Clipper Vs Heat, Will go head to head twice in China coming October

Two games b/w champion Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers is expected on Oct 11 at the MasterCard Center in Beijing and Oct 14 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, announced by NBA on Monday.

This is the sixth edition and the debut that the reigning NBA champion will compete in the event.

The teams will consist of  Olympic gold medalists, nine players who have been NBA All-Stars and NBA Finals Most Valuable Players.

The Heat's roster includes three-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, 2006 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Dwyane Wade, seven-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh and 2008 NBA Champion Ray Allen.

The Clippers' roster includes Blake Griffin, the winner of the 2011 Slam Dunk contest, as well as five-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul, 2004 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Chauncey Billups, and two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom.

"We are coming off one of our strongest seasons ever and we're pleased our fans will have the opportunity to watch two of the NBA's most exciting teams compete," said Heidi Ueberroth, NBA President, International. "The NBA China Games will feature several of the best and most dynamic basketball players in the world and we're excited to tip off next season in Beijing and Shanghai."

Division Title on the Line‎ with Celtics Visit Sixers:

This is the Sixers have been slumping, having lost their last two games.by FLCeltsFan on  7, Mar 2012 at 3:15 PM EST in Boston Celtics Games

Nowitzki′s Mavericks in talks over pre-season game in Berlin‎:

The Boston Celtics ahead of the 2012-13 season, Bald. said "The plan is that the Maverick's play against us as part of the 'NBA Europe Live' tour,"

NBA Europe, Ricky Rubio allegedly talked Minnesota Timberwolves

Flashy Spanish guard Ricky Rubio allegedly talked Minnesota Timberwolves have decided to join.

One of including from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, according to multiple reports. The Rubio a Tuesday deadline before an agreement signed with the Timberwolves. Newspaper reports Rubio's team to introduce a press conference later this month a time to play for Barcelona Regal will be finished.

Rubio by the Timberwolves 2009 first round draft pick with a fifth selected. under existing collective bargaining agreement, Tuesday was the last day Rubio can sign with Minnesota rookie salary scale under the current pay.

Timberwolves has done difficult work before former Spanish team, DKV Joventut, buy out the deal to come to an understanding Rubio movement to come to an agreement take place.

Instead, Rubio pulled away from coming to the NBA and saw his rights traded from Joventut to Regal Barcelona and he signed a long term deal with the club in the summer of 2009.

NBA will debut British bow

The NBA will debut in Britain on Friday when the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors face off for the first ever regular season matches held in Europe.

British basketball officials in 02 Arena London in two matches Friday and Saturday basketball world leaders expected to help Britain Olympic tournament next year to accommodate acts.

NBA commissioner David Stern has said The United States further support sports outside the Olympics are important in promoting basketball.

NBA commissioner David Stern said at the announcement of this weekend's matches, "I believe that that is a very important lead in to the 2012 Olympics, because in Beijing, basketball was the hottest ticket".

"We want as much as possible to demonstrate the power and fun of this sport of ours."

Toronto guard Calderon said, "I'm very excited about this trip".

"These are two important games for us, and games have never been played in Europe before, so it will be nice to be close to home," added Calderon, part of the Spanish team that took silver in Beijing.

"It would be great for me to be back here in the finals (next year). The 2008 Olympics was the best experience. We've got a good team and it would be great to get back but we've got to qualify first."

World basketball governing body FIBA has asked Britain to tell that, long term plans of national team competition is the game in the country has been put in place to prepare for.

The NBA said the London WNBA regular season games with Manchester in the first season of play and relationships, supported the British bid..

NBA Europe senior vice president Sophie Goldschmidt earlier this week said, "This comprehensive schedule of premier basketball events will help grow the sport for years to come".

"This partnership shows our ongoing commitment to deepen basketball's footprint in the country."

FIBA 13 March Executive Committee meeting in a Leon Great Britain Olympic event he will rule.

NBA heads to Europe - Video

NBA All-Star game was a VIP success

For the annual NBA All-Star celebrity game many celebs took to the basketball courts.

