Spurs Buford earns 2013-14 NBA exec of year award

SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs general manager RC Buford has been named the 2013-14 NBA Executive of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.

Buford assembled a roster this season that featured six players averaging double figures in scoring and eight players averaging 20-or-more minutes.

The Spurs clinched homecourt advantage for the 2014 postseason by virtue of having posted the league's best record at 62-20 (.756). San Antonio was the only team to record 30-plus wins both at home (32-9, .780) and on the road (30-11, .732), and the 2013-14 campaign marked the 15th consecutive season that the Spurs posted 50-plus wins -- an NBA record. Of the 16 teams that qualified for this year's playoffs, San Antonio was the lone team with only one Top 10 draft pick on its roster.

"I'm extremely happy for RC Buford to have won this award, which is both absolutely deserved and long overdue," said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. "His knowledge of the rules, basketball expertise and keen eye for talent have served the Spurs organization well for a very long time. It has been a personal pleasure to be at his side during this period."

Buford, now in his 23rd season with San Antonio and 12th as general manager, is the third Spurs executive to receive the award. Bob Bass was honored in 1989-90 and Angelo Drossos won it in 1978-79.

One of Buford's biggest moves heading into 2013-14 took place on July 10, 2013, when the Spurs signed free agent Marco Belinelli. The seven-year NBA veteran enjoyed his best season, averaging 11.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting a career-best .485 (337-695) from the field and .430 (126-293) from three-point range which ranked fifth in the NBA.

San Antonio also re-signed guard Manu Ginobili and center Tiago Splitter to multiyear contracts in July and secured guard Patty Mills and forward Boris Diaw with player options.

Since making the move to the front office in the summer of 1994, Buford has been a central figure in shaping the Spurs roster by with international talent. At the start of the 2013-14 season the Silver and Black had a roster made up of 10 international players, the most in NBA history. The current roster is comprised of nine players born outside of the continental United States, which leads the NBA.

During his tenure as general manager, Buford has played an integral role in keeping the Spurs core of Parker, Ginobili and Tim Duncan together. As a trio the "Big Three" have played 675 games together and have amassed 498 wins, second in NBA history behind the Celtics trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish (540 wins).

The longstanding trio has been fortified in recent years with the additions of Boris Diaw, Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills (third seasons with the team), as well as Danny Green and Tiago Splitter (fourth seasons with the team).

Buford also holds the title of President of Sports Franchises for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, presiding over the WNBA's San Antonio Stars, the NBA Development League's Austin Toros and the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League, in addition to the Spurs.

Buford totaled 58 points and received nine first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team basketball executives throughout the NBA. The Phoenix Suns' Ryan McDonough finished second with 47 points (five first-place votes) votes and the Portland Trail Blazers' Neil Olshey finished third with 34 points (five first-place votes). Executives were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

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Kevin Durant wins 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award

NEW YORK -- Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, the NBA announced today. It is the first MVP award for Durant, who captured his fourth scoring title in five seasons, joining Wilt Chamberlain, George Gervin and Michael Jordan as the only players to accomplisah this feat. Despite teammate Russell Westbrook appearing in only 46 games, Durant guided the Thunder to the NBA's second-best record at 59-23.

Durant totaled 1,232 points, including 119 first-place votes, from a panel of 124 voters that consisted of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada as well as an NBA.com MVP fan vote, making for 125 total ballots. For the fifth consecutive season, the NBA and Kia Motors America gave fans the opportunity to submit their votes by ranking their top five choices through a dedicated Web page on NBA.com. The fan vote counted as one vote and was compiled with the 124 media votes to determine the winner. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for each third-place vote, three for each fourth-place vote and one for each fifth-place vote received.

Rounding out the top five in voting are Miami's LeBron James (891 points, six first-place votes), the Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin (434 points), the Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (322 points), and the Houston Rockets' James Harden (85 points).

Durant averaged a career-best 32.0 points to go with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, also a career high. In capturing his fourth scoring title, he joined Jordan (10), Chamberlain (seven), Gervin (four), and Allen Iverson (four) as the only players in league annals to win at least four scoring titles. He shot .503 from the field, .391 from three-point range, and .873 from the free throw line, leading all players in free throws made (703) and attempted (805). Durant authored two 50-point games, topped the 40-point mark on 14 occasions, and turned in 17 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Durant's consistency was highlighted by his streak of 41 consecutive games scoring at least 25 points, which ran from Jan. 7 through April 6, and was the longest streak since Michael Jordan did it in 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season. It's the third-longest streak (single season) in NBA history, behind Wilt Chamberlain, who did it in all 80 games during the 1961-62 season, and Oscar Robertson, who went for 25-plus in 46 straight games during the 1963-64 season. Chamberlain did it for 106 straight games over the course of the 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons.

