ISTANBUL -- Portland coach Nate McMillan wouldn't mind at all seeing Rudy Fernandez stay with the Trail Blazers.
McMillan, a Team USA assistant, was asked by FanHouse if his hope is the disgruntled swingman will remain with the team.
"He's a great player,'' McMillan said. "He's a good player. A talented player. Very talented.''
Asked further about the subject and McMillan said, "He is in my notes for training camp. All right.''
Fernandez, unhappy with his role in McMillan's offense, wants to be traded and already has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for that demand having been publicly issued. Through his agent, Andy Miller, Fernandez told The Oregonian two weeks ago he intends to not report to training camp even though he has two years left on his contract.
McMillan spoke to Fernandez, a member of the Spanish national team, two weeks ago when Team USA was in Spain to play exhibition games, but has not divulged specifics of the conversation. But McMillan said he hopes to speak with Fernandez again by this weekend in Istanbul.
Team USA and Spain both have advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Championship. The teams are on opposite sides of the bracket but could meet in Sunday's gold-medal game game at the Sinan Erdem Dome.
"We haven't talked (in Istanbul),'' McMillan said. "But we'll talk.''
McMillan cares deeply about trying to straighten out this matter.
"That's my player,'' McMillan said. "He's my player. That's how I'm approaching it. When I see him, I'll talk to him. I'll wish him luck. And if we get the opportunity to meet each other, then we're going to looking to beat each other. But that's my player.''
For how much longer is anybody's guess.
London Calling
Not that there was much doubt, but USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo figures forward Kevin Durant can make plans to spend the 2012 Olympics in London as a member of Team USA.
"I think you would assume Durant is going to be on the team. That's one,'' Colangelo said of players off this summer's Team USA outfit marked for London.
Colangelo could see a scenario in which the 2012 Olympic team is mostly a combination of players from the 2008 Olympic team and from this team. None of the players from 2008 opted to play this summer.
But Colangelo stressed it's obviously still extremely early in the process. There are 35 players in the pool now for 2012, with 22 having been on the 2008 Olympic team or on this team. There are some top players in the pool to have not participated in either event and some could be added, namely Clippers forward Blake Griffin.
"We'll always have a fluid roster,'' Colangelo said. "You're always going to have some turnover going forward because players need to look forward for that opportunity. It's not like with some of the countries that we play against, they'll have the same guys playing two or three Olympics in a row or World Championships. But that's not going to be the case with us. It just can't be. It's not realistic.
"The Olympians (from 2008) played three years, took a year off and now we have a new group. It's all about the equity and everybody's earning equity.''
Colangelo said Team USA officials could face extremely difficult roster decisions in 2012 if a good number of players from 2008 and 2010 all want to play in London.
"That's good,'' Colangelo said. "I like those kind of decisions.''
For now, Durant, Team USA's leading scorer with a 17.7 average, was pleased to hear Colengelo say his tickets looks punched for London.
"I hope so,'' said the Oklahoma City star. "So I'm going to do my best but keep that in my mind. I've got to continue to keep working hard.''
Russia Next
Team USA next faves Russia in a Thursday quarterfinal. The Americans, who got a favorable draw for the knockout round, are big favorites. But coach Mike Krzyzewski is taking no team lightly.
"We're beatable. We're not unbeatable,'' said Krzyzewski, whose team took Tuesday off and will practice Wednesday in preparation for the game. "But I've been fortunate to be the U.S. coach for the last five years, and there's no one in our country with a greater feeling of respect for the international game. I just think there are so many good teams, so many great players... We just have to work hard and be our best and that might be good enough to win.''
The Americans last played Russia in the Worlds in 2002, winning a group game 106-92. Russia defeated Team USA 66-64 in a semifinal at the 1998 Worlds, but that was an American team without NBA players due to the lockout.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
For Turkish fans, Hedo Turkoglu’s still gold
ISTANBUL, TURKEY—From the 20-foot-high facing of an overpass bridging a six-lane highway on the southwestern edge of this massive city, his face beams down.
In and around the Sultanahmet area — the gorgeous, centuries-old home of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the two most recognizable landmarks of this historic city — his face adorns billboards and buildings at almost every turn.He is there in the port and around the arena, omnipresent.
And when you mention Hedo Turkoglu’s name around these parts, people perk up.
“Hedo? He is No. 1,” said 31-year-old Bora Nebioglu. “The best.”
There are tens of thousands of Raptors fans who may not agree with the assessment of Nebioglu, a hotel worker who says he’s an avid fan of the Turkish national basketball team. But that’s a rather parochial view of the 31-year-old Turkoglu, the one-year Raptors washout who seems to be the singular face of his national team at the world championship here.
Even though he had been playing so-so, averaging about 10 points in Turkey’s first-round games while shooting just 32 per cent from the field, there can be no denying his popularity.
“Everybody likes Hedo,” Nebioglu said before Turkey routed France 95-77 in the first playoff round Sunday night. “He was our first player in the NBA. He is the captain of our team. We are all very proud. Turkish people are very proud of him.”
And very familiar with what he’s done in his career. Nebioglu, who was quick to point out that fellow Turk Mehmet Okur has an NBA championship ring (won in 2005 with Detroit) while Turkoglu is still searching, knew immediately what Turkoglu’s year with the Raptors was like.
“He was very good in Orlando but he did not play well when he was in Toronto at all,” said the restaurant worker. “He will be better with Phoenix Suns, we are sure.”
No one here seems to be the least bit concerned by what went wrong in Toronto. They know he was a Raptor, isn’t one anymore, and just revel in his time with the national team.
“For us, he brings great pride,” said Nebioglu.
