Kobe Bryant's Comments About Detroit Pistons Shouldn't Upset Pistons Fans (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 22:15:00 PDT)
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant's comments about the Detroit Pistons aren't cause for fans to get too bent out of shape about.

Arrest made in post-NBA game shooting that hurt 8 (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 19:13:21 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma City police made an arrest Tuesday in the late-night fight that escalated into gunfire and left eight people injured shortly after the Thunder-Lakers NBA playoff game ended a few blocks away.

Police arrest man in shooting outside Oklahoma NBA game
(Tue, 22 May 2012 18:34:28 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Police on Tuesday arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of opening fire the night before outside an Oklahoma City arena in a shooting that wounded eight people after a National Basketball Association playoff game.

Metta World Peace calls Mike Brown fat (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 16:52:27 PDT)
We have had plenty of Lakers postmortems in the wake of their Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Most concern whether or not they'll try to make a big trade involving Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum or both. It's a period of great flux for the franchise, and all we can be sure of is that Kobe Bryant will continue to play a huge role in whatever happens. Whether or not Metta World Peace will be part of that future is anyone's guess. After signing with the Lakers as Ron Artest in 2009, he was an integral part of the Lakers' championship that season. Over the past two seasons, however, they've seen diminishing returns on their investment, with MWP becoming less dependable, more reckless ( the elbow to the head of James Harden will always make that point), and a little pudgier around his midsection. He has one more year on his contract, plus a player option season that he'd be a fool not to take, but the Lakers might consider using their amnesty clause on him to save some cash. [Related: Lakers' future uncertain after playoff KO by Thunder | Photos ] World Peace, to his credit, took some blame for his struggles this season while at Lakers HQ on Tuesday for his season-ending interview. However, in doing so, he also called his coach fat. From Mark Medina for the Los Angeles Times on Twitter (via PBT ):

Thunder face West's best in climb toward top (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 16:03:44 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma City Thunder haven't found any shortcuts as they try to climb to the top of the Western Conference.

Eight injured in shooting following Thunder win (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:46:47 PDT)
At least eight people were wounded in Oklahoma City as a result of a gunfire following Monday's Thunder playoff game.

NBA roundup: Eight wounded in gunfire following Thunder-Lakers game (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 15:30:17 PDT)
At least eight people were wounded in Oklahoma City as a result of a gunfire following Monday's Thunder playoff game.

The Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers? Gone till November (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 13:30:09 PDT)
The thought, as soon as the Los Angeles Clippers pulled off a deal for All-Star point guard Chris Paul last December, was that the Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers would no doubt meet in the playoffs at some point. That the two teams, with the Dallas Mavericks fading and the Oklahoma City Thunder not having made a major offseason move, would duke it out for the Pacific Division title, and possibly play in the Western Conference finals for the rights to represent the city in the NBA Finals. And why not? Even after trading Lamar Odom for mere payroll relief, the Lakers still looked stout as ever. Kobe Bryant's knee was as good as it had been in years thanks to his experimental knee rehabilitation in Germany and the extended six-month layoff due to the Lakers' relatively early 2010-11 exit and the NBA's lockout. The Clippers would be returning superstar Blake Griffin, they matched Golden State's offer for center DeAndre Jordan, and Paul was supposed to be the guy to find easy buckets when everyone's footwork went awry. Instead, though, both teams petered out in the second round, with just one win between the teams to show for their efforts. The Clippers looked both thin and brittle, overly reliant on Paul to save them from the offensive dregs, with CP3 once again ending his season with a pronounced limp. The Lakers looked disturbingly uneven from night to night, a top-heavy team whose top parts didn't play well with each other. Both went out far earlier than intended by them, or predicted by some, and both have major issues to face as they head into their offseasons a month earlier than they had hoped for way back in December.

The Jamaican national team reminds me that it has multiple NBA players (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 12:45:34 PDT)
Last Thursday, I wrote a post discussing reports that Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert, who has made multiple appearances in international competition as a member of the Jamaican national basketball team, was seeking his release from that club in the hope of becoming part of Team USA this summer. In it, I wrote that Hibbert was the island nation's "only legitimate NBA player (unless you count Patrick Ewing Jr., maybe, and you shouldn't)." This did not sit particularly well with the Jamaica Basketball Association , according to a statement emailed to me Tuesday by JaBA communications director Keisha Hill: Dear Mr. Devine, We at the Jamaica Basketball Association have read with interest your article on Mr. Roy Hibbert seeking a release from the Association to play for the USA Team. It is a good article however we would like to clarify a statement that was made in reference to our international players. In your article as highlighted below you stated that Patrick Ewing Jnr is the only other legitimate player that is involved with our national programme. [...] This statement actually misses a few key facts, which we hope you will correct.