The winner of four Kia NBA Player of the Month honors in 2013-14 (October-November, December, January and March), Durant was also named Player of the Week six times (Dec. 2, Dec. 30, Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and March 24).

The NBA MVP trophy is named in honor of the late Maurice Podoloff, the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1963.

As part of its support of the Most Valuable Player Award, Kia Motors America (KMA) will donate an all-new 2015 Kia Sorento LX CUV to Moore Youth & Family Services on behalf of Durant. Kia Motors will present a Sorento to the charity of choice of each of five 2013-14 year-end award winners as part of "The Kia NBA Performance Awards." Following this season, Kia Motors will have donated a total of 31 new vehicles to charitable organizations since its support of the NBA's prestigious year-end honors began in 2008.

The 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award is part of a series of on-court performance awards called "The Kia NBA Performance Awards." The series, currently in its seventh season, is part of a multiyear marketing partnership between KMA and the NBA, and includes five of the league's most prestigious year-end honors: Most Valuable Player Award, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Most Improved Player Award, and Rookie of the Year. The series also includes the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month and the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month during the regular season. Kia Motors is the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and the Kia Optima is the league's Official Vehicle.

source: nba

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has banned Donald Sterling for life

NEW YORK (NBA) -- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has banned Donald Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers or the NBA, it was announced today at a press conference in Manhattan.

Commissioner Silver has also fined Mr. Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA Constitution. The fine money will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association.

As part of the lifetime ban, Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings and participating in any other league activity.

Commissioner Silver also announced that he will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team.

The discipline issued today is based on the Commissioner's conclusion that Mr. Sterling violated league rules through his expressions of offensive and hurtful views, the impact of which has been widely felt throughout the league.

A transcript of Commissioner Silver's press conference will be issued this afternoon and posted on the NBA's media website.

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Bogut and Jackson to Warriors for Monta Ellis, Brown and Udoh

A league source confirms that the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks have agreed on a trade that will send guard Monta Ellis, forward Ekpe Udoh and veteran center Kwame Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks for center Andrew Bogut and guard Stephen Jackson.

The trade officially ends the Warriors' already-slim hopes of being part of a trade for Dwight Howard. Golden State had told the Orlando Magic it would be willing to do a deal for Howard even though Howard had said he would not sign a long-term extension there.

Instead, the Warriors opted to try and solve their long-held problem in the middle by trading for Bogut, who has been one of the game's top young centers since being taken first overall in the 2005 Draft. However, several injuries over the years to Bogut made Milwaukee leery of his long-term stability, and with $27 million and two years left on his deal, the Bucks weren't ready to give him an extension. A league source said that Bogut was equally uncertain about his future in Milwaukee and had indeed asked for a trade in the last few weeks.

The trade also breaks up the small backcourt of Ellis and Stephen Curry and brings in the type of big man the franchise has been seeking for years.

The deal was done after the Warriors agreed to take Jackson, the veteran guard who had fallen out of favor with Bucks coach Scott Skiles. Jackson has one year and $10 million remaining on his deal and wanted to be moved to a contending team. He had been acquired on Draft day last June from the Bobcats as part of a three-team trade with Sacramento, Charlotte and Milwaukee.

A second source said the Houston Rockets had been trying in recent days to work out a deal for Bogut, who is expected to miss several more weeks after fracturing his ankle in January. Bogut could be back in case the Warriors, who have been playing better of late, complete an improbable playoff run. Golden State is currently just three games out of the final playoff spot in the west.

Yahoo!Sports first reported the multi-player trade.

"We're extremely excited to acquire a player the caliber of Andrew Bogut, who we think is certainly one of the top centers in the NBA,'' general manager Larry Riley said. "He will add an element of toughness to our team and will provide us with scoring, rebounding and a defensive presence in the middle. We've lacked those elements in recent years and think that Andrew's addition will be a key factor in the growth of our team.''