Basketball may play second fiddle to soccer in this country (“It is that way in all Europe. What can you do?” Nebioglu said with a shrug) but not for this two-week period. The 15,000-seat Sinan Erdem Dome was packed for the easy win over France and the hype is never-ending. There are huge pennants bearing the likenesses of the national team everywhere and Turkoglu is front and centre on all of them. He responded with one of his best games of the tournament, scoring a team-high 20 points and dishing out a team-best three assists.
“His impact on the team is unimaginable,” said Turkey’s Sinan Guler. “The way he played today (energizes) everybody else and the country, of course. When you hear his name being said on the announcements, everybody’s screaming louder than for anybody else.”
To many, it’s as if Turkoglu never set foot in Toronto. They love him for what he does for the Turkish program. They remember what he did the year before he spent with the Raptors.
“He’s probably the No. 1 sports guy in Turkey right now because of the way he played, especially with Orlando,” said Guler.
Turkoglu was not available to reporters after Turkey’s win, blowing off a group of about 100 by taking a back exit from the court. It certainly won’t damage his reputation here, much the same way people shrug off his year with the Raptors.
“I don’t know what happened in Toronto,” said Nebioglu. “He did not play well, but we don’t care about that much as long as he does well for Turkey. He is ours.”
U.S. breezes into quarters
ISTANBUL - Before it can win a world championship, the United States needed to start looking like a world champion.
Kevin Durant, Chauncey Billups and the rest of the Americans finally had that appearance yesterday, powering into the quarterfinals with a 121-66 victory over Angola.
“Obviously we want to stay humble, but at the same time we have to know that we can do it,” forward Kevin Love said. “We know regardless of what people are saying, that we still are the favorites and we should play and really act like it, too.”
They did, opening the knockout round with a quick knockout.
With Billups scoring 16 of his 19 points and Durant all of his 17 in the first half, the Americans saved their most impressive performance in Istanbul for the elimination stage, overwhelming the Angolans from the start after a couple of lackluster performances to close the group stage.
“We don’t want to be a team that’s going to turn it on and off,” Durant said. “I think of course we’re playing with a little more sense of urgency when you know if you lose, you go home. Guys came out and responded from those last two games.”
The U.S. forced turnovers that led to easy baskets in transition, and when forced into the halfcourt, shot 18-of-38 from 3-point range, one off the team record for 3s at worlds.
“Our guys were sharp,” U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
Eric Gordon and Rudy Gay also scored 17 for the Americans, who will face Russia on Thursday night. Gordon was 5-of-6 behind the arc.
Joaquim Gomes, who played at Valparaiso, scored 21 for Angola, which finished fourth in Group A. The Angolans advanced on a tiebreaker by virtue of their overtime victory over Germany, but had lost by 50 to Serbia, and 21 apiece to Argentina and Australia.
They were no match for the Americans, who had won the teams’ four meetings in the Olympics, starting with a 116-48 romp in the Dream Team’s debut in Barcelona in 1992, straight through to a 97-76 victory in Beijing two years ago.
Monday, September 6, 2010
US beats Angola 121-66, reaches quarters at Worlds
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Chauncey Billups scored 19 points, Kevin Durant had 17, and the United States powered into the quarterfinals of the World Championship with a 121-66 victory over Angola on Monday.
With Durant scoring 17 and Billups 16 in the first half, the Americans saved their most impressive performance in Istanbul for the knockout round, overwhelming the Angolans from the start after a couple of lackluster performances to close the group stage.
The U.S. forced turnovers that led to easy baskets in transition, and when forced into the halfcourt, shot 18 of 38 from 3-point range, one off the team record for 3s in a world championship game.
Eric Gordon and Rudy Gay also scored 17 for the Americans, who will face either Russia or New Zealand on Thursday night. Gordon was 5 of 6 behind the arc.
Joaquim Gomes, who played collegiately at Valparaiso, scored 21 for Angola, which finished fourth in Group A. The Angolans advanced to the elimination round on a tiebreaker by virtue of their overtime victory over Germany, but had lost by 50 to Serbia, and 21 apiece to Argentina and Australia.
They were no match for the Americans, who had won the teams' four meetings in the Olympics, starting with a 116-48 romp in the Dream Team's debut in Barcelona in 1992, straight through to a 97-76 victory in Beijing two years ago.
This quickly became one of those no-contests.
The Americans lacked some focus against Iran and Tunisia in their last two games, knowing victory was certain and not wanting to embarrass opponents or get any of their own players hurt.
But they expected to be sharper after a couple of days of practice, knowing they would press, substitute frequently, and raise their overall level of play with the games finally becoming important.
The U.S. won the opening tip for the first time in Istanbul and scored the first five points. Billups and Durant nailed consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 10-0 spurt and make it 22-7, and the Americans led 33-13 after one.
Billups is playing out of his normal NBA position as a shooting guard, and he made only 4 of 19 3-point attempts in preliminary play. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski was asked last week if he would consider a lineup change, and he said he would look at it.
The lineup stayed the same, but Billups looked much different.
The lead ballooned to 29 late in the second quarter. Durant shot 7 of 10 in the half and Billups was 4 of 6, all from behind the arc, and Durant's 3-pointer with 7 seconds left sent the Americans to the half with a 65-33 advantage.
Derrick Rose made two straight 3-pointers and Billups added another to start the U.S. scoring in the third quarter, and the lead grew to 37 late in the period. The Americans were 6 of 9 behind the arc in the period, which ended with them leading 91-56.
Felizardo Ambrosio finished with 12 points and Roberto Fortes 11 for Angola.
Russia beats New Zealand 78-56 to gain quarters
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Russia reached the quarterfinals of basketball's world championships against the United States, beating New Zealand 78-56 Monday after Andrey Vorontsevich had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Timofey Mozgov , Russia's 2.16-meter (7-foot-1) center who recently signed for the New York Knicks, added 16 points and seven rebounds. Russia outrebounded New Zealand 41-25 and had five blocks to the Kiwis' one.
