Stoudemire scored 39 points, his most as a Knick, and grabbed 11 boards. 

 The Knicks won 124-115 and finished their Western road trip with a three game winning streak. The Clippers have lost 9 straight. 

 If NBA commissioner David Stern insists on contracting a franchise, the 1-13 Clippers must be tops on the list. 

Andrew Bogut Gets Revenge On Amar'e Stoudemire

 Andrew Bogut suffered one of the most horrific injuries in NBA history last year when he dislocated his right elbow, broke his right hand and sprained his right wrist after crashing to the floor on a dunk. Amar'e Stoudemire, then with the Phoenix Suns, nudged Bogut while he was in the air, leading to the disastrous fall of the Milwaukee Bucks' center.

 "He completely dismantled his elbow and wrist," said NBA announcer Mike Breen. "He will not get full range of motion back. It'll never go back to 100%."

 Bogut's injury is arguably the hardest video to watch in sports. Right up there with Joe Theismann's leg and LeBron James' "The Decision". Yet the Australian center has no problem watching his own agonizing fall. According to Breen, Bogut's approach is, "I don't care. I want to see what happened."

 Tuesday night, Bogut faced Stoudemire for the first time since suffering his injury. The two players met at midcourt for the pre-game Captain's meeting. Stoudemire asked Bogut if he was doing OK as they shook hands. Bogut briefly responded in the affirmative and the two returned to their warmup rituals. 

 

 The Bucks jumped out to a big early lead and outplayed the Knicks throughout the game. After being elbowed by Bogut while fighting for a rebound during the third quarter, Stoudemire lashed out at him and the Bucks' bench, drawing a technical foul. 

 "It was intentional," Stoudemire said of Bogut's flying elbows. "I think they might have amped him up to play very physical out there. That might have been the way he reacted on the court."

 Either that or Bogut remembers being pushed by the same Amar'e Stoudemire, leaving his arm in multiple fragments of agony.

 Bogut capped off a late third quarter, ten point Bucks run by blocking Stoudemire's and running the floor for an Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oye Oye Oye, outback mega dunk.

 A shattered elbow paid back with a tech inducing elbow. A broken hand repaid with a block and a monster slam. Missed playoffs avenged by serving Stoudemire his most lopsided defeat with the Knicks, 107-80. Bogut shot 5-5. The avenging dunk was his final bucket of the night. 

    

Knicks Back In The Star Business

 In December of 2000, I was a NY Knicks fan living in Manhattan. I rooted for the Knicks because the team had been fun to watch for years and the city got even livelier when they were successful. From the Oakley/Mason/Starks years to the Sprewell/Camby/LJ years, Patrick Ewing led a squad that played hard physical ball & threatened to beat anyone on any given night. 

 In 2000, general manager Scott Layden was in his 2nd season with the Knicks. His only noteworthy transaction at that point was one that would curse the Knick franchise for years. In September 2000, Layden traded legendary center and lifetime Knick Patrick Ewing for a tired Glen Rice, an old Luc Longley and trade filler like Travis Knight. 

 While the Knicks were looking for a new direction with only the injury prone Longley and offensively challenged Marcus Camby manning the paint, Sacramento Kings superstar power forward Chris Webber was in the last year of a deal with the Kings. He'd made it known that he planned to test free agency at the end of the season. He'd also flirted with the idea of reuniting with Sprewell in NY since they'd enjoyed playing together with the Warriors in the '90s. 

 On December 27, 2000, I went to see the Knicks play in D.C. against the Wizards. The game was sparsely attended as the Wizards were having a bad season. I sat about 20 rows up from the sidelines near mid court. 

 Early in the game, I noticed general manager Scott Layden sitting a couple rows in front of me to my left. I considered the fans in NY who were desperate for another championship run and knew deep down that the Longley/Camby combo wouldn't do it down low. On behalf of my NY brothers & sisters, I seized a chance to try to sway Layden into making a move for Webber.

 In the middle of the first quarter, sitting in my seat with Layden a few rows ahead in his, I began my gentle approach. 

 "Chris Webber."

 I said his name out loud in the middle of a game he had no part of. Nobody except my girlfriend noticed. 