Ellis and Udoh left the team before Golden State's 115-89 win at Sacramento. The deal was announced shortly after the game ended. Ellis, whose future has been subject of trade speculation, was reminded that he recently said he wanted to stay with the Warriors long term.

"Well, everybody says that,'' Ellis said. "But sometimes it (doesn't) always work out like that.''

The players won't be separated from their respective former teams for very long, as the Warriors host the Bucks on Friday night.

Bogut fractured his left ankle Jan. 25 against Houston when he landed awkwardly, and it's not clear if he'll be able to return this season. The original timetable for his recovery was eight to 12 weeks. It's one of several significant injuries that have plagued Bogut throughout his career.

Bogut missed the end of the 2009-10 season when he dislocated his right elbow, sprained his right wrist and broke his right hand in a hard fall to the floor. The injury bothered him for much of last season.

Bogut also missed significant time with an injured lower back in the 2008-09 season.

When Bogut has played, he has played well. In 408 career games, he is averaging 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots.

The Bucks struggled in February without Bogut, but have won four of their last five to chase down the struggling New York Knicks in a race for what would be the No. 8 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Jackson, meanwhile, hasn't played since Feb. 19, recently sitting out with what the team has described as a hamstring injury. Skiles benched him for a game in January after he missed a shootaround, he was suspended one game by the NBA for verbally abusing an official and his playing time has been limited ever since.

The deal brings the enigmatic "Captain Jack'' back to the Bay Area. He helped lead the team's only playoff run since 1994, a surprising trip to the second round in 2007. In October 2009, the disgruntled Golden State star asked to relinquish his captain title during a meeting with Riley and then-Warriors coach Don Nelson. He was traded to Charlotte the next month.

Ellis has been the Warriors' main offensive threat, averaging 21.9 points. But Golden State struggled to win with the backcourt tandem of Ellis and Curry. The deal clears a spot for 6-foot-7 rookie Klay Thompson to take over at shooting guard, adding needed size to the starting backcourt

Ellis signed a six-year, $66 million contract in July 2008, then injured his left ankle in August in a low-speed moped crash -- an offseason activity prohibited in his deal as is a standard provision for contracts around the league. It cost him a 30-game suspension without pay.

Udoh is averaging 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 21.8 minutes for the Warriors. Udoh is an athletic power forward who was Golden State's sixth pick in the 2010 draft out of Baylor. The Warriors hoped he would become a reliable defender, rebounder and shot blocker.

Brown, a former No. 1 overall pick by Washington, is likely out for the season with a chest injury and will be eligible to be a free agent this summer.

"The difficult part of this transaction is having to part ways with several players who we really value and one, in particular, Monta Ellis, who has been instrumental in our organization for the last several years,'' Riley said. "We wish Monta, Ekpe and Kwame the best of luck in Milwaukee and thank them for their many contributions.''

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Durants wins first All-Star MVP award

Kevin Durant cringes a little whenever he hears his name next to words like elite or superstar.

But after winning his first All-Star MVP award with a scoring display that ranked among the best in the game's history, even Durant might have to acknowledge his own NBA stardom.

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward scored 36 points and grabbed seven rebounds Sunday night to help the West hold off a late charge from the East in a 152-149 victory.

"It's just exciting to be named (an) All-Star, but to step it up another level and become MVP, it's only something as a kid you dream about," Durant said. "Coming from where I come from, I didn't think I would be here. Everything is just a blessing to me."

His performance was a small piece of All-Star redemption for Durant after he came up just short against Minnesota's Kevin Love in Saturday night's 3-point Shootout.

Durant dazzled with a scoring barrage that included jump shots, slashing layups and dunks to help the West open a 21-point lead. He even eclipsed West teammate Kobe Bryant, who scored 27 points and passed Michael Jordan to become the top career scorer in All-Star game history.

Durant said there was no special method to how he approached the game, but said he and West coach Scott Brooks did have a discussion back in Oklahoma City in which Durant let him know he didn't mind logging a high number of All-Star minutes.

Durant finished the night playing a game-high 37.

"I'm always like that," Durant said. "You know, every game I play in I try to be aggressive and be myself. It made it easier having my coaches over there, as well. ... People just sacrificed shots, and that's what you like to see from superstars."

Miami's Dwyane Wade said Durant will be a player to watch in future games.

"That record (Kobe) got, with KD in the league, I don't know how long it's going to last," Wade said.

