Dirk Nowitzki got a hero’s welcome in Germany Saturday when the Dallas Mavericks took on European club Alba Berlin. The preseason game, part of the NBA Europe Live tour, was the backdrop for Nowitzki’s big homecoming, which included several appearances and press conferences in his native country. The Mavericks won in a sloppily played 89-84 … [Read more…]
The Boston Celtics’ world tour hit an early snag when Gang Green lost its preseason opener, 97-91, to Turkish pro team Fenerbahce Ulker. Fenerbahce Ulker, one of Europe’s top club teams, scored 23 points off 25 Boston turnovers and held the Celtics to 18 points in the second quarter. Bo McCalebb, regarded as one of … [Read more…]
The U.S.-Spain titanic showdown in the gold-medal game lived up to all the hype. The game hung in the balance until the final quarter when Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James made crucial baskets to give the U.S. enough separation from a very game Spanish squad led by Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, … [Read more…]
It wasn’t suppose to end this way for CSKA Moscow, a team that boasts NBA starters Andrei Kirilenko and Nenad Krstic and European star Milos Teodosic and could compete in the NBA. CSKA led for most of Sunday’s Euroleague Final in Istanbul, Turkey. But one dramatic comeback by Olympiakos Piraeus foiled CSKA’s championship aspirations. Trailing … [Read more…]
Prince is without a doubt Minnesota’s favorite son. But Ricky Rubio is fast becoming Minnesota’s favorite adopted son. Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love – now in his fourth year in the NBA – says there is an electric atmosphere around the Target Center this season. Minnesota, which had been in the dark ages the past … [Read more…]
If not for the NBA lockout, Andrei Kirilenko would be in the United States preparing for his 11th season with the Utah Jazz. But with the NBA calendar wiped out through the month of November and labor negotiations continue to drag on, Kirilenko and other pros have made the trek to Europe to regain their … [Read more…]
Deron Williams, the most recognizable NBA player playing overseas during this ridiculous lockout, scored 11 points and had five assists in a recent Turkish league game. Playing for Besiktas, the New Jersey Nets point guard was just 2-for-10 from the field in 23 minutes in a 107-69 victory over Bandirma Kirmizi, one of the least-talented … [Read more…]
Kobe Bryant recently said it would be a dream to play in Italy. Well, that dream could soon become reality as Virtus Bologna says it has reached a verbal agreement with the 33-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar that would pay him $3 million to play 10 games in 40 days in the Italian League. Assuming … [Read more…]
The final game of the 2011 European Championship turned into a huge block party for Serge Ibaka. In his first major international competition wearing the colors of the Spanish national team, the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder forward had half of Spain’s 10 blocked shots against France and helped Espana capture the EuroBasket title in Lithuania. … [Read more…]
Pau Gasol took the brunt of the criticism during the 2011 NBA playoffs when the Lakers were swept out of the second round by eventual champion Dallas. Gasol didn’t play his best during the series, and at one point he appeared so out of it that Lakers coach Phil Jackson was seen chastising his star … [Read more…]