NBA

Boston’s Veteran Center Al Horford Gets Back to Where He Once Belonged

June 8, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – In the spring of 2007, Al Horford capped two NCAA Final Four basketball championships by being the third overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, selected by the Atlanta Hawks. Together with Florida Gators frontcourt-mate and fellow rim protector, Joakim Noah, and impressive collegiate scorer, Corey Brewer, Horford thought a trip to the Final Four was his birthright. After all, his father, “Tito” Horford had made it to the NBA, playing four years with a combination of the Milwaukee and Washington. Surely. there’d be plenty of success in the future.

Life in the NBA can have a cruel side. The money’s great but the competition is pretty tough. You’ve got the pay your dues if you wanna play the Bulls, and playoff shares for NBA Finalists don’t come easy.

Horford toiled for nine years with the Hawks and his team made the playoffs every year sans one, 2013-14, when he was injured. He bounced right back and played in 76 of 82 regular season games and all 16 of Atlanta’s playoff games as the East’s No. 1 seed that won enough to make the Eastern Conference Finals. Not quite enough, as the Hawks were swept away, 4-0, by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

No NBA Finals for Big Al.

In the summer of 2016, Horford’s fortunes increased when he was signed to a multi-year contract by the Boston Celtics. In the spring of 2017, he played in 18 NBA Playoff games, again with the No. 1 seed in the East, but fell victim to James and the Cavaliers once again.

No NBA Finals for Big Al.

That cruel side of NBA life moved on and Horford signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and later traded to Oklahoma City in 2020.

No Finals.

On June 18, 2021 Horford’s NBA destiny and legacy would change for the better once again. He was packaged by Oklahoma City in a deal for Kemba Walker and returned to Boston to anchor the front court.

On Friday night, June 3, Horford celebrated his 36th birthday a day after playing his 142nd playoff game and doing so in a “Star of the Game” role in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a 120-108 Celtics road win against the Golden state Warriors.

Big Al led the Celtics in scoring with (26), including a 6-for-8 performance from three-point FG range. No NBA player had ever gone 141 playoff games without reaching the Finals and those six ‘threes’ were the most for any NBA player making his Finals debut. Two of the “threes” put the Celtics up 106-103 and 109-103 with about five minutes remaining in the game, and his 17-foot jumper at 3:40 in the fourth quarter made it 111-103 Boston, bolstering a 40-16 Celtics run in the final 12 minutes of the game. That’s not bad for a team that trailed by 15 late in the third quarter.

Horford’s eight important points keyed the Game 1 victory, but his offense is not what makes him such a valuable player for his team. Ask any Celtics player, coach or front office worker what Al Horford provides for the club and you’re likely to get the same answer.

“Phenomenal,” said Jaylen Brown of the Celtics. “That’s what we need. That’s what we want. We want that veteran leadership to carry us over. He came out for his first Finals game and played amazing. He carried us and led to a victory.

“His energy, his demeanor, coming in every day, being a professional, taking care of his body, being a leader, I’m proud to be able to share this moment with a veteran, a mentor, a brother, a guy like Al Horford, man,” added Brown after defeating Miami and earning g the Finals appearance for Horford. “He’s been great all season, really my whole career. I’m happy to be able to share this moment with somebody like him.”

What did Horford think?

It wasn’t about an offensive role, it was all about defense.

“Coach Udoka was very clear what he wanted us to be as a team, our identity, defensively, hang our hat on the defensive end,” said Big Al. “And on offense, play freely, use Jaylen and Jayson and just kind of just go. (Our team) understanding and buying into that – it took us a while – but I feel like once we started to understand how we needed to play, we became more consistent.

“This journey is not easy. We had a hard path. Brooklyn, Milwaukee, the defending champs, and Miami’s s a team that – look what they did – they took us to the brink.

“For our group it’s resiliency, it’s switching the page, moving on to the next thing, and we did that all season. I really noticed it, and I was telling this to JB (Brown), but it was like February, early February, that I just noticed how we started to click.

“People were like, ‘Well, you guys are beating teams that have guys out, guys are hurt and all these things,” and I was like, “It doesn’t matter, I’m seeing something different in how we’re playing. That’s how we’re just going to carry it on, and that’s what we’ve been doing.’”

Up 1-0 in The NBA Finals, the Celtics’ journey continues Sunday but there’s a long, long way to go. If you don’t believe that’s true, just ask Al Horford.

Al Horford (center) in his leadership role with Celtics (USA Today photo)

Fratello Wins NBA Chuck Daly Award

June 5, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

SAN FRANCISCO – Mike Fratello, a basketball lifer who interspersed a successful coaching career with a successful broadcasting career, is the recipient of the 2022 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award presented each year by the National Basketball Coaches Association.