Some of the players included Rob Kardashian, Common, Justin Bieber, Michael Rapaport, Romeo, Nick Cannon, and Trey Songz. The were alongside NBA ballplayers and legends Scottie Pippen, Rick Fox, Mitch Richmond, Swin Cash, Jalen Rose and Chris Mullin.

The top votes for the most valuable player went to pop teen-sensation Justin Bieber, who played for the West, with former basketball player Magic Johnson as their coach.

Singer Beyonce Knowles and her husband Jay-Z, the Kardashian clan, including Khloe, her husband Lamar Odom, her younger sisters Kylie and Kendall, step-father Bruce Jenner. rocker Lenny Kravits, former MTV VJ Lala Vazquez, and actress Gabrielle Union were the part of audience.

Others included singer John Legend, rapper Lil Wayne, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and US Idols judge Steven Tyler.

For part of the night guests were treated to music by Rihanna who brought rappers Kanye West and Drake to perform with her.

New Jersey Nets too good for Nuggets

Those with NBA Europe tickets could watch the New Jersey Nets to carry on their outstanding form when they arrive to London.

The Nets continued their push for a play-off spot with a 115-99 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday (January 31st).

Denver's Carmelo Anthony participation to the game is the biggest talking point, who was the subject of an attempted transfer to the Nets before the move recently collapsed.

Anthony scored 37 points for the Nuggets, but it was not enough to turn the game, with the Nets' Travis Outlaw turning in an impressive performance.

"Travis came out on fire and he sustained it," said Nets coach Avery Johnson. "He was looking to score tonight. Every time there was a pocket or a crease for him to be efficient offensively, he just had that look in his eyes that he was looking to score."

The NBA will holds its first-ever regular-season games in Europe when the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors square off for back-to-back games at The O2 in London, on March 4th and 5th.

Is Rubio’s Fine Future in the Past?

Hardly ever would a 20-year-old basketball player be considered over the hill. But Ricky Rubio set the bar high for himself with his precocious play. Along the way, he has won championships at each level.

Rubio made his professional debut at 14 with DKV Joventut in the ACB league of Spain, mesmerizing audience with his originality and basketball acumen. In 2009, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him fifth over all in the N.B.A. draft.

He elected to stay in Spain, moving across town to F.C. Barcelona, one of the most famous basketball teams in Europe. The team won a Euroleague title last season with Rubio playing a rather minor role.

For much of the important action of the Euroleague Final Four, he watched from the bench. Rubio was just a rookie at this level, and people said he still had a lot to learn.

NBA signs deal with Thomson Sport ahead of debut UK game

By contracting a major sponsorship deal with the NBA before its first-ever UK game at London's O2 in March,Travel company Thomson Sport has heightened its interest in US sport.

To increase up its commercial relationships with US sports is being bidding by Thomson.Thomson after receiving the major contract will be able to receive prominent brand exposure around game held at The O2.

Brand exposure at the NBA's website, NBA.com will be also granted where it will present a new editorial feature highlighting its travel services.

The NBA, like the NFL, is targeting new markets to enhance its appeal outside its core US business.

Knee Surgery for Blazers' Roy

Brandon Roy,Portland Trail Blazers star will have arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees next week.

Team member expressed that there is no schedule for the All-Star guard’s return.

Because of soreness in knee,Roy had missed out sixteen season.He has said the pain is caused by insufficient cartilage.

"To return back on the floor,I'm trying a lot to do the best thing ," Roy said. "We've been able to get a number of different opinions and it's something we've decided."

Portland said on December 30 that Roy would be sidelined indefinitely.

They are also without center Greg Oden, who is out for the season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery.

New York Knicks (21-14) at Los Angeles Lakers (26-11)

The New York Knicks will take on the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center this Sunday.

New York has won three consecutive,18 of 24 games since mid-November and started a four-game road trip with a 121-96 triumph at Phoenix on Friday.