Kirk Penney led New Zealand with 21 points.
Russia used a 13-0 run to jump ahead 29-21 in the second quarter. In the second half, a frontline led by Vorontsevich overpowered a much smaller New Zealand.
"We played great defence," Vorontsevich said. "We played like a giant fist."
New Zealand power forward Pero Cameron agreed.
"Defensively, Russia pushed us out of what we wanted to do and sometimes we settled for the outside shot a little early," he said.
It was the teams' second meeting. In 2002, New Zealand beat Russia 90-81 on the way to its record fourth-place finish at the worlds in Indianapolis.
Russia next plays Thursday, pitting coach David Blatt against his native country in what could be his final game after five years as Russia coach.
"I remember watching as a kid and crying when the U.S. lost to the Soviets in the 1972 Olympics," Blatt said. "It's kind of a circle of irony. It is kind of special and not a little bit sad."
Russia went to halftime leading 31-27, having trailed 21-18 and allowing New Zealand only seven field goals in 24 attempts.
Having forced New Zealand's best players to the bench, including Penney, Russia had a 22-10 rebound advantage after halftime.
"We really focused on attacking inside and we did get them in foul trouble," Blatt said.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
After much-needed rest, U.S. is ready for elimination play
Sunday's practice was shorter than the previous day's full-contact session.
ISTANBUL -- It has been a while since the U.S. National Team felt the rush of playing a meaningful game. After escaping with a win over Brazil on Monday, they played two non-competitive contests against Iran and Tunisia, followed by three days off.
The time between pool play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and their round-of-16 matchup with Angola (Monday, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN2) allowed them to get some much-needed time on the practice floor. But now, they're ready to get back to action.
"We're highly anxious to play," Danny Granger said Sunday. "The last two games weren't exactly two really good teams, and we didn't play too particularly well. So we're definitely anxious to get back to meaningful games."
Sunday's practice in Istanbul was shorter than the full-contact session they went through on Saturday, but the team did get some work done. And at this point in the tournament, head coach Mike Krzyzewski says that he doesn't want to make things too complicated.
"We might add a certain set, because we want to go to a certain guy to highlight him," Krzyzewski said. "You don't want to add too much now, like over-coach them. You want to prepare them, but not over-coach them."
But with no margin for error in the single-elimination format of the knockout rounds, it's now time to go full throttle.
"The last two games, especially, you can't blow it all out against those teams," Krzyzewski said. "You've got to pace yourself a little bit. But now, when you're one and done, you don't hold anything back."
So starting with Monday's game against Angola, the U.S. will press more defensively, making quicker substitutions to stay fresh and aggressive.
"We'll kind of show how we're going to play every game the way we play the first one," Krzyzewski said.
Angola has been the best team in Africa for a long time, but they've never had much success at the Olympics or World Championships. Here's a profile of Monday's matchup.
Recent History
2004 Olympics - USA 89, Angola 53
2008 Olympics - USA 97, Angola 76
How Angola got here (4th place, Group A)
• Lost to Serbia, 94-44
• Defeated Jordan, 79-65
• Lost to Argentina, 91-70
• Defeated Germany, 92-88
• Lost to Australia, 76-55
The win over Germany was for fourth place in the group and what got Angola to the knockout rounds. Germany led the game by 10 with less than four minutes to go, but Angola scored 14 points in the final 3:19 of regulation to send it to overtime. They took control early in the extra period and held on for a four-point win.
Angola's offense
92.5 points scored per 100 possessions (21st of 24 teams in pool play)
Offensively, Angola is a contrast to the European offenses that flourish on ball movement. The African champions are very much a one-on-one team. They'll run pick-and-rolls, but mostly to free themselves up for a quick shot or drive to the basket. They recorded assists on just 41 percent of their field goals in pool play, the third lowest ratio of the 24 teams in the tournament.
Krzyzewski: "I think they'll attack on offense. That's their nature. That's what they do. They've been a very good attacking team."
Angola's defense
Angola plays both man and zone, and they will utilize a 2-2-1 press at times.
Krzyzewski: "Their big guys play off big guys to clog the lane. They have done zone, but their man-to-man, if they clog up, is like a zone. So I would expect more of a sloughing defense, whether it be in man or zone. We have to come down and not overpenetrate against that, but rather make passes and get movement."
Numbers of note
From a statistical point of view, Angola was the worst team to qualify for the elimination rounds. They were outscored by 19.1 points per 100 possessions in pool play.
The U.S. should attack the glass. Angola was the second worst defensive rebounding team in pool play, securing just 62 percent of available defensive boards.
Angola was above average in two key statistics defensively. They ranked sixth by forcing 20.8 turnovers per 100 possessions. And they ranked seventh by allowing their opponents to attempt just 24.5 free throws per 100 possessions.
Key players
Olimpio Cipriano -- The wing was Angola's leading scorer in pool play, averaging 14.8 points in four games. He dropped 30, hitting four of his six attempts from 3-point range, in the big win over Germany. Andre Iguodala will likely get the assignment of containing him.
Joaquim Gomes -- The big man averaged 11.6 points in pool play and had a double-double against Germany. He's a center who can step out and shoot from the perimeter, a contrast from most big men in this tournament who like to roll to the basket.
Carlos Morais -- The combo guard doesn't shoot particularly well, but he can get to the rim.
Loyalty wins out as Thomas returns to the Big D
Tim Thomas missed most of last season, his first with Dallas, to care for his wife Tricia.
If there ever was a summer to be a free agent, this was it. There were plenty of jobs to go around and teams looking to spend.