 A few minutes later, I said it again. "Chris Webber."

 In the 2nd quarter, I said it louder. "Chris Webber." Still nobody really paid attention. 

 The game was methodical with the Knicks handling the Wizards relatively easily. All that was unusual was the lone fool saying "Chris Webber" intermittently and slightly louder each time.

In the fourth quarter with the Knicks clearly in command of the game, I increased the volume and frequency.

 "Chris Webber. Chris Webber."

 A few people turned around and looked, wondering if I'd joined Marion Barry on crack. Layden continued watching the game in a general management haze. I had to make it plain.

 "Hey Scott Layden," I yelled out in the waning minutes.

 He turned around and looked up through his glasses & right at me in my Sprewell jersey. 

 "Sign Chris Webber!" I exclaimed. 

 The surrounding Wizards fans, also desperate for their own basketball savior, laughed in appreciation. 

 The Knick g.m. smirked and turned back around to watch the game.

 Layden didn't listen. After a 1st round playoff exit that season, the Knicks re-signed aging SG Allan Houston to a 6 year $100 million contract despite the fact that no other teams were interested in paying him anywhere near that much. Webber re-signed with the Kings and averaged 24 pts &10 boards the next season. He barely missed the finals, losing to the Lakers in 7.

 Subsequent moves in Layden's tenure included trading future defensive player of the year Camby for an injured & unwanted Antonio McDyess, trading tenacious Sprewell for softy Keith Van Horn, and trading 6'8" Glen Rice for the salary cap disaster guards Howard Eisley & Shandon Anderson. 

 Layden's inability to land top players in a star driven town like NY as well as his fascination with bad trades & salary cap woes put the Knicks on the road to ruin. Isiah Thomas took the baton from Layden in 2003 and finished the destruction by acquiring nightmares like Eddy Curry & Stephon Marbury.

 Enter current Knick general manager Donnie Walsh. This North Carolina & Dean Smith product has dedicated his life to the game and business of basketball. He'd been a very successful general manager for the Pacers getting them to 16 out of 17 playoffs during his tenure. He came to New York ready to unload bad contracts, end the era of bad deals, and bring star players back to Madison Square Garden.

 Last weekend, he made the first bold free agency move for the Knicks in decades. The arrival of Amar'e Stoudemire marks the first time that the Knicks have walked away with a top coveted free agent since Bernard King hit NY in a sign & trade with the Warriors in 1982. 

 The Knicks still need to make more moves, but this first one is a great start. Donnie Walsh is on his game & the Knicks should be on their way to selling tickets again.

 If Walsh sleeps at any point, I'll find him in the stands and put names in his brain.

 "Carmelo.

 "Carmelo.

 "Carmelo."

    

Jovial Kobe - Bizarro Strikes In Phoenix

Kobe was simmering with anger about the Lakers' loss to Phoenix at his press conference last night. He said LA's defense "sucked" before describing his overall mood as "jovial."Here are more scenes of Bizarro World in Suns-Lakers Game 4.

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Agent Hero & The Animal Friends

  What do Gilbert Arenas, Ron Artest & Dennis Rodman have in common? OK, besides the fact that they are among the most heavily suspended players in NBA history?

  All have dedicated time & money to the cause of animal rights. Gilbert is currently in PETA's "Ink, Not Mink" campaign with Rodman & vegetarian Amar'e Stoudamire. The 3 players appear shirtless & covered in tattoos, encouraging people to adorn themselves with body art instead of animal parts.

Dog lover Ron Artest appears with his pit bull named John Henry in ads motivating people to have their dogs spayed or neutered to help control animal population and keep shelters from overflowing with animals. "I got most of my animals from the Humane Society," he said. Ron Ron walks it like he talks it. 

Candace Parker represents women of basketball in her anti-fur ads with her dog Fendi. She said, "I really feel like it's very cruel what they do to animals, and I love my dog and couldn't imagine anybody harming her."

 These athletes are taking time to speak out for those who can't speak for themselves. It's not about the shoe or the soft drink. And in the cases of Rodman, Artest & Arenas, these ads show that there is much more to them than isolated basketball related incidents.