Brooks said he's never amazed by the fifth-year player anymore.

"This is his first time of probably many," Brooks said of the MVP award. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to coach him. The guy, he does a lot of things well. ... He just comes in and does his work."

Durant said Sunday's honor ranks high on his list of career achievements, including the gold medal he won at the world championships in 2010.

"It ranks right up there at the top," Durant said. "I keep saying it, but I'm excited I got it, and I'm glad I get to celebrate this with my family and my teammates and everybody in Oklahoma City. We'll see if I get another one down the line."

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Kobe breaks Jordan' mark for career All - Star point

Kobe Bryant has surpassed Michael Jordan as the NBA All-Star game's greatest scorer.

Bryant broke Jordan's record of 262 points on a dunk with 4:57 left in the third quarter. That gave him 20 points for the game.

Owner of a record-tying four All-Star MVP awards, Bryant began the night with 244 points in the 12 games he had played in. He passed Oscar Robertson (246 points) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (251) earlier in Sunday night's game.

Bryant tied the record on two free throws in the third quarter, taking a break between them to wipe blood from his nose after a hard foul from Miami's Dwyane Wade.

Jordan played in 13 All-Star games.

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Jeremy Evans wins 2012 NBA Slam Dunk contest

His nickname is the Human Pogo Stick and Utah's Jeremy Evans set out to put some bounce back into the Slam Dunk Contest.

Evans endeared himself to the fans with a mix of props and creativity, and they voted him the winner of one of the marquee events of the NBA's All-Star Saturday festivities.

Evans, who got into the competition as a replacement for injured New York guard Iman Shumpert, earned 29 percent of the 3 million votes cast. He beat out Houston's Chase Budinger, Indiana's Paul George and Minnesota's Derrick Williams for the Jazz's first-ever trophy in the contest.

In a departure from past dunk competitions, fans were given complete voting power and cast their ballots by text message after each of the four participants competed in three one-dunk rounds.

Evans dunked with a camera on his head, slammed two basketballs while jumping over a seated assistant and donned a Karl Malone jersey to dunk over mailman-dressed comedian Kevin Hart.

Evans said the Jazz didn't have any input in the Malone-themed idea.

"Not at all," he said. "I was just thanking the Jazz fans. You want to do something to get them in it. So I felt that was a good way. And Dwight Howard, he helped me big time. That was huge."

Budinger got just as many cheers from the Amway Center fans as Evans, and some in the celebrity-filled crowd sighed when the winner was announced.

Budinger got his biggest reaction when he donned a Cedric Ceballos jersey and imitated his 1992 blindfolded dunk, completing it with a reverse slam.

"I've very happy with my performance. I went out there, I had a plan and I executed the plan and the fans voted and I didn't win and that happens sometimes," Budinger said. "But I had great dunks and they're going to be great memories as well."

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Kevin Love Surprisingly wins 2012 NBA 3-point Shootout

Kevin Love knows something about dunking. He does most of his dirty work inside for Minnesota, but he got to show off his outside touch on Saturday night.

Love beat out Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant to win the 3-Point Shootout. The former UCLA star was consistent throughout, but had to survive a tiebreaker in the first round and sweat out the last few shots from Durant to pull out the 17-14 victory in the final.

Love is in the middle for a breakout year for Minnesota, averaging 25 points and 9.9 rebounds a game. But he also has connected on 49 of 141 3-point attempts for the Timberwolves.

"You know, I'm a guy that loves to rebound the ball, a guy that loves to play inside, really a physical player," Love said. "But for me, coming into the league, I was told not to shoot 3-point shots, so to be where I am now and continue to work on my game; I think this definitely speaks to my versatility. I think I'll just continue to improve year in and year out."

Love was tied for third after the opening round of the Shootout and beat Miami's Mario Chalmers 5-4 in a tiebreaker. Defending champion James Jones led all shooters in the opening round with 22 and Durant was next with 20.

Orlando's Ryan Anderson just missed eliminating both Love and Chalmers, totaling 17 after missing his final 2-point money ball.

Love and Durant both had 16 in Round 2 to advance to the finals, with Jones posting 12.

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Tony Parker wins 2012 Skills Competition

San Antonio point guard Tony Parker then won the Skills Competition. Parker was the only one of six participants to break 30 seconds in the first round (29.2) and this time of 32.8 in the final run on the obstacle course was better than Boston's Rajon Rondo (34.6) and New Jersey's Deron Williams (41.4).

