TUESDAY, 11:41am: Blake Griffin is expected to take Chris Bosh's spot on the U.S. roster, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. As Goodman adds in a second tweet, that would leave five players competing for the final two spots.
The battle between superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant has stolen headlines throughout the NBA Finals as the series heads to Miami tied 1-1. For James, winning his first ring in his third trip to the Finals would validate a career highlighted by individual achievement but lacking a Larry O'Brien Trophy. For Durant, winning a championship arguably ahead of schedule would start the dynasty chatter and make many wonder if James will retire as the best player to never reach basketball's pinnacle. With both James and Durant playing basketball at a remarkably high level, we ask you to consider tonight's poll question: Which player would you rather build a franchise around?
One of the most highly anticipated NBA Finals in recent history doesn't kick off until tomorrow night, but here are a few links relating to both teams involved—as well as some that, unfortunately for them, are not.
Let's go coast to coast to catch up on the latest news and headlines before King James and the Heat look to make it a series against Indiana…
- Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has been using whatever time off his team is afforded to allow them to rest and get healthier, reports the Associated Press (via the Boston Herald).
- ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst says Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra needs to make adjustments to his strategy if Miami wants to have any chance of winning against the Pacers.
- Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have matured and proven that they can co-exist in Oklahoma City, writes Sam Amick of SI.com.
- Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski believes the Thunder look like a team with legitimate title aspirations thanks to strong play by Durant and Westbrook.
- The Spurs relied on heavily-efficient play to overcome a 24-point deficit to the Clippers on Saturday, writes Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com.
- Tom Ziller of SB Nation says the Lakers should trade Andrew Bynum so that the 24-year-old center's talents don't go to waste in Los Angeles.
- Gregg Popovich's decision to sit Tim Duncan during the 2000 NBA playoffs proved to be the right decision 12 years later, contends J.A. Adande of ESPN.com.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com believes the Celtics need to find a better balance in terms of getting Kevin Garnett more involved in the game on Monday evening against the Sixers.
A month after parting ways with agent Aaron Goodwin, Kevin Durant has signed with Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports Agency, reports Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link).
Pelinka represents a number of NBA stars, including Durant's teammate in Oklahoma City, James Harden. Landmark's list of clients also features Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Eric Gordon, and Andre Iguodala, among others.
Durant is in the first season of the five-year extension he signed in the summer of 2010, so Pelinka doesn't figure to negotiate a new contract for the Thunder star anytime soon. Durant's current deal expires in 2016.
With the likes of Chase Budinger and Jeremy Evans among the Slam Dunk contestants set to do battle on Saturday evening in Orlando, let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening:
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter) says he's having a hard time with Dwight Howard's constant line of wanting to push aside distractions and focus on winning. It's Howard, not anyone else, who has created such distractions by making trade demands and by telling his agent to ask for permission to pursue possible deals.
- Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com is looking forward to the NBA trade deadline (March 15) and wonders if the Lakers should blow up their roster now or simply wait until the summer. He says that the Celtics are in a similar situation, but is excited to see another group of aging players in the Spurs continue to do well and perhaps threaten for an NBA Finals appearance.
- Kevin Durant believes the Hornets can rebuild their franchise through the draft in a similar fashion to his own team, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. ''Losing C.P. and David West was tough for the Hornets, but they have Trevor Ariza and I like Gustavo Ayon. You know it's just a matter of time before everything starts to click. But losing your point guard in a lockout shortened season is tough. I love Monty for what he does and stands for.''
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com says Steve Nash believes Jeremy Lin is the type of player that can succeed in any type of NBA system. While Lin is expected to re-sign with the Knicks this summer, such an endorsement from a marquee player may go a long way to drive up the asking price for the restricted free agent.
SATURDAY: Durant is considering signing with Jeff Schwartz, Rob Pelinka, or CAA, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
FRIDAY, 7:05pm: The Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com) that Durant's brother will handle agent duties until he chooses a new representitive.
6:34pm: Kevin Durant confirmed to The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry that he has parted ways with agent Aaron Goodwin (via Mayberry's Twitter).
As a Goodwin client, Durant signed a five-year extension with Oklahoma City before the 2010/11 season that will pay him approximately $86MM and keep him in a Thunder uniform through 2015/16. It is unclear at this point what prompted Durant's decision to drop Goodwin, or who will represent him going forward.
The 18 rookies and sophomores who will compete in All-Star weekend's Rising Stars Challenge were announced today. Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, and John Wall will all participate in the premier event, with teams being selected by Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal on February 16th.
- With a 23-point, 10-assist performance in the Knicks win over the Wizards tonight, Jeremy Lin remains one of the league's most interesting story lines, says the New York Daily News' Frank Isola. Lin will have to keep it going without teammates Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, who according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone are scheduled to miss at least two more games. Where Baron Davis fits in with all of this is anybody's guess.
- ESPN recently deemed Kevin Durant as the league's best player under the age of 25. ESPNChicago.com responded by asking whether the correct answer might be Derrick Rose instead.
- As reported by ESPNLA's Dave McMenamin, Laker guard Steve Blake returned to practice today and will be a game time decision for tomorrow night's showdown against the Celtics. His return would bring a calming influence to one of the league's shakier back courts. The addition would also allow rookie Andrew Goudelock to focus more on creating shots for himself as opposed to faciliating for others as the team's backup point guard.
- Bob Young of the Arizona Republic presents a detailed case as to why Steve Nash deserves to be an All-Star now more than ever before. With his numbers still teetering on excellent at the age of 38, wherever Nash chooses to go after his days in Phoenix are up should shift the odds for next year's championship race.