If there ever was a summer to be a free agent, this was it. There were plenty of jobs to go around and teams looking to spend.
Tim Thomas didn't want any part of the craziness. A few informal discussions took place here and there, but Thomas knew what he wanted.
The Mavericks felt the same.
"Loyalty is definitely the best word for it," Thomas told NBA.com in his first extensive interview since re-signing with Dallas on Aug. 18.
Thomas missed most of last season, his first with Dallas. Knee surgery sidelined him initially before leaving the team in late January to deal with something much more serious. Thomas' wife, Tricia, had become ill and Tim requested a leave of absence to care for her and their family.
He never returned. He also wasn't forgotten. Thomas said every one of his Dallas teammates reached out during the trying times, as did players from around the league. Even though he had only been with the Mavericks a few months and played just 18 games, the outpouring of support from all corners of the organization touched him deeply.
"That was all I could ask for," said Thomas, who decided along with Tricia to keep the nature of her illness private.
Thomas kept tabs on the Mavericks from their home in Los Angeles. Watching the first-round exit to San Antonio was especially hard.
"It was about taking care of my wife, but I watched basketball as much as I could and I always kept up with what Dallas was doing," he said. "I reached out to everybody right before the playoffs and wished everybody well.
"Of course I watched the playoff games and thought about situations where I could have helped. It was tough to know that the guys were going to war and I wasn't there to help, but at the same time everybody was reaching out with their prayers for my wife."
When the offseason rolled around, Thomas' competitive juices were flowing again. Tricia had improved to the point where she could care for their two daughters and run the household again. Thomas was ready to give it another go.
"I wanted to come back and help my team, but things happened in the household," he said. "The team allowed me to go and to try to work things out. When things started going downhill, they allowed me to stay home and take care of what's most important -- your family. I really appreciate that from them. I'm happy that everything worked out as far as my wife's health."
Thomas began to work out and talked to his agent, Bob Myers, about his options. Most teams were hesitant to look into the 14-year veteran with seven teams on his résumé, though some were interested given Thomas' track record. The Mavericks were one of those interested teams.
"There were a lot of talks, but nothing got as far as an actual contract," Thomas said. "When my agent talked to Dallas and Dallas said they would love to have me back, it was a no-brainer. I definitely wanted to put myself in a situation where you have a chance to win an NBA championship."
The two sides agreed on the same contract Thomas signed last summer -- a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum ($1.35 million). Whether more money was out there, Thomas wasn't about to chase it. There was unfinished business and the chance to repay a debt in Dallas.
Loyalty won out.
"That's the right word -- loyalty," he said. "Everything I went through, the organization was just great. From being hurt and having surgery to my wife's health, they were just great. From the basketball side of it, they know what I'm capable of doing if I'm healthy and they know also I just want to sacrifice for the team. I just want to win. That's the bottom line."
The Mavericks are just glad to get Thomas back.
"We knew it was tough on Tim and his family last year," owner Mark Cuban said. "Our policy is that family always comes first. So we certainly were trying to offer any help we could and to stay on top of the situation. With the new season getting ready to get started, we are excited to have Tim back. His size and ability to stretch the court will be a big help to us."
Thomas isn't a difference-maker, but the Mavericks are counting on the 6-foot-10 forward to shore up some shortcomings that arose last season. He brings much-needed depth behind Dirk Nowitzki, giving Dallas length and the ability to space the floor with his 3-point range.
And while the absence was unintended, it did his body some good. Thomas, 33, has only played close to a full season once in the last five years.
"I've had a long time off, so I have fresh legs, but then again it's been 14 years, so time will tell," he said. "I feel great right now. I'm ready to go and I want to get back into the whole flow of practicing and playing and being able to compete. I want to be around the guys and enjoy the game."
When it came down to deciding where, Thomas couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
"I just felt loyal to Dallas for what they did last year letting me take care of my family," he said. "I just want to give it another shot. I feel I can help. I keep going back to that word -- loyalty."
Forward-thinking Collins already dreaming big in Philly
Doug Collins says he's got the plan to re-ignite the spark between Philadelphia and the 76ers.
If he had been one of the Wright brothers, he'd have invented the jet engine before the propeller plane. If he were a caveman, he would have thought of the radial tire before the wheel.
Thus, it should surprise no one that Doug Collins is a few steps ahead of the pack in his return to Philadelphia as coach of the Sixers.
"It will feel great to have old excitement and electricity back in the city and back in the building," he said. "We're gonna have a team that the people will respond to. We're gonna have meaningful games late in the season. We're gonna have a playoff atmosphere and all that brings."
Never mind learning to crawl when you can simply stand up and break into an all-out sprint. That has always been the Collins way from the time he was an All-American at Illinois State, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 Draft and a brilliant but star-crossed guard for the Sixers to all of his three previous three NBA coaching stops.
On the court and off it, he's always been an exposed nerve end, someone who practically hums like a tuning fork when you stand next to him, the equivalent of a fireworks display that lights up the sky and then quickly dissolves into the night.
"I think at 35 years old, you could say that, maybe at 45," Collins said, nodding his head. "I don't think that's the case at 59. I'm a grandpa now with four grandkids and I think you see things differently. I think you get older with vision and a perspective that changes.
"When you're younger you just roll up your sleeves and you're gonna fight the world and make it all right and stuff. Then, in the words of the late Chuck Daly, you learn to pick and choose your battles."
Daly, the Hall of Famer who guided the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships and the Dream Team to Olympic gold in 1992, used to call it "selective hearing."
Collins calls it just one of the things he's gleaned from all of the other coaches he came in contact with during his past seven years as a TNT analyst after being fired by the Wizards following a two-year stint during Michael Jordan's comeback in 2003.
