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Miami averaged 96.5 PPG last season without Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

Making future book odds in any sport is a difficult task, but creating numbers when one of the favorites has a completely revamped roster is a tricky proposition.
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NBA Odds: Free agent future book fallout

The combination of free agent signings and a flurry of trades have significantly changed future book odds for the upcoming...

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Lakers rally for 16th NBA Championship

Boston Celtics fans probably won't think of this year's NBA Finals as a great series, at least until they get...

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The Latest In Sports News

09/02/2010

18:27 Nuggets: Melo Not On The Market
Nuggets: Melo Not On The Market
The Denver Nuggets are telling teams that Carmelo Anthony isn't on the market, ESPN.com reports.

Five unnamed teams interested in Anthony told ESPN that the Nuggets are ending conversations before they even begin, saying they "don't want to engage in Melo talks."

The report indicates that the Nuggets want new VP of basketball operations Masai Ujiri to try and reconcile with Denver's star in the hopes that he will re-sign with the club.

Last week, Yahoo! Sports reported the Nuggets were taking a stand against Anthony's representation, which was behind much of the trade talk around the superstar.
09:26 U.S. Overcomes Sluggish 1st Half and Slams Tunisia
U.S. Overcomes Sluggish 1st Half and Slams Tunisia
Team USA outscored Tunisia 53-24 in the second half of Thursday's game to win 92-57 and finish 5-0 in preliminary play at the FIBA World Championship.

Eric Gordon led the U.S. with 21 points. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each scored 14.

Team USA appeared lethargic in the first half, leading by just six. Tunisia found itself with numerous easy opportunities to keep the game close in the first half, but just minutes into the second half, the U.S. went on a decisive run to close the third quarter that would put the game away for good.

09/01/2010

16:23 Delonte West Slated to Rejoin Celtics
Delonte West Slated to Rejoin Celtics
West will sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Celtics, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

He was drafted by the Celtics in 2004 and spent his first three seasons there. West had his two best seasons in terms of PPG for the Celtics, but this time around he will be in more of a reserve role behind Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Nate Robinson.
08:39 Jamal Crawford drawing interest from three teams
Jamal Crawford drawing interest from three teams
Three NBA teams have contacted the Atlanta Hawks about the availability of guard Jamal Crawford according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

According to the report, which does not name the individual teams, all three clubs were turned away by the Hawks.

Over the weekend, the Journal Constitution and other outlets reported that Crawford would like to be traded if he does not receive a contract extension. Crawford is in the final year of a deal that will pay him roughly $10 million for the 2010-11 season

Hawks GM Rick Sund is currently on vacation, but when he returns, Al Horford, not Crawford is the player who is reportedly most likely to receive an extension.

08/31/2010

09:23 Carmelo Anthony accused by Groupie
Carmelo Anthony accused by Groupie
Carmelo Anthony has allegedly had a police report filed against him by an infamous celebrity groupie after a threat posted on Twitter over the weekend.

Early Sunday morning, a series of messages appeared on Carmelo Anthony's Twitter account threatening Kat Stacks, who is best known for her relationships with high profile entertainers.

Hours later, Carmelo Anthony's Twitter account was gone only to return later in the day with a message that his account had been hacked: "Im back on! My account was hacked.Thanks twitter for getting me str8. Jst finished my first movie in China now im headed back to the States."

It is unclear what agency Stacks filed a police report with initially. Stacks claims the FBI was involved because the case involved the internet.

08/30/2010

14:30 Team USA Holds Off Tough Team Brazil
Team USA Holds Off Tough Team Brazil
Team USA has passed its first serious test.

The Americans were pressed by Brazil on Monday at the World Championship before holding on to win 70-68. They all but locked up Group B with a 3-0 record and group games left against flyweights Iran and Tunisia.

Forward Kevin Durant scored a game-high 27 points for Team USA.

Brazil had a chance to tie the score with 3.5 seconds left when guard Marcelo Huertas, after being fouled by Derrick Rose, stepped to the foul line. But he missed the first shot. He intentionally missed the second and Brazil rebounded before Leandro Barbosa missed a difficult layup at the buzzer.

