Sports : NBA All-Star Rosters 2013: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant Make Starting Lineups

NEW YORK (AP) — Kobe Bryant has been voted to his NBA-record 15th consecutive All-Star start, leading four Los Angeles players into next month's game.
Lakers teammate Dwight Howard and the Clippers' Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will join Bryant in the Western Conference lineup for the Feb. 17 game in Houston. Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, the MVP of last year's game, rounds out the five.
Kevin Garnett held off Chris Bosh in fan balloting, giving the East two Boston Celtics and two Miami Heat players. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will represent the defending champions and receive passes from Rajon Rondo. New York's Carmelo Anthony is the other starter.
Bryant finished with 1,591,437 votes, edging James by about 7,800 to finish as the leading vote-getter and break a tie with Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West and Karl Malone for the most consecutive starting nods.
The NBA's leading scorer is a four-time MVP of the All-Star game and last year became its career scoring leader.
Garnett beat Bosh, who took to Twitter to stump for votes in the final days of balloting, by about 25,000 votes. He tied Bryant and O'Neal for second all-time with his 15th selection behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was elected to 19 games.
It's the second straight year that Los Angeles teams will make up four players. Last year it was Bryant, Paul, Griffin and Andrew Bynum, who was dealt to Philadelphia in part of the deal that sent Howard from Orlando to Los Angeles.

The ballot changed this year, eliminating the center position. Fans were required to vote for three frontcourt players and two guards.
They picked an interesting mix in the East. Anthony and Garnett exchanged words during a game on Jan. 7 and Anthony was suspended a game by the NBA when he tried to confront Garnett afterward in the tunnel area and by the team bus.
Rondo was injured in the playoffs two years ago after getting tangled up with Wade and landing awkwardly on his arm, part of what's become a tense rivalry between the Celtics and Heat.
Reserves will be announced next Thursday. Coaches will vote for seven players in their conferences: two guards, three frontcourt players and two players regardless of position, and can't vote for a player on their own team.

Credit : Huffington Post

Kicks : Jordan Melo M9 “Lock and Launch” Event Recap

Some 1,500 local youngsters, a select group of media, and the extended Jordan Brand family gathered at the snazzy Cipriani Club 55 yesterday in NYC’s financial district for the Jordan Melo M9 ‘Lock and Launch’ event. The space offered up trials wherein attendees could test out Melo’s recently debuted ninth signature sneaker, a preview of some upcoming colorways (check out the ‘Year of the Snake’ here), and a viewing session for the first two episodes in the ‘Playing for the City That Made Me’ documentary series. Towards the latter half of the evening Carmelo Anthony hit the stage for a Q&A with Knicks legend Bernard King hosted by Sway of MTV fame. Up next, the musical guests kept things focused on the Big Apple, as French Montana and Fabolous both ran through their own quick sets that had the hometown crowd in a frenzy. Hit the jump with us to check out the Jordan Melo M9 ‘Lock and Launch’ event recap and stay tuned to Sneaker News for more shots from the floor featuring upcoming colorways of Melo and Jordan’s latest.

Credit : SneakerNews

NBA : Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett Continues Outside Garden

NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett jawed from baseline to midcourt, and Anthony still had more to say.

So the Knicks forward went toward the Celtics locker room after the game to keep shouting, taking his frustrations from the court right along with him and perhaps risking an NBA suspension.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points, and Boston beat New York 102-96 on Monday night in a heated first meeting of the season between the Atlantic Division rivals.

Anthony left without talking to reporters and the Knicks wouldn't comment on Anthony's postgame trip in the wrong direction, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn't deny it.

"I'm going to let you all figure that one out. I'm going to stay out of that," Rivers said. "If it was the playoffs I'd tell on him, but since it's not I'm going to just be quiet."

Rivers didn't need to. MSG Network reported the incident, in which security had to step in and send Anthony back in the right direction, as it went to its postgame show, and the league likely will investigate and could penalize the Knicks' leading scorer.