"I always knew I was gonna do it again," he said. "I always knew I was gonna coach again. I was not gonna rush back into it. It was gonna pick a situation that I thought fit who I am and what I do as a coach. I've always gone to teams that have been down and have some talent. I feel like I'm a teacher. I feel that I create an environment where guys get better.
"The one thing I've felt is that wherever I've gone, the teams have gotten better. We won more games. I've always felt that wherever I've left has been better for me being there and I don't mean to say that in an arrogant way."
Collins took over a Chicago team with Jordan and Scottie Pippen that finished 30-52 in 1986 and had them at 47-35 and in the Eastern Conference finals when he was let go in 1989. Detroit was 28-54 the season when he arrived in 1995 and he had them at 54-28 two years later. In Washington, during Jordan's comeback, the Wizards had consecutive 37-45 seasons under Collins, but that was up substantially from the 19-63 team he inherited.
Now the Sixers, after consecutive playoff first-round losses in 2008 and 2009 that many believed was underachieving, are coming off a loud 27-55 belly flop of a season that got coach Eddie Jordan fired after less than one year on the job.
The right opportunity came along just when Collins was ready to scratch that itch again.
"I wasn't going just anyplace," he said. "I'd had five or six other opportunities in recent years and just said no. There are only two cities -- Philadelphia or Chicago -- that I said I would go to. I almost went to Chicago two years ago. Then [Bulls owner] Jerry Reinsdorf and I talked and he said, 'I don't want to turn our personal relationship into a business' and I understood.
"That left Philly. I waited and this came out. It was right because of my wife and my family. My wife and I had lived there before and were comfortable. My daughter lives just outside the city. The grandkids are there. I have friends in Philly."
Not to mention memories having helped pick the Sixers up off the floor once before. As a rookie, Collins joined a team that had set the NBA's worst ever record of 9-73 the year before. He soon became a vastly underrated four-time All-Star on a star-spangled lineup that included Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Darryl Dawkins that won all the headlines but no championships.
He looks now at a roster that features talented young pieces in Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday and No. 2 draft pick Evan Turner. He sees a Boston team that is still the class of the Atlantic Division, but getting older, along with New York, New Jersey and Toronto that are either in transition or in trouble.
He was a fiery bundle of optimism walking into each of those previous jobs, but left burned and wilted like a used candle. So at a time when Steve Kerr was quick to jump from the hot seat of being the general manager in Phoenix to taking over Collins' job behind the TNT microphone, the question is why would he want to put himself through it again?
"I just feel like I'm in the best spot I've ever been as a coach," Collins said. "I'm driven. But so are Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich and Jerry Sloan."
The head bobs, the eyes dance and that high-pitched voice can still go up another octave when he's running down the young roster and over all of the plans he has for his old/new town this season.
"It's ready, the city is so ready," he said. "I do know and understand the emotion and excitement when things are right. I've been in this situation before. I know what it feels like in Philadelphia to get it going again."
Doug Collins, ahead of the pack as usual, is already there again.
These players could be looking at big decline this season
For differing reasons, Lamar Odom (left) and Kevin Garnett could be staring down a tough 2010-11 season.
One year, a player seems on top of the basketball world, enjoying the high as well as the view below. The next year, he's falling without a parachute, wondering when he'll finally land, and how hard.
This happens. This is sports. Everyone declines, even the greats, unless they leave before their feet touches the ground. Just like taxes and a Mark Cuban rant toward a referee, it's inevitable. And it usually doesn't happen suddenly; most of us can see it coming, for a variety of reasons: age, competition or a change in team dynamics.
That said, here are 10 players who appear most vulnerable to a slide in 2010-11, and why:
Amar'e Stoudemire (Knicks): He lost Steve Nash and he gained a potentially hostile crowd. Those are the hazards facing Stoudemire in his new digs. The Nash factor is very real; Stoudemire owes a bunch of his highlights to a point guard who excelled in the pick-and-roll and knew how to deliver the ball. As for the New York atmosphere, it might get gruesome should the Knicks falter and/or their new big man fail to meet the steep expectations. If you recall, Stoudemire was a bit touchy last spring when he was called out in the postseason. Therefore, is he too sensitive to deal with media that's triple the size of what he saw in Phoenix, and twice as skeptical?
Vince Carter (Magic): This may be a contract year for Carter, and if that doesn't motivate him, nothing will. The scenario in Orlando doesn't favor his odds of getting an extension. He shot 43 percent during the season and 40 in a poor postseason. Plus, J.J. Redick is poised to make a push for the starting job. Clearly, the Magic are ready to move on, if Redick does cut significantly into Carter's minutes. Anyway, Carter's best years were in Toronto and New Jersey. His stop in Orlando mirrors many others who migrate to Florida. They come to slow down and eventually retire.
Yao Ming (Rockets): After missing all last season and limping through stretches of recent seasons, can he ever be a 20 and 10 guy again? It is possible Yao can shake off the rust and be an All-Star. Or, his best years are well behind him. Nothing is certain for a player who could have revolutionized the center position had he stayed healthy from foot and knee issues. Instead, his health will remain a question until his body demonstrates otherwise. Also, his surroundings are a bit different than the years spent with Tracy McGrady, a tandem wrecked by injuries to both players.
Tony Parker (Spurs): It's a contract year for Parker, and therefore, risky to say he's headed for a spill. But it's also undeniable that his numbers fell across the board last season. And would you say, without hesitation, that this is the same Parker of two seasons ago, when he posted career highs of 22.0 points and 6.9 assists a game? If Parker were still on top of his game, would the Spurs think about listening to offers for him (as they supposedly did this summer)? Or wait before giving him an extension? Parker is certainly not old (only 28) or in his twilight (he's one of the top five or six point guards), but perhaps not as dangerous as before. With George Hill hungry for playing time (and eventually, money), Parker has every reason to turn back the clock.