"I had one objective and that was to dominate from the start," Stoudemire said. "That was my main goal was to dominate from the get go. I got it going early. Then in the second half they went to a zone and my teammates got it going. The great thing about our team is that we're so versatile that no matter how teams play us we can adjust."

"It's a huge honor to climb the ladder once again, especially to get past Oscar. He was a great player," said Bryant

Sasha Vujacic to join New Jersey Nets in trade deal

The London-bound New Jersey Nets have consent to a trade that will land them NBA champion Sasha Vujacic.

Serbian guard Vujacic support the Los Angeles Lakers to back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 and is set to join the Nets in a three-team deal that will see talented youngster Terrance Williams head from New Jersey to the Houston Rockets while veteran power forward Joe Smith is set to join the Lakers.


The Nets head to London in March to play the first ever consistent season games in Europe when they host the Toronto Raptors at the O2 Arena on March 4 and 5. It will be an immediate return to London for Vujacic who played at the O2 in October for the Lakers in their NBA Europe Live loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

BBVA TO LAUNCH FIRST NBA-THEMED AD CAMPAIGN ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Like in the NBA, working with the right banking team and executing on a well-designed strategy can be a game changer. This fast-paced, action-packed commercial highlights the importance of teamwork in the NBA by showcasing high flying alley-oop slam dunks, no-look passes and the satisfaction derived by teammates after executing a well-designed play. The :15 and :30 second versions of the commercial are the result of a collaborative effort by BBVA Compass and GSD&M Idea City.

This season, the league will play its first regular-season games in Europe, a two-game matchup in March between the Nets and the Toronto Raptors in London. And having conquered China, the N.B.A. has its sights fixed on Asia’s other big emerging market: India.

But in part because the I.P.L. has proved that city-based sports franchises can succeed in India, many sports are betting that they will be able to find new fans and corporate backers here.

Imagine this: NBA players flooding international leagues next season. Superstars and their celestial brethren driving to the hoop in teams throughout Europe. Kobe Bryant at Besiktas in Turkey. LeBron James at Panathinaikos in Greece. Dwyane Wade at Barcelona in Spain.

NBA Europen: Sasha Vujacic connect to New Jersey Nets

New Jersey Nets have tally a trade that will land them NBA Europen champion Sasha Vujacic. Nets team is the very graceful you will see and their is a three-team deal that will see talented youngster Terrance Williams head from New Jersey to the Houston Rockets while veteran power forward Joe Smith is set to join the Lakers.

New Nets Jersey is a head to London play the first ever regular season games in Europe in March, at the 02 Arena host the Toronto Raptors on 4 and 5 March.

Vujacic will comeback to London and played at the 02 Arena in October for the Lakers in their NBA Europe Live loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Heat got to Lakers, Magic says

To start the National Basketball Association season,Magic Johnson knows why the Los Angeles Lakers are 8-0.

Before the team struggled to a 99-94 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves,the Lakers legend said on Tuesday,"Thanks to Miami."

Johnson said owner Jerry Buss decided to spend money this offseason when it became apparent the Miami Heat would try to become a power team by adding LeBron James and Chris Bosh to a roster that had Dwyane Wade.

"I don't think the mind-set would have been the same if Miami hadn't done what it did because what Miami did spark everybody," said Johnson, a Lakers vice-president who just sold his share of the team ownership. "It sparked Dr. Buss, because, remember, he was going to cut back, but he decided to spend the money, so give him a lot of credit, and then it just trickled all the way down. I think it sparked Phil (Jackson, the Lakers coach) too, and especially the best player in the world. Kobe (Bryant) has now got everybody else on the same page."

Johnson, who helped the Lakers to five NBA titles in the 1980s, said this squad could be "just as good as all those teams," when injured centre Andrew Bynum returns.

European player doesn't want European expansion

David Stern after speaking with commissioner clear indicates that the League's plans to expand on this side of the Atlantic, Polish centre Marcin Gortat of the Orlando Magic hit out at the idea.