Embed from Getty Images

“Mike Fratello’s accomplishments are well documented, both as a coach and a broadcaster,” said Indiana Pacers head coach and National Basketball Coaches Association President Rick Carlisle. “Sixteen years as an NBA head coach, 647 regular season wins, NBA Coach of the Year honors, head coach of the Ukraine National Team and multiple Emmys all combine to represent a lifetime devoted to basketball. Congratulations to Mike on the 2022 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“Chuck Daly was a special man and a special coach — and this is a special award,” said Fratello. “It means so much to me because Chuck was a mentor, a close friend, and a trusted confidant during my NBA coaching career and beyond. It is an honor to be recognized by my peers, whom I respect and admire. I am proud to join the ranks of the previous recipients — all exceptional coaches and extraordinary individuals.

‘I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the numerous people who have enabled me to receive this award, including the late NBCA Executive Director Michael Goldberg; current NBCA Executive Director David Fogel and NBCA President Coach Rick Carlisle for their vision and direction; the late NBA Commissioner David Stern and current Commissioner Adam Silver for their input and support; the NBA coaches I worked under, Hubie Brown and Kevin Loughery, who opened the door to my NBA career; the owners and general managers who gave me the opportunity; all my assistant coaches who helped me succeed and became dear friends; the many players who trusted me to coach them and who have always held a special place in my heart; and the fans who have supported the NBA teams throughout the years.

“Many thanks to the National Basketball Coaches Association and the selection committee for presenting me with the 2022 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. I am forever grateful.”

In 16 seasons as an NBA head coach with three different franchises, Fratello compiled a 667-548 (.549) record. His 667 wins and 1,215 games coached each ranked 17th all-time when he left the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006. His teams had records of .500 or better in 13 of his 16 seasons and made the playoffs 11 times.

Fratello’s coaching career began in 1970 as a graduate assistant at the University of Rhode Island under Coach Tom Carmody. A three-year stint as an assistant to Coach Lou Campanelli at James Madison University came next, followed by a three-year stop at Villanova University under Coach Rollie Massimino.

Fratello then began his NBA coaching career in 1978 as an assistant to his mentor, Coach Hubie Brown, with the Atlanta Hawks. He worked with Brown for four seasons in Atlanta and then another season with the New York Knicks (1982-83).

Silver Outlines Past, Present & Future

June 3, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

SAN FRANCISCO – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped up to the podium at the 2022 NBA Finals in lower-level media interview room at the brand, new Chase Center with memories of doing the same in the Orlando-based “NBA Bubble” of 2020 and slightly better conditions for the 2021 NBA Finals in Phoenix a year ago.

Silver and The NBA have been through quite a lot of stress and financial setbacks since the coronavirus came about and the Commissioner was the very first to make the bold step to shut everything down, cancel all games and begin stringent protocols for players, coaches and all league and team employees. It took guts and it took the risk of losing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Like so many, Silver and the NBA forged ahead. This season, things settled down, as much as could be expected in the middle of a global pandemic, and they even celebrated the 75th anniversary of the league’s founding. On Thursday night, June 2, in San Francisco, Silver and the NBA had reason to celebrate.

“For us, it’s only fitting that on our 75th Anniversary, two of the original NBA franchises are represented here,” said Silver to open-up his twice annual State of the NBA address to media. “Of course the Warriors, who won the first-ever NBA championship in 1947, were then Philadelphia Warriors, and they’re up against the Boston Celtics, who will be competing for the highest number of championships in the league. They are tied with the (Los Angeles/Minneapolis) Lakers right now at 17 each and will be going for 18. So we’re thrilled about that.

“Also how fitting that some of the greatest players ever are associated with these franchises – Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy – obviously just goes to the age of this league that Bill Russell, as I’ve said before, is someone, along with Bob Cousy, who I can pick up the phone and talk to about the state of the league. While we are 75 years old, it’s not all that old.”

After addressing the past, Silver looked at the present.

“I think as I’m looking out on these fantastic Finals coming up, you have some extraordinary, legendary talent out there,” noted Silver. “Steph (Curry), having achieved so much on the floor; up-and-coming superstar Jayson Tatum (of Boston) – you have players who have demonstrated all-time resilience. I just saw Klay Thompson’s dad out in the hall. We were talking about the fact here he is back in the Finals, having lost essentially two full seasons. Quite an incredible story.

“And the competition has been nothing short of spectacular through these playoffs.”

The league persevered through player injuries, team owner misgivings, front office investigations, player discipline, issues and financial losses in China, staff turnover (good bye to Kiki Van DeWeghe and hello to Joe Dumars), COVID+ tests and outbreaks all in the shadow of the January 1, 2020 death of former NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Thought it all, the game remained the center of focus and the competitive landscape of the league changed with the times.