Baron Davis (Clippers): In two seasons with the Clippers, Davis has shot 39 percent and averaged 15 points a game. That's not the kind of production the Clippers thought they'd get after handing him the big bucks. Just the same, Davis thought he'd be playing with Elton Brand. Regardless, something's seems amiss in this marriage, at least so far. The Clippers can only hope Davis is motivated by a lineup that welcomes Blake Griffin.
J.R. Smith (Nuggets): Great skills, fragile maturity. Those warring factions have kept Smith from his true potential. One episode is usually followed by another with Smith, who can't seem to shake drama. He averaged 15.4 points a game last season, the highest of his career, and was a legit sixth-man candidate. Then he followed it up with a scuffle this summer. He's in a contract year, but can money set him straight?
Kevin Garnett (Celtics): KG managed to ignore body aches and the persistent pull of gravity to come up big in spurts during the playoffs and The Finals. But anyone can plainly see KG is slowly regressing from All-Star level. He still has the will and the smarts to outplay most big men, but is exposed over the season and playoffs. At this point, the days of KG getting 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks a night are likely gone.
Lamar Odom (Lakers): His shooting percentage and scoring average has dipped the last three years, and he seemed noticeably average during the championship run. Odom still has value to the Lakers as a rebounder, but the rest of his game has faltered. Once the Lakers cease winning championships, his weaknesses will become magnified. And that could happen this season.
Mo Williams (Cavaliers): Does he take on added importance and responsibility with LeBon James gone? Or does the absence of LeBron, who opened lanes and gave teammates open looks, mean fewer easy baskets for Mo? Suspect the latter. Williams must create his own chances now, and also feed Anderson Varejao and Antawn Jamison because, for the most part, LeBron was Cleveland's point guard. Now, it's Mo's "team," so to speak.
Elton Brand (Sixers): For the fourth straight year, Brand's scoring average dropped (from 24.7 in 2005-06 to 13.1 last season) along with his rebounding (once double-figures, then 6.1 rebounds a game last season). He blamed the system, which will be changed by new coach Doug Collins, whose priority is making Brand a top-10 power forward again. Maybe Brand was a victim of bad coaching the last few years. Or perhaps Brand, who'll turn 32 this season, is past his prime. With three years left on a roughly $16 million-a-season contract, Brand carries a hefty price as a second or third option.
Riley keeps plugging along as Warriors iron out their future
Larry Riley is interested in staying put as the Warriors' GM ... if that's what the new management wants.
Larry Riley isn't interested in a conversation about his job status. Sure, Riley wants to stay on as Warriors general manager through the upcoming ownership swap, but campaigning or justifying his work isn't his style. A humble and straight shooter, Riley prefers to do his job. Not talk about it.
"I'm just going to do my job until it's over," he told NBA.com this week.
That's fine. Others are doing the talking for him.
A number of columns in the Bay Area this summer have praised the job done by Riley to reposition Golden State for this season and in those to come. The Warriors have undergone a personality shift by beefing up the roster, while adding financial flexibility.
They've done so in a climate of uncertainty, as the franchise waits for its new owners to assume control. A group led by Celtics minority owner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber reached an agreement to buy the Warriors on July 15. League approval is expected to take 60-90 days, meaning it could be mid-October before the issue is resolved.
That's two weeks before the start of the regular season. Not exactly the optimum time to make wholesale changes like firing your GM and coach. That would appear to bode well for both Riley and coach Don Nelson.
Riley, especially. As Nellie hangs in an odd limbo as the league's all-time wins leader, Riley continues to win support. Riley freely admits all that Nellie has done for him through the years, including bringing him to Golden State as an assistant coach four years ago.
The Don hated losing Riles to the front office as assistant GM in 2008. Many close observers speculated that Nellie would lose the stomach for coaching -- again -- without his trusted confidante on the road. The Warriors were losing. Nellie's misery needs company, Bud Light and cigars. Riley shared in all three.
Riley's worth to the bench is one thing. His value since moving upstairs should mean a gig through the Warriors' next coaching change, whenever that may happen. The Warriors haven't enjoyed an offseason of Miami proportions, but it's energized the fan base and started to balance the roster.
David Lee is on board, giving the Warriors a legit power forward who averaged about 20 points and 12 rebounds last season. Lee, 27, was acquired in a sign-and-trade that cost Golden State former lottery pick Anthony Randolph.
Riley understood the risk in giving up on Randolph, a 6-foot-11 jumping jack who's only 21. He stands by the decision, which was his.
"I made the evaluation and decided that's the way I wanted to go," he said.
Riley made the deal, which included signing Lee to an $80 million contract, with the full blessing of current owner Chris Cohen. Riley hasn't been handcuffed by Cohen or hesitant to pull off a deal that the new owners might second guess.
Riley is doing his job until someone tells him not to. Until that day comes, he's looking for ways to improve. Twice this summer he sent assistant Stephen Silas to work with Monta Ellis in Jackson, Miss. Assistant Keith Smart was dispatched to Latvia to tutor Andris Biedrins.
"I don't know how far we can go, but I know we're going to be better," Riley said.
Lee's addition gives Golden State potentially three frontline players along with Stephen Curry and Ellis. The Warriors also signed Dorell Wright to shore up the small forward position and traded for guard Charlie Bell.
"I like the way our locker room looks right now," Riley said. "I feel like we've changed the team and we've added some dimensions we didn't have previously."
That chiefly being rebounding and toughness. There were losses this summer, mainly Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson. But Riley isn't done dealing. Another veteran presence to the bench is a priority, with free agent Louis Amundson being a top target.
