Comments by coaches on LaVar Ball dripping with hypocrisy

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New York
 
Come on, Rick, like Luke Walton really needed the woefully weak side help of you and the Van Gundy brothers, really needed you to retort to the double drivel from a Dead Ball, first name LaVar.
 
Come on, Carlisle, who’s better equipped to combat a problem with a father who’s an asshole?
 
If I didn’t know better, if I weren’t aware of the many petty feuds and back room subversion that exist within the NBA’s coaching community, the counterfeit caring expressed by Rick Carlisle & Co. might’ve faked out the fool in me.
 
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Replay complicating matters for referees

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New York
 
So, there I was, spending Christmas dinner with my bought-and-paid for (I have receipts) loved ones when it occurred to me …
 
… I may have fallen under the influence of Jeff Van Gundy
 
… In that no good is being served by the NBA’s 2-minute report because its revelations don’t reverse a single erroneous verdict. All this rush-to-transparency does is confirm a regiment of refs sucks. Additionally, it devalues their calls the previous 46 years, er, 46 minutes.
 
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Kobe not the greatest Laker by a longshot

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New York

Fascinating that two-thirds of the people who did all the talking — Magic Johnson and Jeanie Buss — at Kobe Bryant’s jerseys retirement had nothing to do with him becoming a Laker and winning five championships.

Why invite Jerry West’s statue inside Staples just to sit stonily at courtside?

I’m guessing people would have loved to hear the Lakers’ GM describe the high school kid’s fabled pre-1996 draft workout, illuminate what Kobe did that day against Michael Cooper that provoked West to proposition a dozen teams before Charlotte agreed to trade the rights to the 13 pick for Vlade Divac, LA’s central nervous system at 28.

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The real story behind Carmelo’s trade to Knicks

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New York
Enough of this recklessness and ridiculousness! Enough of the misconceptions and mistaken beliefs! Enough of the fibs and fairytales!
Virtually seven years have passed (Feb. 22, 2011) since the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks, yet 11 out of 10 chroniclers continue to muck up many relevant facts.
While many obsess on Melo’s unsatisfactory (the box makes him look a lot better than he did in real time) and unsuccessful return last night to Madison Square Garden … and the rest assess his accountability for the Thunder’s 14-15 mediocrity, my unfeasible objective is to set the record straight, as well as the recorders of NBA history, regarding New York’s disastrous deal.
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Other shoe certain to drop in hoop harassment cases

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New York
 
As of today, the moment I’m sending this baby to bed, not a single NBA owner, executive, coach, player, or anyone affiliated with the league’s TV partners, past and present, has been accused of sexual transgression, assault, or harassment.
 
Is it humanely possible basketball people exercise more social skills than politicians, comedians, journalists, stock brokers, musical conductors, actors, producers, doctors, more politicians, religious officials, more producers, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera?
 
Don’t be ridiculous!
 
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Lack of probing into Fizdale firing very telling

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New York
There is just one explanation why nobody whose duty it is to cover the NBA has bothered to confirm or deny my account concerning the sudden extraction of David Fizdale as Grizzlies head coach:
The buddy-buddy system that permeates my profession … though I suppose, a good case could be made that sheer laziness is also a fundamental factor.
On the day Fizdale and the Grizzlies ended their alliance after one season and 19 games (7-12), I revealed he’d forced management to fire him by refusing to reconcile differences with Marc Gasol.
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Fizdale paved way for early exit from Grizzlies

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New York
Contrary to what is being written everywhere, ESPN being the first to get it wrong, the Grizzlies did not sack coach David Fizdale; in essence, he demanded to be fired.
No, I was not in the Grizzlies’ situation room yesterday when his dismissal was determined. Nor have I spoken to anyone who was. Nonetheless, this is specifically what happened:
Asked by GM Chris Wallace if he could resolve his relationship with Marc Gasol, which Memphis’ media suddenly revealed, or, at least, was now unconstrained to report, had been shaky since last season.
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Suns set right pace against Lakers in win

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New York

I felt compelled to restart my computer late last night after watching the Suns liquidate the Lakers, 122-113, and listening to LA’s post-game show.

James Worthy, the regular studio analyst who offers very deliberate commentary, had a few decent opinions. Usually his partner is Robert Horry, low key and consistently candid. This time it was Derek Fisher, whose insights were, in a word, wonderful.

As best I can remember (I wasn’t taking notes), he said, “You could tell right from the start that the Suns wanted this game more than the Lakers. I’m not saying the Lakers didn’t want it. The Suns just wanted it more. They were coming off a beat down by Houston and already had lost twice to the Lakers.”

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