“We’ve seen increased parity, increased competition around the league over the last several years. As you’ve said, six different teams in the Finals over the last three years.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing unto itself if you have repeat teams in the Finals or champions, frankly, like the Golden State Warriors, who are back here in the Finals for the sixth time in eight years, added Silver as he looked to the future and negotiating a new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement – the backbone of the league – in advance of the deadlines for opting out never mind the end of the deal completely.

“We do, though, focus a lot on ensuring through a salary-cap system that teams, in essence, have the same fair opportunity to compete. And that is something we’re always looking at as part of our system, something we are constantly talking to the Players Association about. And to me, that should be not just a concern shared by fans of all 30 teams but for all players in the league, all 450 players, presumably want an equal chance to win championships and be part of championship teams.

I’m pleased where we are. I’m thrilled with the teams that are here in the Finals. But it’s something, at least in my time in the league, I think we have incrementally improved the system every time along the way so that we can have more and more top-tier teams and competition throughout the league.”

The relationship with the players has been solid, but there’s been turnover at The NBA Players Association, as well.

“We at the league are just getting to know my new counterpart, Tamika Tremaglio, who is the incoming executive director of the Players Association. She is someone we had known prior to her taking on that role. She had been an advisor to the Players Association. She had been a former colleague at Deloitte of Cathy Engelbert’s, the commissioner of the WNBA, Byron Spruell, president of Basketball Operations, some of you know, and I’m in the process of building a relationship with her.

“What was effective last time around was using that opt-out as a self-imposed deadline by both sides. I think we all know that for any negotiation, seemingly collective bargaining in particular, deadlines are really helpful to get people to push their best offers across the table. So I’m hoping, we’re always discussing things, the league and the Players Association.”

Not to be lost in the constant and evolving nature of The NBA and all professional sports is the fact Chris Paul, the former President of The NBA union has passed his job responsibilities to C. J. McCallum of the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s doubtful that McCallum, Tremaglio, the union or Silver will want to rock the boat and risk work stoppages. The league fought too hard and risked so much through the global pandemic and they might’ve even benefitted a slight bit from the experiences.

“And just lastly, I’ll say that this whole process of dealing with COVID protocols, shutting down, reopening the bubble, etc., has brought us all much closer,” said Silver just before Game 1 was ready to tip-off. “We never used to talk as much as we do now. I’m not always crazy about virtual calls and Zoom, but because of that technology, it’s allowed us to have at least daily calls for the last two and a half years. I think if you have strong relationships, it’s very conducive to getting a deal done. I am optimistic that we can move quickly.”

Celtics’ Tatum Earns All-NBA

May 25, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum have been selected to the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team.

Antetokounmpo was the only player to receive All-NBA First Team votes on all 100 ballots (500 total points), earning his fourth consecutive selection to the First Team and sixth All-NBA Team honor overall (First Team, Second Team and Third Team). This is the third All-NBA First Team selection each for Dončić (476 points) and Jokić (476 points), the 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. Booker (460 points) is making his debut on the All-NBA Team. Tatum (390 points) joins Booker as a first-time selection to the All-NBA First Team.

With the selection of Antetokounmpo (27 years old), Dončić (23), Jokić (27), Booker (25) and Tatum (24), the Kia All-NBA First Team is made up entirely of players age 27 or younger for the first time in 67 years (1954-55 season). Dončić is the fourth player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA First Team three or more times before turning 24, joining Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and Max Zaslofsky.

The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Second Team consists of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (414 points), Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (301 points), Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (276 points), Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (274 points) and Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (184 points).

Embiid, the 2021-22 NBA scoring champion, has been named to the All-NBA Second Team for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Morant, the 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player, is an All-NBA Team honoree for the first time. This is the 10^th All-NBA Team selection for Durant, the eighth for Curry and the third for DeRozan.

The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Third Team is composed of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (174 points), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (169 points), Suns guard Chris Paul (114 points), Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (110 points) and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (63 points).

This is the second All-NBA Team honor for both Towns and Siakam and the first for Young. James has extended his NBA record for most All-NBA Team selections to 18. Paul has been voted to the All-NBA Team for the 11^th time, the second-most selections among active players behind James.

The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Team was selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded five points for each vote to the All-NBA First Team, three points for each vote to the Second Team and one point for each vote to the Third Team. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.

