Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wolves hope Rubio can help fans forget recent Draft flubs
Posted Jun 21 2011 7:53AM
Ricky Rubio is coming. Ricky Rubio is coming! RICKY RUBIO IS COMING!!
Actually, Rubio -- the charismatic, scrawny, mop-haired point guard from Spain -- might already be here by the time you read this. He was scheduled to land in the Twin Cities from Barcelona early Monday afternoon, with photographers and reporters tipped off to his exact arrival coordinates for some excited "Beatles hit America" coverage. Only this time, Ricky is the cute one, the smart one, the serious one and the funny one, all rolled into one intriguing, unproven point-guard package.
With Rubio officially signing his Timberwolves rookie contract last week -- two years after the team selected him at No. 5 in the 2009 NBA Draft -- a case can be made that Minnesota's 2011 Draft already is a huge success. The tease of having Rubio in Spain rather than in Minneapolis -- playing but apparently developing little for Regal FC Barcelona, while occasionally dropping what seemed like hints that he never would go through a Minnesota winter -- was a source of frustration for the Wolves.
It was a taunt to their fans, too, the latest in a line of Draft and personnel disasters stretching back to the franchise's roots, across three or four front-office administrations, right into current basketball boss David Kahn's regime. The timeline truly is too long and cluttered to recite here; suffice it to say that "Timberwolves Draft" has become a shorthanded punch line in Minnesota, no set-up of the joke necessary. Sort of like saying "Governor Ventura."
That explained some of the giddiness over Rubio's signing and, presumably, commitment to the Wolves for several years. He was, after all, a top prospect coming off his performance for Spain's national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He drew comparisons to late NBA great "Pistol" Pete Maravich, not for his shooting or scoring but for his court vision, his passing, his pace and, of course, his look.
Rubio, though, dropped into Minnesota's lap on Draft night two years ago when Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden and Tyreke Evans all nudged ahead of him in the second, third and fourth slots. Thus the Wolves, already high on Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and holding both the fifth and sixth picks, almost impulsively grabbed two point guards. One (Rubio) on potential and buzz, the other (Flynn) on track record and immediacy.
It has not gone well. While Rubio stayed in Spain, Flynn struggled in his first year in fellow rookie coach Kurt Rambis' triangle-influenced offense. He underwent hip surgery that cut into last season and basically became an affable backup to veteran Luke Ridnour. Minnesota, meanwhile, is a jaw-dropping 100 games below .500 -- 32-132 -- since that night.
What do they have to show for it? Besides drooping attendance and creeping apathy from NBA fans in the market, that is? Well, the Wolves have power forward Kevin Love as the league's most relentless rebounding machine, with an All-Star game and personality. They have some enigmatic frontcourt talents (Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph) and a stake in current Darko Milicic wisecracks. They have dysfunction at the top, with Kahn and the job-imperiled Rambis basically locked in a staredown until they broke down last week for some conversation.
The Wolves have a handful of role players who would be two, three or four spots down in a good team's rotation (maybe off the roster entirely). They have Wesley Johnson, a smooth forward picked at No. 4 in last year's Draft, who averaged 9.0 points (sixth among rookies) while shooting 39.7 percent. And they have the No. 2 pick in this year's Draft, the highest in Timberwolves history and another chance to inject needless drama into the night's proceedings in Newark.
Minnesota, which also holds the No. 20 pick in the first round, basically has these options:
-- Draft Arizona forward Derrick Williams.
Assuming Cleveland makes good on its interest in Duke point guard Kyrie Irving at No. 1, Williams ought to be an easy pick for Minnesota. Puh-leeze, no protests that Beasley, Randolph and Milicic already are locked in as the frontcourt guys next to Love. That bunch, remember, got Minnesota a whole 17 victories. If Kahn is as smart as he likes for us to think he is, he isn't really staking his reputation on those castoffs, right? And if the Wolves want the player most likely to be NBA Rookie of the Year for 2012, they take and keep Williams. At least assistant general manager Tony Ronzone said the right things the other day, including, "The bottom line is, where we're at, you take the best player available. You can't pass up on guys and get creative and try to get another guy."
-- Draft someone else.
Turkish big man Enes Kanter has been the hot IPO stock leading up to this Draft, but seems to be more of a gamble than Williams. The Wolves are a franchise at this point that really cannot afford to gamble. Kanter would butt up against the same alleged logjam up front as Williams, while being more of a project. There always is the chance that the Cavaliers will pick Williams (Cleveland was the only other team for which Williams worked out). That would trigger instant hilarity in Newark Thursday -- and very little at Target Center -- over the prospects of Minnesota drafting yet another point guard (Irving). At which point, frankly, it should. The Wolves can sort out things later.
-- Trade the pick.
According to chatter in Minnesota, the Wolves have been dangling the No. 2 pick in hopes of landing a proven player such as Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who would be a nifty Spanish buddy for Rubio. Or they could swap it for a player and a pick later in the lottery, with Toronto (No. 5 and DeMar DeRozan) and Washington (No. 6 and JaVale McGee) floating among the rumors. Several weeks ago, Cleveland's No. 4 and Detroit's No. 8 were said to be in play with this pick in a three-way deal that had Richard Hamilton allegedly relocating.
The Wolves and NBA fans in the market, whether they admit it or not, flinch over the Draft. It is a half-empty proposition for them, focused on what might go wrong rather than what might go right. That's why the signing of Rubio looms so large.
It would be nice if he became Minnesota's best Draft pick since Kevin Garnett at No. 5 in 1995. But for now, Rubio is signed, he brings a certain pre-fab celebrity and his exotic roots will keep folks a little distracted, while frequent reminders about Rubio's tough transition from Euroleague to NBA ball will buy Kahn and company even more time.
The Wolves might or might not take the right player at No. 2 (and No. 20, for that matter). They might parlay the pick into a package that fills significant roster holes. They might pass on or trade away the surest thing in the 2011 Draft.
But Ricky Rubio is coming. Ricky Rubio is here!
Refrence:http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/06/20/rubio-twolves/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1
Ricky Rubio is coming. Ricky Rubio is coming! RICKY RUBIO IS COMING!!
Actually, Rubio -- the charismatic, scrawny, mop-haired point guard from Spain -- might already be here by the time you read this. He was scheduled to land in the Twin Cities from Barcelona early Monday afternoon, with photographers and reporters tipped off to his exact arrival coordinates for some excited "Beatles hit America" coverage. Only this time, Ricky is the cute one, the smart one, the serious one and the funny one, all rolled into one intriguing, unproven point-guard package.