He said: "That's impossible. In my opinion, that's impossible. That's just too much travel. I would just want it just to stay the way it is right now."

The prospect of playing at least a portion of the season closer to home doesn't appeal to at least one European NBA player.

And in comments that may end up costing him a few dollars/euro/zloty he said Stern wants to "control the whole world" and that expanding to Europe could hurt the NBA's standing as "the best league on earth."

NBA plans European expansion

David Stern, NBA Commissioner expects a five-team European division to be in the league within the next 10 years he told that while he was speaking with business leaders at a luncheon in Miami.

“It’s a wonderful topic, because 10 years ago, I said oh, it’s inevitable, it’ll happen in 10 years,” Stern said. “And now what I’m saying is, it’s inevitable, it’ll happen in 10 years. But in terms of globalization, we’re going to see a desire for franchises in Europe– and in about 10 years, you’ll send me a postcard.”

Stern who had always think positive to promote the games and spread it out all around the globe and now he is stepping up to promote NBA beyond the Atlantic Ocean, which would easily become the longest road trip in the league.

“I think it’s great,” said CSUF student Rostin Tehranian “How can the NBA say they have world champions when they just play here. If you really want to have world champions, I think you have to go to Europe.”

Stern was of the view that to come up with such plan is really difficult but with the players association has made little progress towards a new collective bargaining agreement, putting the league in jeopardy of having its first players lockout since the 1999 season.

The timing of Expansion is also peculiar because Stern stating to reporters a week before that contraction would “be on the table” between the league and the players association.

Some of the audiences were against this act because they think NBA would suffer by having a larger European influence.

“I don’t like it,” said Randie Baldwin kinesiology major. “Europe has its own leagues and the NBA seems to be doing fine here in North America.”

“I think it’ll be great,” Smith said. “It’s a different type of basketball and it’ll be nice to expose our type of basketball over into Europe. And I think it would translate into other sports as well, like soccer, bringing our sports and countries together.”

It’s an extravagant idea, but also an unlikely one. One of the biggest obstacles standing in Stern’s way of expansion would be the players’ issue with long travel. Travel from New York to London already takes between seven and eight hours, and weather conditions aren’t ideal for travel during the winter months.

Yet, Stern has been a visionary since taking over as commissioner 1984, having overseen seven expansion teams already. As the NBA globalizes faster than ever, he’s banking on that number growing to 12.

Should NBA Elaborate In Europe

NBA is now getting popular day by day and they have now plan there expansion into Europe, which seems to be a very good step. There has been discussion going on related to the contract which i think is a ridiculous move.These teams should be relocated to Europe in enough numbers that the NBA could have an entire European division. Though that would increase a budget by the higher side for North American teams, but if they were to play the Euro teams all in a row it could be a nice working vacation and a great way to mesh the teams together.

I would have no issues if the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, and Sacramento Kings or Detroit Pistons were allocated to Europe to grow the NBA world wide. Before you get all crazy on me, I live in Detroit and mentioned my team because of their depressed state, in this discussion of relocation.

Europe is called to be a basketball hotbed because the fact that basketball is pretty popular in Europe and there are enough leagues over there to elevate European based NBA teams find talent and fill out rosters and given the fact that the North American NBA market is tapped out this seems the best way to grow the sport