The voting results for the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Team are below. The “Total Points” category represents voting points that players received at any position, not just the position at which they are listed. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

2021-22 KIA ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM

Position	Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points	Career All-NBA Selections

Forward	Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)	100	0	0	500	6 (four 1^st, two 2^nd)
Guard	Luka Dončić (Dallas)	88	12	0	476	3 (three 1^st)
Center	Nikola Jokić (Denver)	88	12	0	476	4 (three 1^st, one 2^nd)
Guard	Devin Booker (Phoenix)	82	16	2	460	1 (one 1^st)
Forward	Jayson Tatum (Boston)	49	47	4	390	2 (one 1^st, one 3^rd)

2021-22 KIA ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM

Position	Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points	Career All-NBA Selections

Center	Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)	57	43	0	414	4 (four 2^nd)
Guard	Ja Morant (Memphis)	13	76	8	301	1 (one 2^nd)
Forward	Kevin Durant (Brooklyn)	10	68	22	276	10 (6 1^st, four 2^nd)
Guard	Stephen Curry (Golden State)	9	69	22	274	8 (four 1^st, three 2^nd, one 3^rd)
Forward	DeMar DeRozan (Chicago)	2	39	57	184	3 (two 2^nd, one 3^rd)

2021-22 KIA ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM

Position	Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points	Career All-NBA Selections

Center	Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota)	0	38	60	174	2 (two 3^rd)
Forward	LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)	2	35	54	169	18 (13 1^st, three 2^nd, two 3^rd)
Guard	Chris Paul (Phoenix)	0	16	66	114	11 (four 1^st, five 2^nd, two 3^rd)
Guard	Trae Young (Atlanta)	0	11	77	110	1 (one 3^rd)
Forward	Pascal Siakam (Toronto)	0	7	42	63	2 (one 2^nd, one 3^rd)

Below are the other players who received votes for the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Team, listed at the position at which they received the most voting points. The “Total Points” category represents voting points that players received at any position, not just the position at which they are listed.

OTHER PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES: CENTERS

Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points

Rudy Gobert (Utah)	0	5	30	45
Bam Adebayo (Miami)	0	4	16	28

OTHER PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES: FORWARDS

Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points

Jimmy Butler (Miami)	0	2	26	32
Jaylen Brown (Boston)	0	0	3	3
Desmond Bane (Memphis)	0	0	1	1
Khris Middleton (Milwaukee)	0	0	1	1

OTHER PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES: GUARDS

Player (Team)	1^st Team Votes (5 Points)	2^nd Team Votes (3 Points)	3^rd Team Votes (1 Point)	Total Points

Donovan Mitchell (Utah)	0	0	4	4
Mikal Bridges (Phoenix)	0	0	1	1
Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee)	0	0	1	1
Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn)	0	0	1	1
Dejounte Murray (San Antonio)	0	0	1	1
Fred VanVleet (Toronto)	0	0	1	1

NBA in Paris: C’est Bon!

May 24, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

PARIS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Basketball Association will stage “The NBA Paris Game 2023,” featuring the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls and the three-time NBA champion Detroit Pistons playing a regular-season game at the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023.

The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the Bulls’ third game in Paris, having played two preseason games in the French capital in 1997. Chicago currently features five-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan, two-time NBA All-Star and Slam Dunk champion Zach LaVine, and two-time NBA All-Star Nikola Vučević (Montenegro). The Bulls won six NBA championships spanning eight years, becoming only the third franchise in league history to win three consecutive titles twice (1991-93 and 1996-98).

The Pistons will be playing their first game in France, having previously played regular-season games in London (2013) and Mexico City (2019). Detroit currently features 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick Cade Cunningham, 2020 Olympic gold medalist Jerami Grant, 2020 No. 7 overall draft pick Killian Hayes (France), and 2021 NBA All-Rookie Team members Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. The Pistons won NBA titles in 1989, 1990 and 2004 and made six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances from 2003 to 2008.

The NBA Paris Game 2023 will mark the first NBA game in Europe since 2020 and the league’s 12^th game in France since 1991. The NBA Paris Game 2020 – the first regular-season NBA game in Paris – took place Jan. 24, 2020, and featured the Charlotte Hornets and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Tickets for The NBA Paris Game 2023 will go on sale at a later date. Fans can register their interest in tickets and gain access to presale information and more by visiting NBAEvents.com/ParisGame.

Orlando Works Its Lottery Magic

May 17, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

CHICAGO – The Orlando Magic tonight won NBA Draft Lottery 2022 presented by State Farm, which was conducted at the McCormick Place Convention Center. The Magic will have the first overall pick in NBA Draft, which will be staged on Thursday, June 23.