With Rubio officially signing his Timberwolves rookie contract last week -- two years after the team selected him at No. 5 in the 2009 NBA Draft -- a case can be made that Minnesota's 2011 Draft already is a huge success. The tease of having Rubio in Spain rather than in Minneapolis -- playing but apparently developing little for Regal FC Barcelona, while occasionally dropping what seemed like hints that he never would go through a Minnesota winter -- was a source of frustration for the Wolves.
It was a taunt to their fans, too, the latest in a line of Draft and personnel disasters stretching back to the franchise's roots, across three or four front-office administrations, right into current basketball boss David Kahn's regime. The timeline truly is too long and cluttered to recite here; suffice it to say that "Timberwolves Draft" has become a shorthanded punch line in Minnesota, no set-up of the joke necessary. Sort of like saying "Governor Ventura."
That explained some of the giddiness over Rubio's signing and, presumably, commitment to the Wolves for several years. He was, after all, a top prospect coming off his performance for Spain's national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He drew comparisons to late NBA great "Pistol" Pete Maravich, not for his shooting or scoring but for his court vision, his passing, his pace and, of course, his look.
Rubio, though, dropped into Minnesota's lap on Draft night two years ago when Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden and Tyreke Evans all nudged ahead of him in the second, third and fourth slots. Thus the Wolves, already high on Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and holding both the fifth and sixth picks, almost impulsively grabbed two point guards. One (Rubio) on potential and buzz, the other (Flynn) on track record and immediacy.
It has not gone well. While Rubio stayed in Spain, Flynn struggled in his first year in fellow rookie coach Kurt Rambis' triangle-influenced offense. He underwent hip surgery that cut into last season and basically became an affable backup to veteran Luke Ridnour. Minnesota, meanwhile, is a jaw-dropping 100 games below .500 -- 32-132 -- since that night.
What do they have to show for it? Besides drooping attendance and creeping apathy from NBA fans in the market, that is? Well, the Wolves have power forward Kevin Love as the league's most relentless rebounding machine, with an All-Star game and personality. They have some enigmatic frontcourt talents (Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph) and a stake in current Darko Milicic wisecracks. They have dysfunction at the top, with Kahn and the job-imperiled Rambis basically locked in a staredown until they broke down last week for some conversation.
The Wolves have a handful of role players who would be two, three or four spots down in a good team's rotation (maybe off the roster entirely). They have Wesley Johnson, a smooth forward picked at No. 4 in last year's Draft, who averaged 9.0 points (sixth among rookies) while shooting 39.7 percent. And they have the No. 2 pick in this year's Draft, the highest in Timberwolves history and another chance to inject needless drama into the night's proceedings in Newark.
Minnesota, which also holds the No. 20 pick in the first round, basically has these options:
-- Draft Arizona forward Derrick Williams.
Assuming Cleveland makes good on its interest in Duke point guard Kyrie Irving at No. 1, Williams ought to be an easy pick for Minnesota. Puh-leeze, no protests that Beasley, Randolph and Milicic already are locked in as the frontcourt guys next to Love. That bunch, remember, got Minnesota a whole 17 victories. If Kahn is as smart as he likes for us to think he is, he isn't really staking his reputation on those castoffs, right? And if the Wolves want the player most likely to be NBA Rookie of the Year for 2012, they take and keep Williams. At least assistant general manager Tony Ronzone said the right things the other day, including, "The bottom line is, where we're at, you take the best player available. You can't pass up on guys and get creative and try to get another guy."
-- Draft someone else.
Turkish big man Enes Kanter has been the hot IPO stock leading up to this Draft, but seems to be more of a gamble than Williams. The Wolves are a franchise at this point that really cannot afford to gamble. Kanter would butt up against the same alleged logjam up front as Williams, while being more of a project. There always is the chance that the Cavaliers will pick Williams (Cleveland was the only other team for which Williams worked out). That would trigger instant hilarity in Newark Thursday -- and very little at Target Center -- over the prospects of Minnesota drafting yet another point guard (Irving). At which point, frankly, it should. The Wolves can sort out things later.
-- Trade the pick.
According to chatter in Minnesota, the Wolves have been dangling the No. 2 pick in hopes of landing a proven player such as Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who would be a nifty Spanish buddy for Rubio. Or they could swap it for a player and a pick later in the lottery, with Toronto (No. 5 and DeMar DeRozan) and Washington (No. 6 and JaVale McGee) floating among the rumors. Several weeks ago, Cleveland's No. 4 and Detroit's No. 8 were said to be in play with this pick in a three-way deal that had Richard Hamilton allegedly relocating.
The Wolves and NBA fans in the market, whether they admit it or not, flinch over the Draft. It is a half-empty proposition for them, focused on what might go wrong rather than what might go right. That's why the signing of Rubio looms so large.
It would be nice if he became Minnesota's best Draft pick since Kevin Garnett at No. 5 in 1995. But for now, Rubio is signed, he brings a certain pre-fab celebrity and his exotic roots will keep folks a little distracted, while frequent reminders about Rubio's tough transition from Euroleague to NBA ball will buy Kahn and company even more time.
The Wolves might or might not take the right player at No. 2 (and No. 20, for that matter). They might parlay the pick into a package that fills significant roster holes. They might pass on or trade away the surest thing in the 2011 Draft.
But Ricky Rubio is coming. Ricky Rubio is here!
Refrence:http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/06/20/rubio-twolves/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thousands pack downtown Dallas for Mavs' title parade
Posted Jun 16 2011 9:31AM - Updated Jun 16 2011 6:41PM
DALLAS (AP) -- The face of the Dallas Mavericks laughed, sang and even seemed to tear up.
For Dirk Nowitzki, the only thing that could come close to being an NBA champion for the first time was celebrating it with the fans in his adopted hometown of Dallas.
An expected crowd of 250,000 crammed downtown Thursday morning for a parade in the team's honor, with another 20,000 or so filling the arena for a rally filled with emotional moments.
After waiting 31 years for the franchise to be atop the NBA, fans honored it in a way that many said was worth the wait.
Nowitzki was the unquestioned star of the show, drawing the loudest cheers from start to finish - usually chants of "M! V! P!" There were German flags in the crowd, a sign calling him "Der Kaiser" and cut-out letters that spelled "Thank you Dirk."
After the parade and before the rally, Nowitzki and his teammates went to the balcony of the arena and spoke briefly to the crowd. Nowitzki capped it by leading a rousing rendition of their new favorite song, "We Are The Champions."
More singing came during the rally, when team owner Mark Cuban serenaded Nowitzki with "Happy Birthday"; he turns 33 on Sunday. Nowitzki got into it, too, pretending to conduct.
But this day had two other emotional crescendos for Nowitzki.
The first came when coach Rick Carlisle said, "You're looking at the best basketball team on the planet. It's also very clear we have in our presence the greatest basketball player on the planet." The overhead jumbo board showed a close-up shot of Nowitzki wiping his eyes.