The Americans trailed by as much as 30-22 in the first half and were down 46-43 at halftime. The score was tied 62-62 with eight minutes left in the game before the Americans scored four straight points to take the lead for good. But Brazil wouldn't go away.

After Durant had averaged just 22 minutes in the first two games, coach Mike Krzyzewski turned him lose, and he played 39 minutes. With a battle on his hands, Krzyzewski shortened the bench considerably. Danny Granger and Stephen Curry didn't play and Eric Gordon, Kevin Love and Tyson Chandler each logged just five minutes.

Brazil was without Cleveland Cavaliers big man Anderson Varejao, who has yet to play in the Worlds due to a sprained ankle suffered in an Aug.17 exhibition game.

Without a key big man, Brazil turned to the perimeter with great success. The team shot 7 of 11 from three-point range in the first half.

Brazil couldn't keep shooting like that the whole game, and it didn't. The team finished 10 of 28 from beyond the arc.

Doing most of the damage outside for Brazil was Marcus Veira. He scored a team-high 16 point, and was 4 of 5 from three-point range.

The Americans also got 15 points from guard Chauncey Billups, who scored on a key drive with 51 seconds left for a 70-66 lead. But Barbosa cut the deficit to 70-68 on an inside shot with 32 seconds left. But he couldn't tie it at the end.

Brazil also got 13 points and 10 rebounds from center Tiago Splitter, who signed earlier this summer with San Antonio. Splitter got in foul trouble and five turnovers, but overall was solid.
12:19 Jordan, Bobcats Make Donation to NC Schools
Jordan, Bobcats Make Donation to NC Schools
Michael Jordan and his Bobcats NBA team will donate $250,000 to middle-school athletics programs in Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city.

The Charlotte Observer says the NBA hall-of-famer and North Carolina native will announce the gift Monday.

Jordan, who made a fortune playing in the NBA and marketing his image as one of the world's best-known athletes, talked about being a contributor to the Charlotte community when he bought the Bobcats this spring.

Charlotte schools cut $1.25 million cut from athletics programs this year and school officials announced a plan to charge students $50 for middle-schoolers and $100 high-schoolers who play.
08:05 Nuggets target 3 teams for Anthony trade
Nuggets target 3 teams for Anthony trade
Perhaps Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony will reconsider his desire to be traded.

According to a report by NBA.com, the three teams that the Nuggets most want to work with should they decide to trade Anthony are the Timberwolves, Kings and Nets, three teams that combined for 52 wins last year.

Anthony is said to be amenable to a trade with the Nets, though the Rockets and Knicks are preferred destinations.

New Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri told NBA.com, "I'm excited to meet with Melo and just go over everything. I don't know what difference I'm going to make, but I'm excited. This has been Melo's team and Melo's city almost, basketballwise. He's built a legacy here. The players who have played in one city and stayed in one city have done pretty well."

08/29/2010

13:49 Like Father Like Son Knicks Sign Patrick Ewing Jr.
Like Father Like Son Knicks Sign Patrick Ewing Jr.
Patrick Ewing Jr. is back with the team where his father became famous.

The team says the former Georgetown star signed with the New York Knicks as a free agent Friday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ewing was the 43rd pick of the 2008 draft by Sacramento, but wound up with the Knicks through a series of moves. He spent the 2008-09 season in the NBA Development League but missed all of last season because of injuries.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 4.8 points in four games for the Knicks' summer league team.

Ewing's father played 15 seasons for the Knicks before finishing his career in Seattle and Orlando. The elder Ewing appeared in 11 All-Star Games with New York.

The Knicks' roster stands at 15 players.
09:57 Team USA defeats Slovenia in worlds
Team USA defeats Slovenia in worlds
Team USA defeated Slovenia 99-77 on Sunday to improve to 2-0 in the group stage of the FIBA World Basketball Championship in Turkey.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 22 points. Kevin Love had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Rudy Gay (16), Russell Westbrook (11) and Andre Iguodola (11) also scored in double figures.