The results from 2022 NBA Draft Lottery:

Orlando
Oklahoma City
Houston
Sacramento
Detroit
Indiana
Portland
New Orleans (from Los Angeles Lakers)
San Antonio
Washington
New York
Oklahoma City (from LA Clippers)
Charlotte
Cleveland

The order for the remainder of the first round of NBA Draft:

Charlotte (from New Orleans)
Atlanta
Houston (from Brooklyn)
Chicago
Minnesota
San Antonio (from Toronto)
Denver
Memphis (from Utah)
Philadelphia[1]
Milwaukee
San Antonio (from Boston)
Dallas
Miami
Golden State
Memphis
Oklahoma City (from Phoenix)

[1] This pick may be conveyed to Brooklyn

The order for the second round of NBA Draft 2022:

Indiana (from Houston via Cleveland)
Orlando
Toronto (from Detroit via San Antonio, Washington, and Chicago)
Oklahoma City
Orlando (from Indiana via Milwaukee)
Portland
Sacramento
San Antonio (from Los Angeles Lakers via Chicago and Washington)
Cleveland (from San Antonio via Utah)
Minnesota (from Washington via Cleveland)
New Orleans
New York
LA Clippers
Atlanta
Charlotte
Detroit (from Brooklyn)
Memphis (from Cleveland via New Orleans and Atlanta)
Minnesota
Sacramento (from Chicago via Memphis and Detroit)
Minnesota (from Denver via Philadelphia)
Golden State (from Toronto via Philadelphia)
New Orleans (from Utah)
Boston

— Milwaukee (forfeited)

— Miami (from Philadelphia via Denver; forfeited by Miami)

Washington (from Dallas)
Golden State
Cleveland (from Miami via Indiana)
Portland (from Memphis via Utah)
Indiana (from Phoenix)

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 15

May 15, 2022 by Terry Lyons

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – If the great Jerry West is “The Logo,” and Julius Erving is “The Doctor,” the late, great Bob Lanier was “The Ambassador,” possibly the loftiest of all titles in the National Basketball Association.

Lanier passed away this week at the age of 73. The NBA noted his death came after a brief illness, but Lanier had battled bladder cancer, according to reports in The Athletic.

The 6-11 center was born in Buffalo, New York on September 10, 1948 and he became famous playing for St. Bonaventure University and leading the Bonnies to the 1970 NCAA Final Four when an injury sidelined him for a match-up against Jacksonville and 7-footer Artis Gilmore in an age of the great centers.

Once “Big Bob” made it to the NBA as the No. 1 pick in the talent-heavy 1970 NBA Draft, he faced a bevy of big men who would all become Basketball Hall of Famers. From Philadelphia/Los Angeles Lakers’ center Wilt Chamberlain to Portland’s Bill Walton and Milwaukee/Los Angeles Lakers’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lanier held his own or better while playing for the lowly Detroit Pistons. An “easier” night found Lanier battling shorter but stronger centers like Willis Reed of the New York Knicks or Wes Unseld of the Washington (then Bullets). A day or two later, he was facing Elvin Hayes of the Houston Rockets/Washington Bullets or Alvin Adams of the Phoenix Suns. After Cowens, the Celtics brought along Robert Parish and the Sixers re-loaded and acquired Moses Malone. Lanier fought against them all. And so on, and so on until he retired in 1984 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, completing a 14-year NBA career as a “20 & 10” man, an eight-time NBA All-Star with one All-Star Game MVP. After his career, he was an assistant coach and brief interim head coach for the Golden State Warriors. He was enshrined as a player at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 and his uniform number “16” was retired by both the Bucks and the Pistons.

That chronicles Bob Lanier – The Player.

I’m here to tell you about Bob Lanier – The PERSON, the colleague, the office-mate, the rally leader, the Stay-in-School headmaster, the Don’t Foul Out advisor, the NBA Cares Ambassador extraordinaire.

The outpouring of love and admiration by his NBA League Office and NBA team peers this week was as extraordinary as Lanier, and those words and tears flowed like fine wine in Bordeaux.

“R.I.P. Big Bob,” wrote Andre Aldridge, a lifelong fan and admirer of Lanier. “There has never been a basketball player born in Buffalo who was greater. The same can be said after his time at St. Bonaventure University, before becoming the #1 overall pick of the 1970 NBA Draft by Detroit. … “Big Bob was so much more. He was a former President of the NBA Players Association. He was active in civil rights and charitible endeavors while putting up Hall of Fame numbers as a player.

“I’ve been blessed to have many of the heroes I admired growing up watching on TV, become friends,” added Aldridge, once a commentator for NBA TV and now a broadcaster for the Atlanta Hawks. “His friendship will be missed, and he was a friend to tons of people all over the world. There are many great stories and highlights from on the court, however my best memories will be of the times I worked with him through “NBA Cares” events. For that he was an (NBA) Ambassador and he attacked that role as he did everything else, with excellence.”