When it was Nowitzki's turn to speak, his teammates and Cuban were among those standing and chanting "MVP." Nowitzki bit his bottom lip and looked down. He was too overcome with emotion to answer the first question from co-emcee Chuck Cooperstein.
"It's been an amazing ride, an amazing journey," Nowitzki said. "It's been a lot of ups and a lot of downs. This is the top of the iceberg. It feels absolutely amazing."
He relived his journey from a 19-year-old draftee with a bowl cut and a bad earring - "just a bad look," he said with a smile - to the greatest player in team history, a former league MVP and the newly minted finals MVP.
"I didn't really know what to expect," he said of his early days in Dallas. "It's been an amazing ride and you guys have been with me every step of the way. This is for our fans!"
Another highly charged moment came when it was Cuban's turn to speak.
He couldn't.
The rambunctious billionaire determined to do things his way seemed awed by the moment, surely thinking about his own journey from a fan who used to buy scalped tickets to buying the club in January 2000.
When Cooperstein joked about this being "a long way from Reunion Arena," Cuban just shook his head, lips pinched.
In came Carlisle to the rescue.
He grabbed the microphone and discussed something he said to the players a few days before, about the difference between success and fulfillment.
"Mark has had obvious success," Carlisle said. "The thing you have to understand is, to him, it doesn't matter the cost, it's to be able to bring this moment to you. So, thanks."
They hugged as fans stood and cheered. There were chants of "Thank you Mark," and Cuban wiped his eyes several times. Once he felt composed, the guy who loves being the center of attention motioned for quiet.
He had a story to tell.
"The day I bought the team, but it had not yet been announced, I went out with some friends to have an adult beverage," Cuban said. "I go into this bar and I see this tall, German, goofy-looking guy - with his bowl cut, earring - and I know I'm going to be his boss the very next day. He has no idea.
"So I walk up to him and say, 'Yo. Let me buy you a beer.' He just looks at me, shakes his head and walks away.
"The next day, we're at (the practice facility). I'm supposed to get introduced to the team. I walk in the door and I walk up and I just look at him and he just shakes his head. That's pretty much been our relationship for 13 years."
The video board cut to Nowitzki several times during the anecdote and he couldn't stop smiling and laughing.
There were all sorts of funny moments during the rally.
Brian Cardinal, a backup nicknamed "The Custodian," came on the stage with a broom and dustpan. With a stogie in his mouth, he tidied up a bit, then waved his arms to loud applause. He cupped a hand to his ears, asking for them to be louder, then went back into the tunnel.
Jason Kidd was the first player to speak and he talked about it being "a dream came true when I was drafted by the Mavericks in 1994."
"I just didn't know it was going to take 17 years to win a championship," he said. "We've got one championship, now we need to go and get another championship."
Tyson Chandler upped expectations.
"I hear they do things big in Dallas," he said. "So if we do it big, it can't be just one." He held up a hand and started flipping up fingers and counting, "One, two, three, four, five."
Jason Terry wore dark glasses and a Mardi Gras-style blue necklace. He did his traditional flying airplane motion to wild cheers, then flexed his right biceps to show off the tattoo of the trophy he added in October and vowed to scrub if they didn't win it all.
Terry and Nowitzki are the only holdovers from the Mavericks' only other finals team - in 2006, when they blew a 2-0 lead against Miami. So this title is especially sweet for them.
"Not only the way we did it, who we did it against," Terry said before the rally. "We'll never forget it. We'll never forget '05-06 and we sure as heck won't forget 2011."
Fans filled the downtown streets starting early Thursday, despite temperatures approaching 90 degrees by noon. The plaza around the arena was filled to its 3,000-person capacity about two hours before the parade even began.
Franchise founder Donald Carter and his wife, Linda, for whom he started the club as gift, were in the lead vehicle, a white convertible.
"Fantastic," Carter said.
At the end of the parade, those who rode along said they were overwhelmed by the turnout - people as far as they could see.
"I'm numb," said Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations.
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/16/mavs-championship-parade.ap/index.html
DALLAS (AP) -- The face of the Dallas Mavericks laughed, sang and even seemed to tear up.
For Dirk Nowitzki, the only thing that could come close to being an NBA champion for the first time was celebrating it with the fans in his adopted hometown of Dallas.
An expected crowd of 250,000 crammed downtown Thursday morning for a parade in the team's honor, with another 20,000 or so filling the arena for a rally filled with emotional moments.
After waiting 31 years for the franchise to be atop the NBA, fans honored it in a way that many said was worth the wait.
Nowitzki was the unquestioned star of the show, drawing the loudest cheers from start to finish - usually chants of "M! V! P!" There were German flags in the crowd, a sign calling him "Der Kaiser" and cut-out letters that spelled "Thank you Dirk."
After the parade and before the rally, Nowitzki and his teammates went to the balcony of the arena and spoke briefly to the crowd. Nowitzki capped it by leading a rousing rendition of their new favorite song, "We Are The Champions."
More singing came during the rally, when team owner Mark Cuban serenaded Nowitzki with "Happy Birthday"; he turns 33 on Sunday. Nowitzki got into it, too, pretending to conduct.
But this day had two other emotional crescendos for Nowitzki.
The first came when coach Rick Carlisle said, "You're looking at the best basketball team on the planet. It's also very clear we have in our presence the greatest basketball player on the planet." The overhead jumbo board showed a close-up shot of Nowitzki wiping his eyes.
When it was Nowitzki's turn to speak, his teammates and Cuban were among those standing and chanting "MVP." Nowitzki bit his bottom lip and looked down. He was too overcome with emotion to answer the first question from co-emcee Chuck Cooperstein.
"It's been an amazing ride, an amazing journey," Nowitzki said. "It's been a lot of ups and a lot of downs. This is the top of the iceberg. It feels absolutely amazing."
He relived his journey from a 19-year-old draftee with a bowl cut and a bad earring - "just a bad look," he said with a smile - to the greatest player in team history, a former league MVP and the newly minted finals MVP.
"I didn't really know what to expect," he said of his early days in Dallas. "It's been an amazing ride and you guys have been with me every step of the way. This is for our fans!"
Another highly charged moment came when it was Cuban's turn to speak.
He couldn't.
The rambunctious billionaire determined to do things his way seemed awed by the moment, surely thinking about his own journey from a fan who used to buy scalped tickets to buying the club in January 2000.
When Cooperstein joked about this being "a long way from Reunion Arena," Cuban just shook his head, lips pinched.
In came Carlisle to the rescue.
He grabbed the microphone and discussed something he said to the players a few days before, about the difference between success and fulfillment.
"Mark has had obvious success," Carlisle said. "The thing you have to understand is, to him, it doesn't matter the cost, it's to be able to bring this moment to you. So, thanks."