USA jumped out to a 23-11 first-quarter lead, but Slovenia quickly cut into that lead in the second quarter. Slovenia got as close as five points, trailing 28-23, but USA quickly responded with an 8-0.

08/28/2010

12:53 Hawks' Jamal Crawford Wants To Be Traded
Hawks' Jamal Crawford Wants To Be Traded
Hawks guard Jamal Crawford, who was voted the NBA's sixth man of the year last season, wants a trade out of Atlanta if he doesn't get a contract extension, according to multiple reports.

Crawford is entering the final year of his contract after averaging 18.0 points last season, and 16.3 points in the playoffs. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that Crawford would prefer to stay in Atlanta, but wants to negotiate an extension while his value is high and before the league's current collective bargaining agreement ends next summer.

One issue for a potential extension is the Hawks' current payroll. They re-signed SG Joe Johnson" this summer for $119 million over six years. ESPN.com reported that Crawford is upset the team hasn't been willing to make him an offer, but the Hawks already have about $50 million committed for the 2011-12 season.
11:29 Eric Gordon T-USA: Blows Out Croatia 106-78
Eric Gordon T-USA: Blows Out Croatia 106-78
Kevin Durant scored 14 points and got the United States started on a dominant second-quarter stretch in a 106-78 victory over Croatia on Saturday in its opening game at the world championship.

Eric Gordon made four 3-pointers and had 16 points to lead the Americans, who turned a close game into a blowout by limiting the Croatians to six points in the second quarter. Chauncey Billups finished with 12 points.

It was an impressive start for a U.S. team that came to Turkey without any players who helped them win the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics. Instead of those superstars, the Americans are left with a young, ndersized team that features Durant, the NBA's leading scorer, as its centerpiece.
09:52 Assistant Coach Snyder Takes Long Road To 76ers
Assistant Coach Snyder Takes Long Road To 76ers
Quin Snyder once was the next big coaching star in college. He led Missouri to four straight NCAA appearances and one trip to the final eight.

As quickly as Snyder rose at Missouri, his fall was just as swift. The Tigers stumbled on the court and were plagued by off-the-court problems. Snyder officially resigned in the middle of the 2005-06 season. He says he may as well have been fired.

He took a year off from basketball before eventually resurfacing in the NBDL. Snyder's rise back to coaching prominence would be a slow one this time around.

But Snyder has found his way back to the big time. He was hired this summer by the Philadelphia 76ers as an assistant coach on Doug Collins' staff. Snyder says he's learned so much since Missouri and is ready for his new opportunity.

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Full Scoreboard | Odds

nba SCORES September 2, 2010

Puerto Rico Cote d'Ivoire	-18½ 154½	79 88	Final
Spain Canada	-20 152½	89 67	Final
Angola Australia	151 -12	55 76	Final
USA Tunisia	-44½ 163½	92 57	Final
Greece Russia	-6 147½	69 73	Final
Lebanon Lithuania	156½ -16	66 84	Final
Argentina Serbia	154½ -4½	82 84	Final
Slovenia Iran	-17½ 145½	65 60	Final
Turkey China	-11 157	87 40	Final
New Zealand France	146 -7½	82 70	Final
Jordan Germany	148½ -9½	73 91	Final
Brazil Croatia	-5 155	92 74	Final

Don Best: Exclusive Sports News, Articles and Information

Conference call

NBA Odds: Free agent future book fallout

Lakers rally for 16th NBA Championship

MORE EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES

The Latest In Sports News

Nuggets: Melo Not On The Market

U.S. Overcomes Sluggish 1st Half and Slams Tunisia

Delonte West Slated to Rejoin Celtics

Jamal Crawford drawing interest from three teams

Carmelo Anthony accused by Groupie

Team USA Holds Off Tough Team Brazil

Jordan, Bobcats Make Donation to NC Schools

Nuggets target 3 teams for Anthony trade

Like Father Like Son Knicks Sign Patrick Ewing Jr.

Team USA defeats Slovenia in worlds

Hawks' Jamal Crawford Wants To Be Traded

Eric Gordon T-USA: Blows Out Croatia 106-78

Assistant Coach Snyder Takes Long Road To 76ers