The speedy Parker put together an impressive display on the skills obstacle course, which involves participants moving through a dribbling circuit, successfully throwing chest passes through a hanging tire and driving for a layup.

Williams, the 2008 winner, holds the record for the skills' course at 25 seconds, but had trouble completing a pass in the final round on Saturday.

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Budinger, George, Shumpert, and Williams in Sprite Slam Dunk 2012

NEW YORK -- The 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk in Orlando will feature a series of firsts, including four first-time participants, a new single-round format in which the winner will be chosen solely by fan vote, and the introduction of fan voting via Twitter.

The four players who will vie for the Sprite Slam Dunk championship on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando (TNT, 8 p.m. ET) include the Houston Rockets' Chase Budinger, the Indiana Pacers' Paul George, the New York Knicks' Iman Shumpert, and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Derrick Williams.

A new format will be implemented for the 2012 competition. The contest will consist of only one round and each competitor will execute three dunks. Fan voting will open after all four players have completed their first dunk. Previously, the Sprite Slam Dunk contest consisted of two rounds, with the first round scored by a panel of judges which determined two finalists.

Beginning this year, only fan voting will be utilized in determining the winner and voting also will expand to social media. For the first time ever, fans will be able to cast votes on Twitter by posting a corresponding letter assigned to each dunker along with the hashtag #SpriteSlam. Since 2008, fans have determined the winner of the Sprite Slam Dunk through SMS TXT and voting on NBA.com as part of the "They Dunk. You Decide" campaign.

The Sprite Slam Dunk is part of NBA All-Star 2012, which also includes the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm featuring the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, Haier Shooting Stars and Taco Bell Skills Challenge; NBA All-Star Jam Session; and the 61st NBA All-Star Game.

Sprite, the world's leading lemon-lime soft drink, has been the official soft drink of the NBA since 1994 and the title partner of the All-Star Slam Dunk competition since 2003.

Sprite Slam Dunk Year-By-Year Winners

2011 -- Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers 2010 -- Nate Robinson, New York 2009 -- Nate Robinson, New York 2008 -- Dwight Howard, Orlando 2007 -- Gerald Green, Boston 2006 -- Nate Robinson, New York 2005 -- Josh Smith, Atlanta 2004 -- Fred Jones, Indiana 2003 -- Jason Richardson, Golden State 2002 -- Jason Richardson, Golden State 2001 -- Desmond Mason, Seattle 2000 -- Vince Carter, Toronto 1997 -- Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 1996 -- Brent Barry, L.A. Clippers 1995 -- Harold Miner, Miami 1994 -- Isaiah Rider, Minnesota 1993 -- Harold Miner, Miami 1992 -- Cedric Ceballos, Phoenix 1991 -- Dee Brown, Boston 1990 -- Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta 1989 -- Kenny Walker, New York 1988 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1987 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1986 -- Spud Webb, Atlanta 1985 -- Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta 1984 -- Larry Nance, Phoenix

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Griffin, Irving are first two picks in Rising Stars Draft

NEW YORK -- TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, serving as general managers for the 2012 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, made their player selections Thursday night on NBA TV.

With the first pick of the first-ever draft for the event, TEAM SHAQ selected Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers while TEAM CHUCK countered by tapping Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers with the second overall selection. Each former All-Star then filled their rosters through the draft process.

In a Draft night surprise, TNT's Kenny Smith, the Honorary Commissioner of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, added Norris Cole of the Miami Heat and Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks to the player pool.

The 2012 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge will be played Friday, Feb. 24, in Orlando during NBA All-Star 2012. While Barkley and O'Neal functioned as the general managers for the draft, Smith served as the honorary commissioner and Ernie Johnson performed the hosting role.

Joining Griffin, Lin and Cole on TEAM SHAQ are Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves), Markieff Morris (Phoenix Suns), Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats), Landry Fields (New York Knicks), Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons).

Besides Irving, TEAM CHUCK is comprised of DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Derrick Williams (Minnesota Timberwolves), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), MarShon Brooks (New Jersey Nets), John Wall (Washington Wizards), Tiago Splitter (San Antonio Spurs), Evan Turner (Philadelphia 76ers), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs).