Comcast SportsNet New England posted a video on its website showing Anthony waiting near the Celtics' team bus after the game, with coach Mike Woodson and New York City police nearby.

"I didn't know what was going on at that point in time," Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire said. "It's strictly basketball. We have to keep it on the basketball court and make sure we come to play every night. Boston will definitely bring the intensity and aggressive play. We got to be able to match that."

Garnett added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who even without the suspended Rajon Rondo won their third straight and finally are playing like the team that has ruled the division for the last half-decade.

The Knicks want that title now, but Anthony and his teammates were reminded how tough the Celtics can make it.

Anthony had 20 points but shot 6 of 26 while battling his temper, Garnett and foul trouble.

Garnett denied the postgame altercation.

"Listen, heat of the battle, man. Guys go back and forth. He's trying to get his team to go, I'm trying to get my team to go, both teams are colliding, not to mention that it's the Knicks and the Celtics," Garnett said. "Just what it is, man."

J.R. Smith led the Knicks with 24 points. Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 17 rebounds.

Rondo was suspended Monday for making contact with a referee in a game against Atlanta on Saturday and failure to cooperate with an NBA investigation. Without the NBA's assist leader, the Celtics relied on the kind of defense that has been absent too often this season.

They allowed 78 points per game in their last two wins, then held the Knicks to 40 in the second half Monday.

Pierce, who was also in foul trouble in the tightly and sometimes inconsistently called game, put it away with a jumper with 45 seconds to go, blowing a kiss toward the crowd he loves to torment after putting the Celtics up by six.

Anthony had averaged 34.4 points in his last 10 games and had a pair of 40-point performances last week, but his jumper was off from the start Monday as the Knicks had their two-game winning streak snapped.

"They took us out of a lot that we wanted to accomplish out there," said Chandler, who said "nothing" happened after the game.

"Very physical on the ball," he said. "Forced us to take some tough shots."

Boston led by four when Anthony and Garnett became extra physical with each other on a Boston possession that ended with a turnover with 9:03 remaining. Anthony followed him all the way to midcourt as they jawed at each other following the play, leading to technical fouls on both players.

The trash talk didn't just stay on the court – or between players. Pierce tried to throw the ball in from the sideline shortly after, only to have Spike Lee standing and yelling in his ear the whole time.

"I've been tuning Spike Lee out for years," Pierce said. "That's just common noise now."

Jason Kidd's 3-pointer tied it at 86, but Pierce dunked and Avery Bradley made a jumper for a four-point lead with 5:32 to play. The Knicks got it to one before Pierce's jumper with 3 1/2 minutes to play, and the Knicks never got that close again.

The Celtics have won the last five Atlantic Division titles, starting with their NBA championship season of 2007-08. But while Rivers often says he never talks to the players about winning the division, Woodson has made it a priority since becoming interim coach last March.

They couldn't catch Boston last season but had opened a 4 1/2-game lead over Brooklyn and were seven games up on the third-place Celtics entering Monday's play.

"Our goal is bigger and so are the Knicks', I'm sure, but maybe that's part of their goal and that's their first step," Rivers said of the division title. "But our goal is always bigger than that."

They've only recently begun to play like that could attain it.

Rondo had his second triple-double of the season Saturday to rally the Celtics to an 89-81 victory in Atlanta, but his actions during the game kept him from the arena Monday. Bradley, recently back from shoulder surgery, helped the Celtics overcome his absence with 13 points. Jeff Green had 16 off the bench.

Anthony and Pierce both picked up two fouls in the first 4 1/2 minutes, Pierce getting a technical as well on his way to the bench. The early fouls, and some extra intensity, kept either team from getting in much of a flow, though New York did build a 10-point lead that Boston wiped out on its way to a 22-21 lead after a period in which they combined to make 13 of 35 shots.

The Knicks had the lead back to nine in the second, but Pierce scored 15 points in the period as Boston got within 56-53 at the break.