They hugged as fans stood and cheered. There were chants of "Thank you Mark," and Cuban wiped his eyes several times. Once he felt composed, the guy who loves being the center of attention motioned for quiet.
He had a story to tell.
"The day I bought the team, but it had not yet been announced, I went out with some friends to have an adult beverage," Cuban said. "I go into this bar and I see this tall, German, goofy-looking guy - with his bowl cut, earring - and I know I'm going to be his boss the very next day. He has no idea.
"So I walk up to him and say, 'Yo. Let me buy you a beer.' He just looks at me, shakes his head and walks away.
"The next day, we're at (the practice facility). I'm supposed to get introduced to the team. I walk in the door and I walk up and I just look at him and he just shakes his head. That's pretty much been our relationship for 13 years."
The video board cut to Nowitzki several times during the anecdote and he couldn't stop smiling and laughing.
There were all sorts of funny moments during the rally.
Brian Cardinal, a backup nicknamed "The Custodian," came on the stage with a broom and dustpan. With a stogie in his mouth, he tidied up a bit, then waved his arms to loud applause. He cupped a hand to his ears, asking for them to be louder, then went back into the tunnel.
Jason Kidd was the first player to speak and he talked about it being "a dream came true when I was drafted by the Mavericks in 1994."
"I just didn't know it was going to take 17 years to win a championship," he said. "We've got one championship, now we need to go and get another championship."
Tyson Chandler upped expectations.
"I hear they do things big in Dallas," he said. "So if we do it big, it can't be just one." He held up a hand and started flipping up fingers and counting, "One, two, three, four, five."
Jason Terry wore dark glasses and a Mardi Gras-style blue necklace. He did his traditional flying airplane motion to wild cheers, then flexed his right biceps to show off the tattoo of the trophy he added in October and vowed to scrub if they didn't win it all.
Terry and Nowitzki are the only holdovers from the Mavericks' only other finals team - in 2006, when they blew a 2-0 lead against Miami. So this title is especially sweet for them.
"Not only the way we did it, who we did it against," Terry said before the rally. "We'll never forget it. We'll never forget '05-06 and we sure as heck won't forget 2011."
Fans filled the downtown streets starting early Thursday, despite temperatures approaching 90 degrees by noon. The plaza around the arena was filled to its 3,000-person capacity about two hours before the parade even began.
Franchise founder Donald Carter and his wife, Linda, for whom he started the club as gift, were in the lead vehicle, a white convertible.
"Fantastic," Carter said.
At the end of the parade, those who rode along said they were overwhelmed by the turnout - people as far as they could see.
"I'm numb," said Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations.
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/16/mavs-championship-parade.ap/index.html
Wolves Set Up To Howl Once Again?
HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – If you put your ear against the wall outside the Target Center, you can still hear the calliope music coming from inside. The Timberwolves’ merry-go-round continues.
Ricky Rubio is coming and Kurt Rambis might be going and that means the latest redevelopment project in downtown Minneapolis is back on track, assuming that general manager David Kahn doesn’t take another point guard in the Draft.
But seriously, after two years of running in a knee-deep snow with back-to-back records of 15-67 and 17-65, is it possible that Kahn’s vision for the Wolves comes from some place other than acute hypothermia?
First there is the arrival of Rubio, the Spanish phenom with the Pete Maravich haircut and flair and the Justin Bieber following, who is officially ready to join the Wolves after being the No. 5 pick in the 2009 Draft.
“It is my dream and I want to fulfill it,” he said.” After thinking about it a lot, the time has arrived.
“I am going because I feel prepared. I want to play against the best players in the world.’
“It will mean a change of mentality. Perhaps we won’t be fighting for the title, but we will have other goals. I am willing to do whatever the team needs to win as many games as possible.”
Then there is the possible departure of Rambis, whose has failed so far in his efforts to bring the magic of the triangle offense and anything resembling a competitive instinct to Minnesota. Rambis’ long-awaited meeting with Kahn and team owner Glen Taylor is imminent, and we could know where he stands — or doesn’t — as early as Friday.
That will then turn the Wolves’ attention to Thursday’s Draft, where they have the No. 2 and 20 picks. The team worked out 6-foot-11 Turkish center Enes Kanter on Thursday and assistant GM Tony Ronzone says he’s an option.
Most observers believe that when push comes to shove, Minnesota will select Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the second pick, setting up another logjam scenario on a roster that already includes versatile forwards Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Wesley Johnson.
Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says such a scenario could have Kahn wheeling and dealing once more on Draft night:
That situation will have the Wolves fielding offers for that No. 2 pick right up until draft night if they can get a veteran such as Lakers forward Pau Gasol or a more experienced young player such as Washington’s JaVale McGee or Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan in exchange for swapping picks with another lottery team.
On Thursday, Ronzone said that he was “happy” with that second pick, indicating the team is prepared to stay where it is now and take Williams if he indeed is there.
“You just can’t pass up on guys and get creative and try to get another guy,” Ronzone said. “He’s a talent. He can play. You look at what he did this year at Arizona and his upside. He just started to play a few years ago, and every year he just keeps getting better and better. That’s what I like about him.”
If Minnesota chooses to keep the No. 2 pick and takes Williams, it also opens the door down the line to move Beasley to shore them up at other positions.
The Wolves already have double-double machine All-Star Kevin Love at power forward and now the exciting, if young, Rubio jumping on board.
Of course, some might argue that all would have been much simpler if Minnesota had simply taken better advantage of those four first-round draft picks in 2009 and chosen four players who could have impacted the starting lineup and the standings over the past couple of seasons.
True … but where’s the fun in that? Kahn’s Byzantine maneuvering might have been more difficult to follow than a Stephen Hawking lecture, but it’s got the Wolves finally ready to howl at a bright future.
Reference: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/17/wolves-set-up-to-howl-once-again/
Ricky Rubio is coming and Kurt Rambis might be going and that means the latest redevelopment project in downtown Minneapolis is back on track, assuming that general manager David Kahn doesn’t take another point guard in the Draft.
But seriously, after two years of running in a knee-deep snow with back-to-back records of 15-67 and 17-65, is it possible that Kahn’s vision for the Wolves comes from some place other than acute hypothermia?
First there is the arrival of Rubio, the Spanish phenom with the Pete Maravich haircut and flair and the Justin Bieber following, who is officially ready to join the Wolves after being the No. 5 pick in the 2009 Draft.
“It is my dream and I want to fulfill it,” he said.” After thinking about it a lot, the time has arrived.
“I am going because I feel prepared. I want to play against the best players in the world.’
“It will mean a change of mentality. Perhaps we won’t be fighting for the title, but we will have other goals. I am willing to do whatever the team needs to win as many games as possible.”