European point guard Ricky Rubio says he is willing to directly make the NBA

Barcelona, Spain - Ricky Rubio has done a lot in his young career, he just has not shown that he is ready to make the leap to the NBA.19-year-old playmaker has played in the game Olympic gold medals, won the European Championship with Spain and led his club team to the Euroleague title.But the Spaniard went scoreless in the exhibition match between his team Barcelona and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, falling flat in his first big opportunity to silence critics after his disappointing performance at the world championships.He looked nervous early on, drawing three fouls in the first half. He missed all five of his attempts the ball within 17 minutes of the game and had four turns while handing out just three assists."It's true, he had his best game tonight, but he must have this experience that he should not go through them in the future," Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual said.Rubio knows he has work."I want my game is better in every way I can," he said. "I have room for improvement in all aspects, and I'm going to try and use this season to win as many games as possible, and to improve."Despite his poor shooting on Thursday, Rubio showed part of what prompted Minnesota to select it with the first pick in the 2009 draft.He drew a charge on Kobe Bryant in the second half and took part in a series of four consecutive passes Touch, which ended in an uncontested helmet for Fran Vazquez, helping Barcelona to overcome 12-point deficit to beat the NBA Champs 92-88.Bryant is not among the critics Rubio."This is my third time playing against him, and he is definitely ready to play in the NBA Lakers star said." The child can play. I felt that at the Olympics, he played very well and showed a lot of balance and he reads a lot of things that average players do not. "Each of his former teammates, coaches and opponents of the NBA all agree that Rubio will eventually be able to make the transition to the NBA, perhaps as soon as next summer. Fans on both sides of the Atlantic looks forward to move since the performance of Rubio in Beijing, where he showed maturity and composure that belies his age, helping Spain to the final against the U.S.Rubio said he will likely move to the NBA after playing one more season in Barcelona.Spanish media were quick to accuse Sports Rubio as one of the main causes of failure for the national team to defend its title this summer at the world championships in Turkey. Sports newspaper Marca published a poll in which readers place Rubio as the worst team player in the tournament.Prior to joining Barcelona last season, Rubio played for Spanish club DKV Joventut, is a daily practice of individual sessions with Sito Alonso, the assistant, who later became the coach Joventut in 2008.Alonso called the Fallout world championship "is the first difficult situation (Rubio) has had to face as a player.""This is the first time this has happened to him, but I think it's good for him, played a normal tournament, but not exceptional. It will analyze the advice of his coach and learn from them," Alonso told Associated Press.Rubio's shooting numbers from the world championships were not much. Although he averaged more than five assists per game, he shot 27 percent from the field and made only 2 of 17 three-pointers in the tournament. Rubio also beat other less-known European guards, such as Milos Teodosic Serbia and Lithuania Mantas Kalnietis a key loss to Spain."People forget he's only 19 years old and that he is still learning," said Pete Mickeal, a former prominent Cincinnati to Barcelona team Rubio for a second season. "He plays well under control, with eyes in his head. There are guys in the NBA who can not do some of the passages and reading it makes."Alonso said Rubio still needs to work on his outside shot, and from side to side speed to contain the most point guards, who attack the rim."Ricky knows how to score on the drive," said Alonso. "He did it for Joventut and the number of critical moments of pressure. The difference between good and bad players the ability to admit mistakes, and in this sense, Rubio is one of the best in the world

NBA Europe: Plans to bring regular-season game to England

The NBA commissioner David Stern has told the Guardian that his league plans to hold a regular season game in the near future n England. London's O2 Arena has hosted pre season games every year since 2007 as part of the NBA's Europe Live Tour, and although each of those games sold out there have been growing calls for the league to follow the NFL's example and bring over a competitive fixture.
"The question is yes to that answer," Stern said when asked whether England may host such a game in the near future. "I don't know what you would call imminent, but there is certainly some chance that there will be an announcement by the beginning of next season."
With this year's NBA Finals series between the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics under way, the earliest date for such a fixture would come during the 2010-11 season. That begins in October but with the Lakers already scheduled to play a pre-season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the O2 Arena at the beginning of the same month, it seems unlikely that any further fixtures would be scheduled before next year.
Stern would not be drawn on any more details but went on to say his league could learn much from both basketball in Europe and the successes of other sports on the continent.
"I'm a big fan of European basketball," he said. "I think it helps develop great players, and I think the fans can teach us a lot – the Spanish fans, the Greek fans, they have an enthusiasm for the game that is really infectious."
"I follow soccer a little bit," Stern added when asked whether he would be following the World Cup this summer. "But more as a businessman, seeing the Premier League – the issues it has with relegation, ownership and the absence of salary caps and all kinds of good things. Even though they're worlds apart [from the NBA] they're dealing with the same problems."