Boston scored seven straight late in the third quarter to open a six-point lead, held the Knicks to 6-of-17 shooting in the period and led 76-72 headed to the fourth, when the fireworks started.

NOTES: Anthony was chosen Eastern Conference player of the week after averaging a league-best 36 points in three games. ... Knicks G Iman Shumpert, out since tearing his ACL in last year's playoffs, had his knee tested Monday as he moves closer to returning. He could take part in full practices this week. ... The Celtics open a five-game homestand Wednesday against Phoenix.

Kicks : Jordan Melo M7 Future Sole – Puerto Rico PE

Sports : NBA - Finally It’s Done: Carmelo is a Knick

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Remember last week when Carmelo Anthony was extremely close to becoming a Net, so much so that people like me were writing about the ramifications of the trade. So much for that… Now we have Carmelo heading to the Knicks, where he wanted to be all along, and the Knicks are giving up a hell of a lot to get him. Carmelo is headed to the Knicks with Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Anthony Carter, and Renaldo Balkman. Denver receives Danilo Gallinari, Timofy Mosgov, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, New York’s first round pick in 2014, and two second-round picks from Golden State (from the David Lee trade). Minnesota chips in by receiving Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry. The T-Wolves will send Corey Brewer to the Nuggets.
With the Knicks, it all starts at the top. This deal was run by Jim Dolan, who went over Donnie Walsh’s head to get it done. Walsh had turned the Knicks into a respectable franchise after Isiah Thomas burned it to the ground. Walsh and coach Mike D‘Antoni were not in favor of this trade. Dolan didn’t care and was rumored to have taken the advice of Thomas to get the trade done. Dolan traded away most of his talent, along with his soul and 500 tickets to watch his band play in concert next time they’re in the Denver area.

Carmelo will likely be good for the Knicks, but the initial appearance here is they gave up a lot. Chandler’s a solid player who regressed in the last month as all the trade rumors surfaced. He’s the player I care most about giving up because I think he still has a lot of potential. He may never be the scorer Carmelo Anthony is, but he’s a better defender, a better rebounder, and he is perfectly suited to be a team’s third or fourth option. If the Knicks added a better guard (either an upgrade on Felton or a scoring shooting guard) and a center, there’s a chance they could’ve been better off with Chandler.

Felton going to Denver leaves me with mixed emotions because he was thriving as the team’s point guard, but his future was uncertain. He likely was only around until the summer of 2012, when the Knicks throw big free agent dollars at either Chris Paul or Deron Williams. In the next two years, however, he gives the team a better chance to win than Billups does. Billups isn’t suited for D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense and the loss of Gallinari and Chandler won’t help that either. I don’t think Gallinari’s ceiling is as high as Chandler's. He can’t play defense and isn’t as good of a shooter as he was supposed to be.

Denver seemed to have fully taken advantage of this situation and I think they make off much better than if they had Favors and four first round picks. Once they realized Dolan was involved, they milked the Knicks for everything they could get. Knowing Anthony was a goner in the offseason anyway, they’ve now got at least three pieces to help them stay competitive in the Western Conference in the coming years as they add players with their now open cap space. We still have to see whether or not the rumors are true of them flipping two of the acquired players to New Jersey for future first round picks.

As a Knicks fan, I’m now left with three emotions: skepticism, curiosity, and excitement. It’ll be fun to have Carmelo and Amar'e playing together in the Garden, but I’m skeptical about the long-term future of this team. Anything that has Dolan and Isiah’s fingerprints all over it doesn’t make Knicks fans feel good. Finally, I’m curious to see what other pieces they add now that they’ve lost a lot of depth.

Knicks fans will be left to make an interesting decision with their franchise after this deal. We all hate what Thomas did; we all respect what Walsh did to clean up his mess, and we all are worried when Dolan gets involved. Despite all this, we’re excited to have Carmelo around.

It should make for an interesting few years at Madison Square Garden.