The NBA’s Commissioner, Adam Silver, wrote in a league statement: “Bob Lanier was a Hall of Fame player and one of the most talented centers in the history of the NBA, but his impact on the league went far beyond what he accomplished on the court. For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to [former commissioner] David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values, and make a positive impact on young people everywhere.

“It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. His enormous influence on the NBA was also seen in his time as President of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement.

“I learned so much from Bob by simply watching how he connected with people. He was a close friend who I will miss dearly, as will so many of his colleagues across the NBA who were inspired by his generosity. We send our deepest condolences to Bob’s family and friends,” said Silver.

Somehow, someway, Lanier connected with every single person on the NBA staff, not just “the basketball people” or those in his department, but everyone. He knew every name, every detail of every life. It made me think about the power within his 6-11 tower of a body.

There is a real, concrete “Force” that wraps around the NBA like the double helix of the very DNA that binds the League and game. It stirs when something goes wrong. It sends shivers up your spine when you sense the disturbance. That happened as we learned of the death of Bob Lanier. From St Bonnies to Detroit to Milwaukee to NBA Legend to Hall of Famer to NBA Ambassador to Don’t Foul Out to NBA Stay in School and Basketball w/o Borders. Lanier was always available to give advice and provide deep and accurate perspective for his NBA colleagues and to the players.

He was ALWAYS UPBEAT.

He will be missed.

Buffalo’s and St. Bonnie’s Best.

Forever.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: It’s a bit tough to follow a tribute to Bob Lanier with some general sports notes. Let’s try.

First, a quick personal note. At the NBA’s offices at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York, I was fortunate enough to share an adjacent and common wall with Boston Celtics legend Tom “Satch” Sanders and Lanier was just a few doors down. Not a day went by when we didn’t see each other or say a quick hello.

Most days, there was a need to “bounce something off” either “Satch” or “Big Bob,” and great resources like Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik, head of basketball Rod Thorn and his chief lieutenants Matt Winick and Stu Jackson were equally available to those of us in the league’s Communications Department who needed some advice. I found their influences an important tent pole of keeping the sport of basketball as the center and ultimate factor in every decision we made throughout the years.

Lanier went the furthest in his influencing hundreds of thousands of youngsters during rallies held by NBA Cares, rallies he led with a call for “TWO CLAPS,” as he brought the large groups at the rally to pay attention to his messages forthcoming.

👏🏼 👏🏼

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: The Boston Red Sox began their Saturday night game against the Texas Rangers in the basement of the competitive American League East Division. The Sox own a (12-20) record (.375) and find themselves 12 games back of their rivals, the division leading New York Yankees (24-8).

The knee-jerk decision is to blame the Boston starting rotation, but Sox starters rank fourth in the AL and seventh in the Majors in ERA (3.35). They also rank among the Top 5 in the AL in opponent avg (3rd, .222), opponent SLG (3rd, .356), opponent OPS (3rd, .647), and WHIP – (walks, hits vs Innings Pitched) (5th, 1.15). Sox starters have allowed two runs or fewer in 15 of their last 20 games (2.44 ERA, 27 ER/99.2 IP) and in that span, they’ve held opponents to a .198 avg (71-for-358).

Those stats put the focus on the Red Sox bullpen and its league-leading nine blown saves.

AMERICAN SKIN: Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson was forced to declare a state of emergency and issue a curfew for downtown Milwaukee after he said at least 21 people were shot and injured after the Milwaukee Bucks playoff game Friday night.

The shootings were not connected to the game, the crowd in attendance nor did they take place within the Bucks famed “Deer District,” an area where some 11,000 fans held a watch party.

In a prepared statement, the Milwaukee Bucks organization said, “The shootings that happened in downtown Milwaukee (Friday) night were horrific and we condemn this devastating violence. We are grateful to local law enforcement for its valiant efforts to try to contain what was a dangerous and fluid situation. While these incidents took place outside of Deer District property, it clearly resonated with fans coming out of the arena and leaving the plaza. Security, health and welfare are always our top priorities for our guests and employees and we appreciate the hard work of our security team to keep our fans safe.

“In order to allow law enforcement to devote needed resources to the continued investigation of (Friday) night’s events, we have decided to cancel (Sunday – May 15th’s) planned watch party on the plaza.

Milwaukee police reported three separate incidents, one when three victims were shot and a 20-year old male was taken into custody, a second when one person was shot and then a third incident when 17 people were shot and injured just after 11:00pm, just blocks away from Fiserv Forum and Milwaukee’s Deer District, according to a media release. No victims suffered life-threatening injuries, according to reports and 10 people with nine fire-arms were taken into custody after the 11pm shootings. Milwaukee police reported a total of 11 arrests.