Then there is the possible departure of Rambis, whose has failed so far in his efforts to bring the magic of the triangle offense and anything resembling a competitive instinct to Minnesota. Rambis’ long-awaited meeting with Kahn and team owner Glen Taylor is imminent, and we could know where he stands — or doesn’t — as early as Friday.
That will then turn the Wolves’ attention to Thursday’s Draft, where they have the No. 2 and 20 picks. The team worked out 6-foot-11 Turkish center Enes Kanter on Thursday and assistant GM Tony Ronzone says he’s an option.
Most observers believe that when push comes to shove, Minnesota will select Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the second pick, setting up another logjam scenario on a roster that already includes versatile forwards Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Wesley Johnson.
Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says such a scenario could have Kahn wheeling and dealing once more on Draft night:
That situation will have the Wolves fielding offers for that No. 2 pick right up until draft night if they can get a veteran such as Lakers forward Pau Gasol or a more experienced young player such as Washington’s JaVale McGee or Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan in exchange for swapping picks with another lottery team.
On Thursday, Ronzone said that he was “happy” with that second pick, indicating the team is prepared to stay where it is now and take Williams if he indeed is there.
“You just can’t pass up on guys and get creative and try to get another guy,” Ronzone said. “He’s a talent. He can play. You look at what he did this year at Arizona and his upside. He just started to play a few years ago, and every year he just keeps getting better and better. That’s what I like about him.”
If Minnesota chooses to keep the No. 2 pick and takes Williams, it also opens the door down the line to move Beasley to shore them up at other positions.
The Wolves already have double-double machine All-Star Kevin Love at power forward and now the exciting, if young, Rubio jumping on board.
Of course, some might argue that all would have been much simpler if Minnesota had simply taken better advantage of those four first-round draft picks in 2009 and chosen four players who could have impacted the starting lineup and the standings over the past couple of seasons.
True … but where’s the fun in that? Kahn’s Byzantine maneuvering might have been more difficult to follow than a Stephen Hawking lecture, but it’s got the Wolves finally ready to howl at a bright future.
Reference: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/17/wolves-set-up-to-howl-once-again/
Our Fab Five All-Time NBA Teams
HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – There’s nothing like a list to get everyone stirred up and there’s nothing that Hang Time likes to do more than provide the straw that does the stirring.
So first we’ll provide with what the good folks at The Sporting News – continuing their 125th anniversary celebration – are calling their Top 10 NBA teams of all time.
But that’s the easy task. We here at Hang Time will do the heavy lifting and boil that down to our Top Five, including some changes:
No. 1: 1996 Chicago Bulls – Nobody’s really going to argue with the consensus top choice, are they? Michael Jordan fresh out of retirement and at the top of his game, joined by fellow future Hall of Famers Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls set the NBA record with 72 wins and outscored opponents by an average of 12.2 per game. These Bulls knew they were going to win every time they walked onto the court and usually were right.
No. 2: 1967 Philadelphia 76ers – It was a much smaller NBA back then, a more rugged, tougher league and the toughest thing about it was that you had to go through Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics. These Sixers did it with a lineup of three members of the NBA’s 50 Greatest in Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham and a roster that also included Chet Walker, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones and Matt Guokas. They rolled to a 68-13 record, took out the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals and beat the Warriors with Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond in The Finals.
No. 3: 1986 Boston Celtics – They had five future Hall of Famers – Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Bill Walton – who played with an intelligence that matched their intensity and confidence. Walton was able to finally shake off years of foot problems to back up Parish and Walton’s passing skills seemed to take Bird to an even higher level. The Celtics rolled to an NBA record 40-1 home mark during the regular season and by the time they reached The Finals against a young and powerful Houston team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, the outcome was practically a foregone conclusion.
No. 4: 1987 Los Angeles Lakers – With all due respect to the 1972 Lakers and their record 33-game winning streak, they and the NBA never had anything like a 6-foot-9 point guard in Magic Johnson. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, this is was the season the Lakers went 65-17, won 10 of 11 playoff games in the first three rounds and had a relatively easy time beating Bird and the Celtics in The Finals 4-2. Magic’s baby sky hook won Game at Boston Garden to send them on their way and, when it was over, Pat Riley promised the Lakers would win it again the next year. And they did.
No. 5: 1965 Boston Celtics – Including coach Red Auerbach, there were eight Hall of Famers in the locker room – Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Satch Sanders, Tom Heinsohn and a rookie named John Thompson. Sam Jones averaged 25.9 points per game to lead the way. But this was a Celtics team that was all about defense with K.C. Jones at the point and Russell in the middle. Russell averaged 24.1 rebounds per game. They handled the Lakers easily in The Finals, 4-1.
Reference: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/17/our-fab-five-all-time-nba-teams/
So first we’ll provide with what the good folks at The Sporting News – continuing their 125th anniversary celebration – are calling their Top 10 NBA teams of all time.
But that’s the easy task. We here at Hang Time will do the heavy lifting and boil that down to our Top Five, including some changes:
No. 1: 1996 Chicago Bulls – Nobody’s really going to argue with the consensus top choice, are they? Michael Jordan fresh out of retirement and at the top of his game, joined by fellow future Hall of Famers Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls set the NBA record with 72 wins and outscored opponents by an average of 12.2 per game. These Bulls knew they were going to win every time they walked onto the court and usually were right.
No. 2: 1967 Philadelphia 76ers – It was a much smaller NBA back then, a more rugged, tougher league and the toughest thing about it was that you had to go through Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics. These Sixers did it with a lineup of three members of the NBA’s 50 Greatest in Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham and a roster that also included Chet Walker, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones and Matt Guokas. They rolled to a 68-13 record, took out the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals and beat the Warriors with Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond in The Finals.
No. 3: 1986 Boston Celtics – They had five future Hall of Famers – Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Bill Walton – who played with an intelligence that matched their intensity and confidence. Walton was able to finally shake off years of foot problems to back up Parish and Walton’s passing skills seemed to take Bird to an even higher level. The Celtics rolled to an NBA record 40-1 home mark during the regular season and by the time they reached The Finals against a young and powerful Houston team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, the outcome was practically a foregone conclusion.
No. 4: 1987 Los Angeles Lakers – With all due respect to the 1972 Lakers and their record 33-game winning streak, they and the NBA never had anything like a 6-foot-9 point guard in Magic Johnson. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, this is was the season the Lakers went 65-17, won 10 of 11 playoff games in the first three rounds and had a relatively easy time beating Bird and the Celtics in The Finals 4-2. Magic’s baby sky hook won Game at Boston Garden to send them on their way and, when it was over, Pat Riley promised the Lakers would win it again the next year. And they did.