NBA : Nets close to landing 'Melo in three-team trade

The New Jersey Nets were close on Sunday evening to acquiring All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team deal with the Detroit Pistons, but are still looking to get a commitment from Anthony and his camp on a long-term contract, according to two league sources.

The deal would send Anthony, along with guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, along with center Shelden Williams, to the Nets. Detroit would send veteran Rip Hamilton to New Jersey. The Nets would send guard Devin Harris, rookie forward Derrick Favors, guards Anthony Morrow, Stephen Graham, Quinton Ross and Ben Uzoh, along with two first-round picks, to the Nuggets. New Jersey would send center Johan Petro and forward Troy Murphy (and his expiring $12 million contract) to Detroit.

Talks continued Monday, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. The three teams negotiated over the weekend and the source said the deal was "advancing.''

Anthony refused to discuss a potential deal before the Nuggets played New Orleans in Denver on Sunday night. He said afterward he didn't think a 96-87 loss was his last game in a Nuggets uniform.

"Uh-uh, not at all," he said, repeating the phrase "not at all" four times.

Asked if that was an indication he wouldn't sign the extension so the trade with the Nets could be consummated, Anthony demurred, saying: "I haven't heard anything. Only, that it's just been speculation as of right now."

Anthony noted that team executive Josh Kroenke and general manager Masai Ujiri "are not even here, so I don't see that happening."

In what time frame was he referring to?

"I'm just saying I don't see it happening right now," Anthony said.

This week sometime?

"No."

The potential savings for Detroit -- Hamilton has two years and $25 million left on his deal -- combined with the opportunity to break up the backcourt logjam that has plagued the team for two seasons makes the deal irresistable for the Pistons. Trading Hamilton would allow the team to, finally, move Ben Gordon into the starting lineup instead of splitting mintues with Hamilton.

The Pistons don't want Petro, though, and are looking for New Jersey to route him somewhere else.

Billups and Hamilton were the starting backcourt for the Pistons team that won the 2004 NBA title and remained teammates until Detroit traded Billups to his hometown club for Allen Iverson.

Billups said he didn't know if a trade was imminent, either.

"I don't know nothing new, so I can't tell you nothing new," he said.

The Nets were close to acquiring Anthony during the preseason, but a four-team deal that included Utah and Charlotte fell through. Talks progressed recently with the inclusion of Detroit.

Anthony can become a free agent next summer. He has refused to sign the contract extension the Nuggets offered him last summer.

Anthony wants extension, reportedly in New York

NEW YORK (AP) -- Carmelo Anthony wants his money, even if he's not saying where he wants it.

Anthony made clear Sunday the importance of a contract extension, which he's thus far refused to sign with the Denver Nuggets. He also said he doesn't think the Nuggets would trade him somewhere he wouldn't accept one.

After the Nuggets' 129-125 loss to the Knicks, the team Anthony reportedly wants to play for, he was asked the importance of getting an extension before the collective bargaining agreement expires next summer. The NBA wants major salary cuts in the next deal.

"Whatever decision that I make, that's going to be the first thing that gets done," Anthony said.

ESPN.com reported later Sunday that Anthony would only accept a long-term extension if it came with a trade to the Knicks.

The Nuggets offered him one worth about $65 million over three years during the summer, but he has said he wanted to keep his options open. He can become a free agent next summer, but Denver would likely attempt to trade him before rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Denver was close to a four-team deal in the preseason that would have sent Anthony to New Jersey, but it fell apart.

Anthony can squash many trades by informing teams he would not take an extension with them. Many clubs would refuse to give up the pieces necessary to acquire the All-Star without a guarantee he would be part of their future.

But Anthony doesn't believe Denver would try to send him somewhere he didn't want to go.

"I don't think that will happen," he said.

There have been reports since the summer that Anthony's preference was to play in New York, where he was born, lived his first eight years and was married this summer. But he said after the Nuggets' practice Saturday that he hadn't made up his mind.

Anthony scored 31 points Sunday after receiving a loud ovation during pregame introductions.