Johnson’s curfew for the downtown area requires everyone age 20 or younger to be off the street by 11pm for both Saturday and Sunday. Extra police patrols will be on the job.

TID-BITS: The NFL dribbled-out its 2022 schedule in a way that would’ve made both the late Curly Neal and Marques Haynes proud. In doing so over multiple days, the league announced they’ll be going head-to-head against the NBA on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022. … The New England Patriots were dealt a tough hand, certainly for their first four games. The Patriots start the season on the road with a Sept. 11th game at Miami, then head to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers on Sept. 18. New England’s first home game comes in Week 3 when the always tough Baltimore Ravens travel to Gillette Stadium on September 25. Those three tough assignments are followed with a Week 4 road game to Green Bay for an Oct. 2 afternoon game starting at 4:25pm (ET). The schedule eases up a bit with the Detroit Lions visiting Foxboro for Week 5, an October 9, 1pm (ET) kick-off. … It is not a reach to think the Patriots could find themselves 1-4 after the first five weeks of the season. … PGA Tour pro Brice Garnett could say: “I shot a 68-68-69 through 54-holes.” … “Brice, you’re only 10 strokes back.”

LARRY’S GOT STYLE: The NBA unveiled a set of six re-imagined trophies, modernizing and providing a sense of uniformity for the postseason hardware. The centerpiece remains the Larry O’Brien Trophy, awarded to the NBA champion.

In addition to the Conference Finals trophies for each team qualifying for the NBA Finals, there will now be Conference Final MVP trophies, which are named after Magic Johnson (Western Conference) and Larry Bird (Eastern Conference), both credited with boosting the league in the early 1980s and raising the profile of the NBA at a time when the league’s popularity was wavering and TV coverage was tape-delayed. Those trophies raise a sterling silver ball, similar to the conference champion trophies.

The Conference Finals trophies have been named “The Bob Cousy Trophy” for the Eastern Conference champion and “The Oscar Robertson Trophy” for the Western Conference champ.

“We wanted to explore and start a new 75 years and bring some aesthetic consistency to that and have some meaning behind all the trophies we had,” said the NBA’s Christopher Arena, who heads up the league’s on-court brand and partnerships.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 8

May 8, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The NBA Playoffs are well into the Conference Semi-Finals stage and the intensity of play has risen with each game, just as it normally does come playoff time. In the most physical of series, the Milwaukee Bucks took a 2-games-to-1 lead over the Boston Celtics Saturday with an exciting 103-101 last second victory.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo bounced back from a Game 2 subpar performance by scoring 42 points and making the go-ahead basket with 44.3 seconds left in regulation as the Bucks defended their home court. Boston’s star forward Jason Tatum shot only 4-for-19 and 0-for-6 from three-point range in scoring 10 points for the Celtics in the losing effort. Center Al Horford had 22 points and 16 rebounds for the C’s

Milwaukee has put up a defensive wall at the rim, anchored by 7-footer Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo, forcing the Celtics to shoot 37% from the floor. The Celtics were down 14 points in the 4th quarter and managed to claw back but a final minute frenzy saw the Bucks prevail as a Celtics basket came after the final buzzer

In the other Eastern Semi, the Miami Heat took care of business in Florida but lost Game 3 in Philly to set the series at 2-games-to-1 going into Sunday’s Game 4. The 76ers were fined $50,000 for violating league injury reporting rules as the club failed to disclose center Joel Embiid’s playing status for Game 3.

Similarly in the West semi, league-leader Phoenix took care of home court but lost Game 3 in Dallas while the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies split the first two games in Tennessee.

The NBA could be looking at a schedule with, at least, three series going the full seven games with the exception being a Miami edge over Philadelphia.

In-series coaching, scouting and adjustments will become the dividing factors, along with staying healthy. Milwaukee’s loss of 6-7 forward Khris Middleton looms large, but the Bucks are getting the “next man up” from 6-10 Bobby Portis who scored 15 points with 11 rebounds in helping the Bucks steal home court advantage in Game 1.

Predictions here believe Milwaukee will defeat Boston in six games but Miami will outlast the defending champion Bucks and the Heat will head to the NBA Finals.

Out West, the Phoenix Suns will prevail over the Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies will knock-off the strong and mighty Golden State Warriors. The Suns go the Finals vs The Heat in a very hotly contested seven-game series. Edge: Suns.

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES – If you’re $10 million in the hole, you’re in big trouble and might think of settling up and calling it a day. For a professional golfer, like Phil Mickelson, your career winnings are covering most of it, right? … Ole “Lefty” would surely make it back with an appearance or 10 at golf tournaments around the world. Hell, he might even do some speaking engagements for his loyal sponsors or PGA Tour connections. … At $20 million, it was time to get some serious help. At a reported $40 million, you’ve made a deal with the Devil and it’s getting hotter and hotter.