No. 5: 1965 Boston Celtics – Including coach Red Auerbach, there were eight Hall of Famers in the locker room – Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Satch Sanders, Tom Heinsohn and a rookie named John Thompson. Sam Jones averaged 25.9 points per game to lead the way. But this was a Celtics team that was all about defense with K.C. Jones at the point and Russell in the middle. Russell averaged 24.1 rebounds per game. They handled the Lakers easily in The Finals, 4-1.
Reference: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/17/our-fab-five-all-time-nba-teams/
Rubio: 'Time has arrived' to finally join Timberwolves
Posted Jun 17 2011 6:37AM - Updated Jun 17 2011 1:45PM
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Ricky Rubio is making his long-awaited move to the NBA and will join the Minnesota Timberwolves next season.
The highly touted 20-year-old Spanish guard ended two years of speculation Friday, saying "I have finally decided to start the journey'' to the NBA.
"It is my dream and I want to fulfill it,'' he said. "After thinking about it a lot, the time has arrived.''
The Timberwolves chose Rubio with the No. 5 pick in the 2009 NBA draft. But his $6 million buyout clause at his first Spanish pro team, Joventut - of which an NBA team could pay only $500,000 under league rules - made him stay in Spain until it came down to a more manageable $1.4 million.
"I felt very confident since we drafted him that he would start his career here,'' Timberwolves president David Kahn said. "There was never a moment where that really wavered.''
The Timberwolves have scheduled an introductory news conference for Rubio on Tuesday.
Since his debut with Joventut when he was 14, Rubio has won numerous titles in Europe. He also helped Spain reach the 2008 Olympic final, a loss to the United States.
"I think all that I have won here gives me strength to go,'' Rubio said.
But Rubio is coming off perhaps his most disappointing season. His scoring average dropped to 6.5 points and he even lost his starting spot with Barcelona.
Speaking at a news conference at Camp Nou stadium - where Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola usually address the media - Rubio acknowledged his shortcomings.
"Individually, I could have done things better, but it is a team sport and we had success,'' Rubio said, adding he was not going to the NBA in an attempt to revive his game.
"I am going because I feel prepared,'' Rubio said. "I want to play against the best players in the world.''
Barcelona won the Spanish league title last week, and Rubio knows he might have to wait a while for another trophy. Minnesota was an NBA-worst 17-65 last season and is in dire need of a capable point guard.
"It will mean a change of mentality,'' Rubio said. "Perhaps we won't be fighting for the title, but we will have other goals. I am willing to do whatever the team needs to win as many games as possible.''
The Timberwolves also have the second pick in next week's draft and they should be able to add another player to ease Rubio's transition.
Rubio said he hasn't spoken with his new team about what his exact role will be, but he is sure they will want him to add more muscle on his lanky frame.
"The game is more physical (in the NBA),'' he said. "I have to hit the weights and get stronger.''
Many had speculated that Rubio would try to force his way out of small-market Minnesota to play in a bigger city. But the Timberwolves never pressured the teenager, delicately negotiating until Rubio decided the time was right.
In his last two seasons in Spain, Rubio averaged 5.9 points, 4.4 assists and 1.85 steals in 21.6 minutes. The Timberwolves believe that Rubio is better suited to the NBA than the European game, which is played on smaller courts and doesn't give guards as much room to operate on the perimeter.
"I like the NBA game as a spectator,'' Rubio said. "It is very attractive and more open.''
The Wolves expect him to flourish with the freedom that he will have in the NBA, which differs from the more rigid, deliberate style that FC Barcelona employs.
"A lot of attention is paid to his numbers without really an understanding of how different their game is and their style of play,'' Kahn said, "Especially with the Barcelona team, which plays a very halfcourt-oriented game that frankly isn't very suitable for his style.''
Rubio will wear No. 9 for the Wolves, and the team unveiled a special season ticket package Friday to promote his arrival. Fans have been eager to see this flashy passer, and the Timberwolves announced a Ricky Rubio No. 9 package in which they can buy a pair of season tickets for next season for $9 a game.
Kahn, however, sought to manage expectations on Friday, saying Rubio deserves the kind of patience that is afforded every rookie.
"I don't know what his defined role will be next year,'' Kahn said. "But there's no question in my mind that he will play next year and he will play significant minutes.''
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/17/ricky-rubio-to-join-timberwolves.ap/index.html
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Ricky Rubio is making his long-awaited move to the NBA and will join the Minnesota Timberwolves next season.
The highly touted 20-year-old Spanish guard ended two years of speculation Friday, saying "I have finally decided to start the journey'' to the NBA.
"It is my dream and I want to fulfill it,'' he said. "After thinking about it a lot, the time has arrived.''
The Timberwolves chose Rubio with the No. 5 pick in the 2009 NBA draft. But his $6 million buyout clause at his first Spanish pro team, Joventut - of which an NBA team could pay only $500,000 under league rules - made him stay in Spain until it came down to a more manageable $1.4 million.
"I felt very confident since we drafted him that he would start his career here,'' Timberwolves president David Kahn said. "There was never a moment where that really wavered.''
The Timberwolves have scheduled an introductory news conference for Rubio on Tuesday.
Since his debut with Joventut when he was 14, Rubio has won numerous titles in Europe. He also helped Spain reach the 2008 Olympic final, a loss to the United States.
"I think all that I have won here gives me strength to go,'' Rubio said.
But Rubio is coming off perhaps his most disappointing season. His scoring average dropped to 6.5 points and he even lost his starting spot with Barcelona.
Speaking at a news conference at Camp Nou stadium - where Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola usually address the media - Rubio acknowledged his shortcomings.
"Individually, I could have done things better, but it is a team sport and we had success,'' Rubio said, adding he was not going to the NBA in an attempt to revive his game.
"I am going because I feel prepared,'' Rubio said. "I want to play against the best players in the world.''
Barcelona won the Spanish league title last week, and Rubio knows he might have to wait a while for another trophy. Minnesota was an NBA-worst 17-65 last season and is in dire need of a capable point guard.
"It will mean a change of mentality,'' Rubio said. "Perhaps we won't be fighting for the title, but we will have other goals. I am willing to do whatever the team needs to win as many games as possible.''
The Timberwolves also have the second pick in next week's draft and they should be able to add another player to ease Rubio's transition.
Rubio said he hasn't spoken with his new team about what his exact role will be, but he is sure they will want him to add more muscle on his lanky frame.
"The game is more physical (in the NBA),'' he said. "I have to hit the weights and get stronger.''
Many had speculated that Rubio would try to force his way out of small-market Minnesota to play in a bigger city. But the Timberwolves never pressured the teenager, delicately negotiating until Rubio decided the time was right.
