NBA

[Guest knockblock]

Kobe and his elbow. For him to keep flailing it at other players I think he must be dirty.

[Guest LolitaMan]

yeah, actually, i don't think he should have won that first one either, cuz shaq carried the heat to the eastern conference finals that year. but that's a different story altogether.

i would take billups as a better pg, hands down. he's a clutch shooter, he's an efficient point guard and he play shut down D. nuff said.

MVP is not about the playoffs. Billups passing sucks and he does not have shut down defense like you claim. He's not a penetrator who can drive in and dish like Nash can. Nash can shoot just as good as Billups can.

[Guest BoSoxdirtdog]

MVP is not about the playoffs. Billups passing sucks and he does not have shut down defense like you claim. He's not a penetrator who can drive in and dish like Nash can. Nash can shoot just as good as Billups can.

Read the book "Seven seconds or less..." by Jack McCallum. Good book about the Suns and Nash's impact.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Raptors spanked the Nuggets tonight... seriously O__O

[cksdayoff]

But then again double, triple teams in the modern era of basketball and the fact that defense dominates these days. Wilt had no competitors except for Bill Russell.

you shouldn't compare different eras.

[Guest beaver4ever]

Raptors spanked the Nuggets tonight... seriously O__O

Yeah..even i was....yelling "mercy" at the end of the 2nd quarter. Worse game i've seen Iverson or Anthony every play.

[Guest res0nate]

Lol at Kobe. Phil doesn't care anymore.

[Guest plusone]

artest really retiring?

somehow i dont really believe him

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

The Sacramento Kings' Ron Artest backtracked Monday from his comments to teammates about retiring at season's end, telling ESPN's Stephen A. Smith in a radio interview that he has no immediate plans to leave the game.

Appearing via phone on Smith's show on ESPN Radio 1050 in New York, Artest insisted: "I'm not retiring."

Citing club sources, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported Saturday that Artest told multiple teammates he wanted to retire at season's end.

Artest told Smith during Monday's interview that he shared his retirement thoughts with selected teammates because he missed his kids, but never expected his intentions to create a media storm so quickly. Artest has been indefinitely restricted to telephone and e-mail contact with his three children after a March 5 domestic dispute with wife Kimsha that resulted in Artest's arrest.

After news of Artest's retirement musings spread Sunday, Kings forward Corliss Williamson told The Sacramento Bee that Artest sent text messages to several teammates about retiring when this season is over. The possibility of the eight-year veteran walking away from the Kings after the season to focus on family life was also raised over the weekend at hiphopgame.com, where Artest has been posting journal entries this season.

In a message e-mailed Monday night to ESPN.com, Artest said: "All these statements about retirement and going overseas were made because I am weakened by not being around my family. When I am not playing basketball, it's hard not having them around me.

"I thank my teammates, coaches, [the] Kings' organization and the NBA and Sacramento King fans for being supportive at a time when it's needed most. I love Sacramento and [i'm] looking forward to the playoffs."

In Monday's radio interview, Artest elaborated by saying: "I don't plan to retire. [but] when you don't have your kids around, you can get a little bit vulnerable, a little weak."

This is hardly the first time an early retirement story has surfaced with Artest. Before and after his 73-game suspension with Indiana during the 2004-05 season, Artest suggested numerous times publicly that he could be content without the NBA in his life.

Few league observers believed him then and similar skepticism -- inside and outside the Kings' organization -- greeted his latest sentiments, even though Artest clearly has much to consider off the floor.

Artest pleaded not guilty on Thursday to four misdemeanor charges stemming from this month's domestic dispute, which follows a January incident in which Placer County officials seized a dog from his home. The Bee reported Sunday night on its Web site that Artest would be in New York on Monday to meet with league officials regarding the misdemeanor charges against him.

The Bee also reported that Artest met with Kings president Geoff Petrie after Sunday's home victory over Phoenix to discuss the retirement talk.

"He's under a lot of scrutiny and at a point, really, in his own career where he needs to be a better keeper of his own soul in some ways," Petrie told the newspaper. "We'll assess in the context of the whole season where we go [with Artest from here]. But again, it's sort of Ron being Ron."

The 27-year-old has two seasons left on his contract after this one, both at a salary of $7.4 million. Artest has the option to terminate the contract after next season and enter the free-agent market in July 2008.

Information from ESPN.com's Marc Stein was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2813258

[Guest plusone]

damn artest is like TO

cant get a straight story out of him

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

Holy smokes... worst time for Raptors to lose players to injury >_>

[Guest Volts]

Anyone saw the shoot by Wallace ? all i can say is wow lol

[aznboy78]

man. i'm having a feeling that the spurs are gonna make it to the finals.

[Guest EYJAYJAY]

not surprising.. i think west = spurs, mavs, suns. other teams dont have much of a chance.

[Guest Irysinon]

I wouldn't be surprised if Spurs made it to the finals. Duncan and Barry are crazy pulling that off on the Hornets.

[Guest iyeiluj]

man. i'm having a feeling that the spurs are gonna make it to the finals.

don't think so...i have the suns and mavs going against each other...the bracketology last season was messed up...hopefully they fix it before this year's finals

[aznboy78]

don't think so...i have the suns and mavs going against each other...the bracketology last season was messed up...hopefully they fix it before this year's finals

yeah i think they did change it.

division winners cant be seeded below the 4th seed.

[AznTigerx78]

Please tell me you guys watched the suns and warriors game. It was pure offense, had to be one of the funnest games to watch this season.

[Guest EYJAYJAY]

i missed that game.. i wish i saw it!

[Guest beaver4ever]

hope you guys didn't miss the Raptors/Wizards game....that was one ....good game..from start to finish. Talk about a lucky (some would say stupid on Ruffin's behalf)..bounce....followed by an answered prayer by Morris Peterson. Bosh just took over in O.T. I enjoyed watching this game.