Mickelson’s vice is noted in a new, unauthorized biography completed by author Alan Shipnuck. It’s the same book that plopped Mickelson into very hot water with his comments on the Greg Norman-led LIV golf venture, backed by Saudi money. … Shipnuck dropped some more scuttlebutt on May 5 when he posted excerpts of his book on the Fire Pit Collective site he participates in regularly. … You must wonder if, aside from its concerns about Mickelson applying to play in the LIV Tour (undoubtedly to raise some cash to help cover his 2010-14 parlays and shortcomings, the PGA Tour might come down on “Lefty” to discipline the rampant gambling problem?

Tell-all books seem to be the common denominator for old gambling stories of long, long ago. It was 1992-93 when “Michael and Me: Our Gambling Addiction … My Cry for Help,” was published by associates of a publisher and investor from San Diego, California – the site of the USA Basketball Dream Team mini-camp of the Summer of ‘92. The over-reaction was predictable and terrible.

Considering the hullabaloo created by Michael Jordan’s reported $1m (settled for $300,000) short falling to Richard Esquinas in 1993, where speculation had the NBA suspending Jordan or the most ridiculous and unfounded/unfair claims that MJ’s golf losses had something to do with his late father’s murder, the PGA Tour might get further involved to secure the integrity of the sport, a sport where gambling is very much a part of the culture.

SPEAKING OF USA BASKETBALL – Back in late September of 2021, USA Basketball’s Chief Communications Officer Craig Miller announced he was stepping down from his post after 31 years of service to the USA’s governing body for basketball. Miller’s USA career spanned from 1990 through 2021 and included service on every level of the USA program, both men’s and women’s. of course that time period included eight Olympic Games for USAB, including the 1992 Dream Team and the amazing 1996 USA Women’s national team – I called them “The Supreme Team,” but no one else liked that moniker.

In the past month, Miller’s cohort in hoops, Caroline Williams, decided to step-down as well, ending her incredible 27 years working for USA Basketball and helping the likes of Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley, Theresa Edwards, Sheryl Swoopes and dozens of others win gold medals and – in many cases – reach the pinnacle of induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame. … All the while, whenever she had a second to spare, she was right in the thick of it, assisting the Men’s team and Miller to take USA Basketball all over the world, building relationships and goodwill.

From the “Ups” of ‘92 to the “Downs” of 2002 and everything in between, USA Basketball counted on an incredibly dedicated and professional PR team. They were second to none and both While We’re Young (Ideas) and TLwish Craig and Caroline much personal happiness and professional success in whatever they choose to do in the near future.

“A month ago, after 27 years of working for USA Basketball, I made the difficult decision to resign and begin to look ahead to new challenges in life,” wrote Williams. “I have enjoyed my long tenure here (at the Colorado Springs HQ of USA Basketball) and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with the best of the best in the basketball world for nearly three decades.”

DI💎MOND DUST-UPs – During a two-game stretch against the Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins infielder Carlos Correa was hit by a pitch on the hand and it was feared he’d broken a bone in his right middle finger. X-Rays showed no broken bones and Correa and the Twins dodged what could have been a six-to-eight week setback. Correa was hitting stride with his new club, with a .412 batting average (14-for-34) and eight RBIs in his past eight games.

Smart Named Defensive Player of Year

April 19, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was named the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. It marks the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Smart, who becomes the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is also the second player to win the award with the Celtics, joining Kevin Garnett (2007-08).

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Smart received 257 points (37 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges finished in second place with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert finished in third place with 136 points (12 first-place votes). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

A starter in all 71 of his games played in the 2021-22 regular season, the 6-4 Smart ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119). He had 19 games with three or more steals, including two games with a season-high five steals.

Smart, 28, ranked among the league leaders in several “hustle” categories, finishing tied for fourth in the NBA in loose balls recovered (75) and tied for 10th in both deflections (206) and charges drawn (16). He also set a career high in defensive rebounds per game (3.2).

Behind Smart, the Celtics led the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5) and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.9). The strong defense helped propel the Celtics to a 51-31 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Smart has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). He also won the NBA Hustle Award for the 2018-19 season. This season, Smart averaged 12.1 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.

The voting results for the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award are below. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

Celtics: Williams Injury Update

March 30, 2022 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Celtics center Robert Williams III this morning underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy. The surgery was performed at New England Baptist Hospital by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena, assisted by Dr. Glen Ross.

Williams III is expected to be able to return to play in approximately 4-6 weeks.