In his last two seasons in Spain, Rubio averaged 5.9 points, 4.4 assists and 1.85 steals in 21.6 minutes. The Timberwolves believe that Rubio is better suited to the NBA than the European game, which is played on smaller courts and doesn't give guards as much room to operate on the perimeter.
"I like the NBA game as a spectator,'' Rubio said. "It is very attractive and more open.''
The Wolves expect him to flourish with the freedom that he will have in the NBA, which differs from the more rigid, deliberate style that FC Barcelona employs.
"A lot of attention is paid to his numbers without really an understanding of how different their game is and their style of play,'' Kahn said, "Especially with the Barcelona team, which plays a very halfcourt-oriented game that frankly isn't very suitable for his style.''
Rubio will wear No. 9 for the Wolves, and the team unveiled a special season ticket package Friday to promote his arrival. Fans have been eager to see this flashy passer, and the Timberwolves announced a Ricky Rubio No. 9 package in which they can buy a pair of season tickets for next season for $9 a game.
Kahn, however, sought to manage expectations on Friday, saying Rubio deserves the kind of patience that is afforded every rookie.
"I don't know what his defined role will be next year,'' Kahn said. "But there's no question in my mind that he will play next year and he will play significant minutes.''
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/17/ricky-rubio-to-join-timberwolves.ap/index.html
NBA players worry how fans would react to lockout
Posted Jun 18 2011 1:32PM - Updated Jun 18 2011 2:49PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- NBA players who just finished a season capped by the highest rated championship series in more than a decade are concerned about how their labor dispute and a potential work stoppage before next season will affect their surging fan base.
Luke Walton said the packed road arenas the Los Angeles Lakers played in this season suggest the league's popularity is at a high point, and he's most concerned about how fans would respond if the labor issues aren't resolved and cause a delay to the start of the next season.
"The idea of the lockout and losing fans is probably the scariest thing of all," the eight-year veteran said. "Even moreso than missing games or losing out on your salary for however long you lose those games, it's losing the fan support because it's at an all-time high right now."
The numbers bear it out.
All three networks that televise NBA games reported a huge increase in viewers, led by a 42 percent increase for TNT. ABC had 38 percent more viewers, and ESPN had 28 percent more.
Arena capacity was 90.3 percent, its seventh straight year of 90 or better, and the 17,306 average was up 1 percent from last year and is the fifth highest in the league's history.
With the emergence of Derrick Rose as the league MVP, young teams in Oklahoma City and Memphis rising up to challenge traditional powers such as the Lakers and NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, and even the New York Knicks on the rise with the addition of Carmelo Anthony, the league seems to have as many viable contenders as in recent memory, which adds to its allure.
To stop the momentum with a lockout that fans might perceive as a selfish battle between already rich greedy owners and greedy players, Walton said, would be taking a huge risk.
"We know how dangerous it can be. We've seen it happen before. We've seen it happen in our sport with the last lockout. We saw it happen in baseball, hockey, and it's damaging," he said at the NBPA's annual Top 100 camp for elite high school players. Walton was taking part in a coach program for players at the camp, which wraps up Sunday at the University of Virginia.
"The popularity is at the top," he said. "It's high, and the ratings were record-breaking the last few years, and from the fans' perspective, the owners make a ton of money and are very wealthy, and the players make a ton of money and are very wealthy, so its kind of hard for them to sympathize with either side when these guys are hard-working people trying to make it and they're spending their hard-earned money on tickets and merchandise and all that stuff."
Walton isn't the only one.
"We would probably lose fans if we have a work stoppage," said Royal Ivey of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who said he came to the camp "to get my feet wet" in the coaching program.
The Grizzlies' Tony Allen also was taking part in the coaching program, and while he said a work stoppage would "put a needle in the balloon" of momentum, he sees a rather simple solution.
Financial restraint by management.
"If you're a GM, you've got to be smarter with your money," he said, echoing a thought career scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar voiced Friday. "If you don't want to give a guy $197 million and you believe he's only worth 60 percent of that, sign him for just 60 percent of it."
Abdul-Jabbar, who highlighted the importance of education in his chat with the campers, said he understands why fans won't be sympathetic to arguments over enormous amounts of money.
"There's a lot of guys that are overpaid, and that's another issue that the owners need to deal with because certain people are overpaid and that's ballooning the salaries to the point where the owners can't recoup their investment," the Lakers' assistant coach said.
"Everybody should be able to feel satisfied. The players should feel satisfied that they are getting paid adequately and the owners should feel satisfied that they are getting a good return on their investment," he continued. "In a perfect world, that's how it will end up."
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/18/players-lockout.ap/index.html
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- NBA players who just finished a season capped by the highest rated championship series in more than a decade are concerned about how their labor dispute and a potential work stoppage before next season will affect their surging fan base.
Luke Walton said the packed road arenas the Los Angeles Lakers played in this season suggest the league's popularity is at a high point, and he's most concerned about how fans would respond if the labor issues aren't resolved and cause a delay to the start of the next season.
"The idea of the lockout and losing fans is probably the scariest thing of all," the eight-year veteran said. "Even moreso than missing games or losing out on your salary for however long you lose those games, it's losing the fan support because it's at an all-time high right now."
The numbers bear it out.
All three networks that televise NBA games reported a huge increase in viewers, led by a 42 percent increase for TNT. ABC had 38 percent more viewers, and ESPN had 28 percent more.
Arena capacity was 90.3 percent, its seventh straight year of 90 or better, and the 17,306 average was up 1 percent from last year and is the fifth highest in the league's history.
With the emergence of Derrick Rose as the league MVP, young teams in Oklahoma City and Memphis rising up to challenge traditional powers such as the Lakers and NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, and even the New York Knicks on the rise with the addition of Carmelo Anthony, the league seems to have as many viable contenders as in recent memory, which adds to its allure.
To stop the momentum with a lockout that fans might perceive as a selfish battle between already rich greedy owners and greedy players, Walton said, would be taking a huge risk.
"We know how dangerous it can be. We've seen it happen before. We've seen it happen in our sport with the last lockout. We saw it happen in baseball, hockey, and it's damaging," he said at the NBPA's annual Top 100 camp for elite high school players. Walton was taking part in a coach program for players at the camp, which wraps up Sunday at the University of Virginia.
"The popularity is at the top," he said. "It's high, and the ratings were record-breaking the last few years, and from the fans' perspective, the owners make a ton of money and are very wealthy, and the players make a ton of money and are very wealthy, so its kind of hard for them to sympathize with either side when these guys are hard-working people trying to make it and they're spending their hard-earned money on tickets and merchandise and all that stuff."
Walton isn't the only one.
"We would probably lose fans if we have a work stoppage," said Royal Ivey of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who said he came to the camp "to get my feet wet" in the coaching program.