Lakers will debate overhaul after playoff exit (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:54:57 PDT)
LOS ANGELES (AP) Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol spent the final minutes of the Los Angeles Lakers' final game arguing in Oklahoma City, disagreeing on the best way to run a pick-and-roll play.

A closer look at a big night for Brandon Bass, who ate well because Rajon Rondo kept feeding him (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 09:00:05 PDT)
With injuries reducing Ray Allen to a shell of his former self and the combination of pain and enveloping Philadelphia 76ers defense limiting Paul Pierce to just 38 percent shooting from the floor through four games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Boston Celtics needed another source of offense to alleviate the pressure on primary scorer Kevin Garnett and primary facilitator Rajon Rondo if they were to take a series lead over the Sixers on their home court in Game 5. On Monday night, that source was Brandon Bass, who exploded for a season-high 27 points and six rebounds in a 101-85 win that gave Boston a 3-2 edge and put Philly on the brink of elimination as they head back to Pennsylvania for Game 6 Wednesday night. After the biggest performance of his seven-year NBA career — his 27 points matched a career high and set a new postseason high-water mark — the former LSU standout credited the attention drawn by his better-billed teammates for giving him the chance to operate. From Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press : ''We've got a few good players on the team that they had to focus on,'' said Bass, who left the game to a standing ovation with 2 minutes left and Boston leading by 18. ''That left me open, and I was able to take advantage of my opportunity.'' That was especially true during a third-quarter explosion that saw Bass hit 6 of 7 field-goal attempts and make all six of his free throws for a total of 18 points. That's the highest-scoring quarter for a single player this postseason and, as NBA.com's John Schuhmann noted , just the fifth time a player has scored at least 15 points in one frame during these playoffs, putting Bass alongside LeBron James (who scored 17 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the New York Knicks and 16 in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers), Tony Parker (16 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 against the Utah Jazz) and the man for whom Bass was traded this past offseason, Glen Davis (16 in the second quarter of Game 3 against the Pacers). It was an amazing effort at an absolute must-have moment by Bass, and it was also one orchestrated pretty deftly by Rondo, the Celtics' point guard and floor general, who repeatedly put Bass in position to make his monstrous contributions.

Kevin Garnett takes a little shot at Philadelphia’s ‘fair-weather fans.’ His words, not ours (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 07:00:22 PDT)
Possibly the most warming, encouraging story of the maddening 2012 NBA postseason is the return to prominence of Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett. Not only is the first-ballot Hall of Famer averaging 19.3 points (on 52 percent shooting) with 10.5 rebounds and three combined blocks/steals 17 years after being drafted into the NBA , the whippet-thin 7-footer's shift to the center position has anchored Boston's playoff-leading defensive turn. This team is, again, one win away from the conference finals; and it has Kevin Garnett to thank. And now, fans of the Philadelphia 76ers have Kevin Garnett to boo. Especially after he called the lot "fair weather" in an interview following Boston's Game 5 win. Via Ben Rohrbach at WEEI , here's the mildly NSFW clip:

Eight wounded in a shooting as fans spill out into the streets surrounding the Oklahoma City Thunder’s arena (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 05:40:57 PDT)
Sad news out of Oklahoma City, where a shooting in the city's Bricktown district marred the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 4-1 series victory over the Los Angeles Lakers . Early reports have one victim in critical condition, thankfully no fatalities, but eight shooting victims in total. The incident took place less than a half-hour following the Thunder's win, just blocks away from the team's Chesapeake Energy Arena. Here's the Associated Press' report : Capt. Dexter Nelson said some scuffles broke out in a crowd of people walking east toward the Bricktown district, a popular nightlife area. "Some girls got into it with a group of guys, and the guys opened fire on the women," Nelson said. He said the shooting occurred at 11:35 p.m. Police know of at least eight people wounded in the incident, but Nelson did not have information on their ages or genders. The very good Thunder blog Daily Thunder glommed on to a cell phone video of an arrest following the incident, though at this early stage we have no idea whether or not the man in police custody is the alleged shooter. Here's the SFW clip:

Eight shot outside NBA playoff game in Oklahoma
(Tue, 22 May 2012 04:37:01 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Reuters) - Eight people were wounded, one critically, by gun shots fired as thousands of sports fans left a National Basketball Association playoff game late Monday, police said. The shooting occurred during a confrontation outside Chesapeake Arena in downtown Oklahoma City, as fans walked to parking lots after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers. One victim was in critical condition while wounds suffered by seven others were not believed to be life-threatening, said Captain Dexter Nelson of the Oklahoma City Police Department. ...

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers face uncertain future after early playoff exit
(Tue, 22 May 2012 03:11:03 PDT)
The Lakers will likely need to make some changes after losing to the Thunder in the second round.

Behind the Box Score, where a special Oklahoma City Thunder team is moving on (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 02:50:48 PDT)
Oklahoma City Thunder 106, Los Angeles Lakers 90 (Thunder win series, 4-1) We'll delve into the future of those ridiculous, marvelous, enervating, invigorating, fantastic, maddening, frustrating and ultimately obsession-worthy Los Angeles Lakers deeper on Tuesday. For now, the spotlight deservedly shines on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have taken down two of the NBA's most respected teams in 23 days, working at an 8-1 clip along that span. We're completely and utterly correct as we fawn over the San Antonio Spurs, but that undefeated group hasn't had to deal with nearly the level of competition that Scott Brooks' crew has. Any batch of Thunder-related praise has to begin with Russell Westbrook. Not only did he give his team a feature that the Lakers could not handle — the guy with the ability to frighten and shift defensive schemes just off of broken plays or transition work — but he ended the second round with a fascinating statistic to his credit. Westbrook played just under 180 minutes in this series, and turned the ball over four times. That's 36 minutes a night, full of active play that put Los Angeles on its heels , and he turned it over four times in five contests. Astonishing work.

Russell Westbrook hit an impossible and-one shot to beat the Lakers (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 02:30:27 PDT)
Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook has been criticized often over the past few years for his score-first approach and tendency to look away from teammate Kevin Durant in crunch time. All Westbrook has done during that time is refine his game and become one of the most explosive guards in the league, the 1A-level superstar to Durant's top dog. When the Thunder dispatched the Lakers in five games on Monday night, Westbrook played a huge role, scoring 28 points on 12-of-25 shooting and generally terrorizing the L.A. backcourt as he had for most of the series. The clear highlight of the night was the play above, available for your viewing pleasure courtesy of our friends at the Yahoo! Sports Minute . With just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter and the score tied 70-70, Westbrook stole a pass from Ramon Sessions and jetted in the other direction. Sessions caught up with him for a foul 15 feet from the basket, but Westbrook's underhand desperation shot attempt banked off the backboard and through the basket. The three-point play started a 23-7 run for OKC that essentially decided the game and series. Westbrook seemed to recognize the importance at the time, too, as he followed up the shot with a ridiculously intense celebration ( GIF available here via SB Nation ).

Lakers hammered, eliminated by Thunder (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 02:01:17 PDT)
The Lakers reached the end of the road Monday night in Oklahoma City, advancing just one game further than last season in being ousted again in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Oklahoma City advances to Western Conference finals (The SportsXchange)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 02:01:16 PDT)
Oklahoma City is back in the Western Conference finals after outlasting another team that ended its playoff run in recent seasons. The Thunder took care of the Los Angeles Lakers in five games with Monday night's 106-90 romp at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Thunder top Lakers 106-90 to reach West finals (The Associated Press)
(Tue, 22 May 2012 01:23:19 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Ramon Sessions did the best he could to keep Russell Westbrook from making a high-flying dunk that would energize the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Thunder sinks Lakers, prepares to battle Spurs in West finals (The SportsXchange)
(Mon, 21 May 2012 23:21:11 PDT)
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Thunder hopes to make more noise in the Western Conference finals that it did last year.

Spurs flirting with history on 18-game streak (The Associated Press)
(Mon, 21 May 2012 23:19:06 PDT)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) Eighteen wins in a row, and eight more victories to go.