There's also $14 million in expiring contracts -- a sizable asset come February. And then there's Carmelo Anthony. Reports last week that listed Golden State as a possible destination Melo. If the Nuggets do decide to field offers for Anthony, expect the Warriors to be aggressive.
"We are going to look for ways to improve our team," Riley said.
As for Nellie, he wants to finish out his Golden State contract. He's got a year left and has remained engaged -- to the point Nellie remains engaged -- in the team's offseason activities. Nelson wasn't part of the Draft, by design, but did attend Summer League team in Las Vegas to evaluate the team's prospects.
Nellie repeatedly says he "knows nothing" when it comes to his future with Golden State's new owners. It's probably best to keep it that way. Riley is Nellie's best ally if a case is made for a less complicated coaching transition to take place after the season.
Riley's voice has been heard for a while now. No reason that shouldn't continue.
Turkoglu helps Turkey rally past France
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Turkey used a 21-4 run spanning the second and third quarters on Sunday to eliminate France from the basketball world championship with a 95-77 win.
Phoenix Suns forward Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points and Sinan Guler added 17 for Turkey, which played its first tournament game in the new Sinan Erdem Dome. A nearly capacity crowd of 15,000 -- including 22 members of Turkey's national football squad sitting courtside -- watched the home team make shoot 35 of 55 from the field in the round of 16 game.
Turkey's reward is to play Slovenia on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.
"Everybody knows the fans in Turkey are loud," France's Boris Diaw said. The red-clad masses didn't disappoint in this one, constantly cheering their team from before the tipoff through Guler's layup at about three minutes left in the first half to put Turkey up 32-24.
Turkoglu, who more than doubled his points-per-game average from Turkey's five preliminary round wins, then sparked the decisive run as he flashed the same point forward skills that helped propel his former NBA team, the Orlando Magic, into the 2009 NBA Finals.
He drove past Diaw and whipped a pass over Ali Traore to a diving Oguz Savas for a layup. Savas was fouled on the shot and made the free throw. On Turkey's next possession, Turkoglu drove around France's defense again, this time for a layup of his own.
"We did make mistakes, especially on defense. We missed our defensive rotations two or three times and gave them easy layups," French coach Vincent Collet said.
The Turks took a 43-28 into halftime, then scored ten straight points - including back-to-back Turkoglu threes - to open up the second half.
"At this time it was almost over," Collet said.
About the only bad news for the Turks came with 5:13 left in the third, when guard Kerem Tunceri apparently hurt his right foot in a collsion with Nando de Colo and limped off the court with help from teammates.
By the end of the third quarter, the game had taken on more the feeling of a fiesta than competition. The Turkish players slapped hands, chest bumped and smiled as they went to the bench for the break, and the crowd chanted and did the wave. Not even two consecutive Batum dunks to close the gap to 71-49 early in the fourth quarter stopped their singing.
Turkey made nine of 19 three-pointers, while France made 12 of 24, but scored ten fewer field goals.
Diaw, who plays for the Charlotte Bobcats, scored 21 points. De Colo added 15 for France, which had started strong in the preliminary round with three straight wins but fell to its group's fourth-seeded spot after losing its last two games. Collett said he wished France could have played other teams from Turkey's preliminary round group.
"It would have been better to play Russia or Greece, but not Turkey this year. Not this Turkey especially," Collett said.
Slovenia trounces Australia 87-58 at Worlds
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Jaka Lokovic scored 19 points and Slovenia hit 16 of 33 3-pointers to eliminate Australia 87-58 Sunday in the round of 16 at the World Championship.
Lokovic's corner 3-pointer in the game's opening seconds sparked a 12-0 run and Slovenia never looked back. Primoz Brezec of the Milwaukee Bucks had 12 points and Goran Dragic added 10 points and eight assists for Slovenia.
Slovenia's guards cut into Australia's interior defense all game for easy looks or passes to wide-open perimeter shooters.
``We did a poor job of getting to their 3-point shooters,'' Australian coach Brett Brown said. ``We pride ourselves for playing hard, tough defense. We don't have great athletes, we aren't very quick.''
Australia didn't score until Joseph Ingles' layup 4 1/2 minutes into the game. Australia's 6-foot-6 Brad Newley blocked 6-10 center Gaspar Vidmar's two-handed dunk from behind as time ran out in the first quarter with Slovenia leading 16-8.
``We chased the whole game, defensively, offensively from start to finish,'' Brown said.
Lakovic led Slovenia with 11 points in the first half as Slovenia hit 8 of 17 3s.
``Our tactic was to shoot a lot from 3-point because the Australia defense was playing very tight'' inside, Slovenian coach Mehmed Becirovic said.
The Australians, meanwhile, couldn't get on track. When Patrick Mills of the Portland Trail Blazers threw up an airball with seconds left in the half it was the seventh miss of seven 3-point attempts for the Boomers in the half. Australia made only 18 of 58 from the field for the game.
Ingles and Mills had 13 apiece for Australia.
Slovenia made 5 of 8 three-pointers in the third quarter to build a 71-45 lead. Lakovic and guards Sani Becirovic and Dragic continued to carve into the Australia's defense. Slovenia finished with 18 assists to five for Australia.
``There's not much to say when you look at these stat sheets,'' Australia forward Matthew Nielson said.
Navarro scores 22 as Spain eliminates Greece
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Juan Carlos Navarro scored 22 points for Spain in an 80-72 victory that eliminated Greece from the basketball World Championships on Saturday.
The Spaniards made 8 of 18 3-pointers and used a 13-3 run in the fourth quarter to push ahead during the game in the round of 16.
Greece closed within 72-68 on Vasileios Spanoulis' layup with 1:01 left in the game, but Ricky Rubio answered with two free throws.
Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trailblazers scored 14 for Spain.
Dimitrios Dimantidis and Nikolaos Zisis each had 16 points for the Greeks, which has lost to Spain seven straight times. Sofoklis Schortsanitis added 13 points.
Game comes down to free throws as Serbia nips Croatia
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Oklahoma City Thunder center Nenad Krstic had 16 points and Aleksander Rasic scored five points in the last 21 seconds to help Serbia edge Croatia 73-72 in the round of 16 at the basketball world championship Saturday.
Croatian guard Marko Popovic made two free throws with 5 seconds left to tie the game at 72, but Rasic was fouled by Davor Kus as he attempted a shot with 1 second left.
Rasic made a free throw and Croatia was eliminated when Popovic's full-court shot fell short as time expired.
"The game was very, very tough this night,'' Serbia coach Dusan Ivkovic said. "It was necessary to play 40 minutes just to beat a very good team like Croatia.''
Rasic finished with 15 points for Serbia. Popovic led Croatia with 21 points, and Roko-Leni Ukic and Marko Banic 10 apiece.
"I'm not satisfied that we have made just the round of eight,'' Ivkovic added.
Croatia was 5 of 24 on 3-point attempts, while Serbia hit 5 of 15.
Serbia made eight of its first eleven field goals in the first major international basketball game between the Balkan neighbors who fought a war in the early 1990s. But Croatia outrebounded Serbia 10-2 and took a 27-19 lead going into the second quarter.
Serbia narrowed the gap to 34-36 at halftime, and in the third quarter the teams traded the lead eleven times.
Serbia took a 65-57 advantage with three minutes left in the game, but Popovic had seven points down the stretch to lead Croatia back.
After Popovic missed his last attempt, he slid into the opposing bench, and laid still, face down, as the Serbs celebrated. Serbian coaches helped him stand.
"You can't be happy when you lose like this,'' Croatia coach Josip Vrankovic said. "It's a really hard game, but what can we do?''
Bucks sign second-round draft pick Hobson
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks have signed second-round draft pick Darington Hobson.
The 6-foot-7, 210-pound junior was taken 37th overall out of New Mexico in this year's draft.
Terms were not disclosed when the signing was announced Friday.
Hobson averaged 16.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists over three college seasons, the first two at Eastern Utah. Last season at New Mexico, Hobson averaged career-highs in rebounds (9.3) and assists (4.6) while scoring 15.9 points and shooting a career-best 36.1 percent from 3-point range (39-108).
Hobson was the Mountain West Conference's Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year. He was also named a Third Team All-American by The Associated Press.
Hawks beef up frontline, add veteran center Thomas
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent center Etan Thomas to add bulk in the frontcourt.
The 6-foot-10 Thomas spent most of his career with the Washington Wizards but finished last season with Oklahoma City. He's averaged 5.8 point and 4.8 rebounds per game over his eight-year career, which includes 74 starts.
Hawks coach Larry Drew says Thomas will add veteran leadership and physical toughness.
Terms of the contract were not released.
Penney scores 25 to guide New Zealand into next round
IZMIR, Turkey (AP) -- Kirk Penney scored 25 points to help New Zealand surge into the knockout round of the basketball world championships with an 82-70 win over France on Thursday.
New Zealand has won three straight games after losing its first two to clinch third place in Group D. They will face Russia on Monday.
Mika Vukona finnished with 15 points for New Zealand, which built a 39-25 halftime lead by hitting 8 of 17 3-point attempts.
Yannick Bokolo had 13 points and Nando de Colo added 10 for France, which finished fourth after losing its last two games and will face Turkey on Sunday.
Germany breezes past Jordan in final FIBA game for both
KAYSERI, Turkey (AP) -- Tibor Pleiss scored 23 points to give Germany a 91-73 win over Jordan on Thursday in a match between two eliminated teams at the basketball world championship.
Lucca Staiger had 16 points and Jan Jagla 14 for Germany (2-3), which finished fifth in Group A.
Osama Daghles had 22 points for Jordan (0-5).
Varejao key as Brazil clinches third place in Group B
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Marcelo Machado scored 18 points, Anderson Varejao grabbed 12 rebounds in his longest stint at the world championship, and Brazil clinched third place in Group B with a 92-74 victory over Croatia on Thursday.
Brazil (3-2) bounced back from a pair of narrow losses to earn a meeting with South American rival Argentina on Tuesday. Brazil coach Ruben Magnano guided the Argentines to the 2004 Olympic gold medal.
Leandro Barbosa added 17 points and Alex Garcia 15 for the Brazilians, who had lost by two the United States and by three to Slovenia in their last two outings. They took control by hitting 7-of-10 shots in the second quarter, ensuring they wouldn't have another one go to the wire.
Varejao, who missed the first three games while recovering from a sprained right ankle, started and played 24 minutes Thursday, providing the usual energy on the backboards that he gives the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Marko Popovic scored 15 points for Croatia (2-3), which will play Group A champion Serbia on Saturday.
Turkey stays undefeated, wallops China by 47 points
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Oguz Savas scored 20 points as Turkey beat China 87-40 on Thursday in its final group game at the world championship.
Turkey, which had already won Group C, had a 20-0 scoring run to lead 39-13 at the break. Omer Asik's slam dunk gave Turkey a 41-point lead in the final seconds of the third quarter. Semih Erden widened the gap to 47 points with 50 seconds to go in the game.
Turkey (5-0) plays fourth-place New Zealand of Group D in the knockout stage in Istanbul.
China (1-4) reached the next round in Istanbul on points differential ahead of Ivory Coast and Puerto Rico. Russia (4-1) finished second and Greece (3-2) third.
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