The Grizzlies' Tony Allen also was taking part in the coaching program, and while he said a work stoppage would "put a needle in the balloon" of momentum, he sees a rather simple solution.
Financial restraint by management.
"If you're a GM, you've got to be smarter with your money," he said, echoing a thought career scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar voiced Friday. "If you don't want to give a guy $197 million and you believe he's only worth 60 percent of that, sign him for just 60 percent of it."
Abdul-Jabbar, who highlighted the importance of education in his chat with the campers, said he understands why fans won't be sympathetic to arguments over enormous amounts of money.
"There's a lot of guys that are overpaid, and that's another issue that the owners need to deal with because certain people are overpaid and that's ballooning the salaries to the point where the owners can't recoup their investment," the Lakers' assistant coach said.
"Everybody should be able to feel satisfied. The players should feel satisfied that they are getting paid adequately and the owners should feel satisfied that they are getting a good return on their investment," he continued. "In a perfect world, that's how it will end up."
Reference: http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/18/players-lockout.ap/index.html
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Final Destination 5
About the Movie
Another sequel of the most thrilling series in the planet. Like another Final Destination movie, it will also be the same death chain accidents but more gore and morbid this time. And one thing for sure that will blow your minds, ITS IN 3D!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Bad Teacher
About the Movie:
Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is teacher in Chicago who curses at her students, drinks heavily, and do drugs. When she's about to marry her rich fiance, he dumps her, then she tries to win over substitute teacher Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake), who is also wealthy. Scott's colleague Amy Squirrell (Lucy Punch) is also pursuing Scott, while the school's gym teacher Russell Gettis (Jason Segel) is making advances on Elizabeth. What will happen to Elizabeth now? This is another epic comedy that must be watched.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Monte Carlo
About The Movie:
Three women named Grace(Selena Gomez), Emma(Katy Cassidy), and Meg(Leihgton Meester) saved money for a trip to Paris to experience adventure they never had before. They decided to break from their lousy tour and sneaked into a 5-star hotel, where grace is mistaken for a British Heiress. So grace pretended to be this person so that they could have the greatest vacation of their lives until Grace falls inlove with this guy named Theo who thought of him as the heiress. And when the real heiress show up, what will they do?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ironclad
About the Movie:
A Templar knight and a band of warriors hold out for months against the siege of Rochester Castle in the thirteenth century. Set in the time of King John's signing of the Magna Carta treaty, the group struggles against the King to defend the freedom of their country.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Harry Potter Deathly Hollows Part 2
About the Movie:
This is the continuation of the last movie where Harry Potter and the rest of Hogwarts will try to make their last stand against the formidable armada of Lord Voldermort. Rumors also say that Harry will die in this battle, but lets just watch and see guys!
The Beaver Movie
This is a story about a hopefully depressed executive Walter Black(Mel Gibson) who had almost lost everything, until he finds a beaver used for ventriloquy. Here he slowly comes back to his senses.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Paul
About the Movie:
Two British extra-terrestrial geeks travel to Area 51 in USA, accidentally met an alien named "Paul". These guys need to help him in order to survive the Feds that are hunting him.
Abduction
About the Movie:
Nathan Harper(Taylor Lautner) was living a normal teenage life until his parents were killed by the CIA. Now he is targeted by the CIA when his neighbor Karen(Lily COllins) offers help telling him that she knows his father. This is a thriller that will blow your minds out.
Immortals
About the Movie:
After the capture of all the Titans, one Titan named "Hyperion"(Mickey Rourke) wages war to humanity and free the rest of the titans from Tartarus. To materialize his plan, he needs the Epirus Bow created by the God of War himself. The Gods unable to side on this war, chooses a human Theseus(Henry Cavill) in order to stop Hyperion.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Green Lantern
About the Movie:
Hal Jordan(Ryan Reynolds) is a cocky but gifted pilot, witnessed an alien accident where he was chosen to wield the legendary ring of the Green Lantern Corp. He was the first human to be the part of the Corp that protects the galaxy. Here he will undergo tremendous training in becoming a Green Lantern to protect Earth from a relentless enemy Parallax.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Cowboys and Aliens
In the year 1873, a stranger(Daniel Craig) woke up in a town somewhere in Arizona, with no memories of his past but only a strange looking wrist-shackle. He is being suspected by Colonel Dolarhyde(Harrison Ford) as a bandit and takes him prisoner. What the town didn't expect is an attack of aliens where maybe their last stand. And only the stranger can help them survive this war.
Puss N' Boots
About the Movie:
Here comes one of our favorite Shrek character, Puss! Yes guys! In this movie he will be the main character. We still don't know what adventures awaits us in this movie, but I'm pretty sure that this will be awesome!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Hanna
About the Movie:
Hanna Heller is raised by her known father to be an assassin since birth. When CIA discovered her location, she was captured, she then tries to escape and discovers her past and her father's true identity. Will her past help her become a better person or will it make her the ultimate killing machine?
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Real Steel
About the Movie:
In the future, robots have replaced humans in boxing. Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) almost had the chance to become the World Champion but then the robots became more interesting to people. Now he is a small time producer having difficulty in living. This motivated him to build a robot that can compete in the World Championships in boxing.
Cars 2
About the Movie:
Lightning McQueen and his bestfriend tow truck Mater are on a journey to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix. During this adventure Mater is sidetracked by an international espionage by a British Intelligence Finn McMissile.
Kung Fu Panda 2
About the Movie:
Another hilarious and exciting sequel to the movie Kung Fu Panda. Here, Po will discover where he really came from and must find his inner peace.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Hangover Part 2
About the Movie:
This is the awaited movie sequel by many. In here Dr. Stu(Ed Helms) is having his bachelor party in Bangkok, where the same thing happened when the wolfpack was in Las Vegas. Will "what happened in Vegas stays in Bangkok this time?"
X-Men First Class
About the Movie:
Before the Xavier's School for Gifted youngsters began, there was Charles Xavier and a group of mutants. Know how Charles Xavier became Professor X and what happened between him and his bestfriend Erik Lensher.
Read Your Favorite Manga Online
http://www.mangareader.net/
Cant wait for the next chapter of the manga you're reading? This is the site that you need to quench your thirst! This site scans the fastest on your favorite manga! So if u cant get enough of your manga addiction? The link above is just one click away!
Cant wait for the next chapter of the manga you're reading? This is the site that you need to quench your thirst! This site scans the fastest on your favorite manga! So if u cant get enough of your manga addiction? The link above is just one click away!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Dark Knight Rises Movie
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
About the Movie:
This is another sequel to the movie The Dark Knight starring Christian Bale. The director is so close lipped about this movie and we are just basing the news on rumors. Rumors say that Catwoman, Bane and Hugo Strage will be in this movie. This will be another blockbuster movie to watch.
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