This marks the first year in which rookies and sophomores have been mixed together on teams. Historically, the game featured NBA rookies facing off against sophomores. The participants in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge were selected by the NBA's assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot.

TNT analysts Mike Fratello and Steve Kerr will be part of the coaching staffs for the teams, with Fratello joining TEAM CHUCK and Kerr joining TEAM SHAQ. The head coaches for both teams are the lead assistant coaches from the 2012 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The Chicago Bulls' Ron Adams will lead TEAM SHAQ and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Maurice Cheeks will man the sidelines for TEAM CHUCK.

The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge will be televised live nationally on TNT at 9 p.m. ET and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, while NBA.com will make live audio available to fans in multiple languages.

Last year in Los Angeles, the Rookies won for the second consecutive year, 148-140. Wall earned MVP honors after recording a record 22 assists, five more than Chris Paul managed in 2007.

Tickets to the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge are available for $35 for the upper bowl and $50 for the lower bowl, and fans can visit NBA.com/allstar2012 to purchase them.

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Team Atlanta aims to be first repeat Shooting Stars Champion

NEW YORK -- Team Atlanta will attempt to become the first repeat Haier Shooting Stars champion as it competes against a field that includes squads representing New York, Texas and NBA All-Star 2012 host city Orlando at Amway Center on Feb. 25.

The home team, Team Orlando, includes the Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson, an All-Star in 2009; Florida native and three-time WNBA All-Star Marie Ferdinand-Harris; and former Magic great Dennis Scott, who spent seven seasons with Orlando after the team made him the fourth overall selection of the 1990 NBA Draft.

Team Atlanta features the Atlanta Hawks' Joe Johnson, who was named an All-Star for the sixth time this year; Lindsey Harding of the reigning WNBA Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Dream; and NBA TV analyst Steve Smith, an All-Star selection in 1998 with the Hawks and a member of the 2003 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

Team New York is comprised of the New York Knicks' Landry Fields, who will also play for Team Shaq in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend; the New York Liberty's Cappie Pondexter, a four-time WNBA All-Star and one of the league's top scorers; and former Knicks great Allan Houston, who averaged 17.3 points over his 12-year NBA career, and currently works in New York's front office as an assistant general manager.

Team Texas is represented by the Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons, an Orlando-area native and second-round pick in 2011, who's worked his way into the Rockets' starting lineup as a rookie; the San Antonio Silver Stars' Sophia Young, a four-time WNBA All-Star, who averaged 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2011; and TNT analyst Kenny Smith, a two-time NBA champion with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995).

In last year's competition, Team Atlanta, which featured Smith, the Hawks'

Al Horford and the Dream's Coco Miller, defeated Team Texas in the final round with a time of 1:10.

Haier Shooting Stars will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, Sprite Slam Dunk, and Taco Bell Skills Challenge. TNT and ESPN Radio's national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from Amway Center. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 26, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and will be broadcast in more than 40 languages.

The Haier Shooting Stars contest features one current NBA player, one current WNBA player and one TNT on-air talent/NBA legend on each team.

There are six numbered shooting locations of increasing difficulty, with each team attempting to make all shots in numeric order in the fastest time. Each team will select a specific player rotation to follow throughout the competition. Each shot must be made before the next player begins shooting in succession. Teams have up to two minutes to complete the entire shooting course and the team that completes all six shots in the least amount of time is declared the winner. In the case of a tie, a shoot-off will be used to determine the winner.

Listed below are the previous winning teams from the Haier Shooting Star competition:

2004 (Los Angeles) Magic Johnson (L.A. Lakers legend), Derek Fisher (L.A. Lakers), Lisa Leslie (L.A. Sparks)

2005 (Denver) Dan Majerle (Phoenix Suns legend), Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)

2006 (Houston) Steve Kerr (San Antonio Spurs legend), Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), Kendra Wecker (San Antonio Silver Stars)

2007 (Las Vegas) Bill Laimbeer (Detroit Pistons legend), Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons), Swin Cash (Detroit Shock)

2008 (New Orleans) David Robinson (San Antonio legend), Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs), Becky Hammon (San Antonio Silver Stars)

2009 (Phoenix) Bill Laimbeer (Detroit legend), Aaron Afflalo (Detroit Pistons), Katie Smith (Detroit Shock)

2010 (Dallas) Kenny Smith (Texas legend), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks), Becky Hammon (San Antonio Silver Stars)

2011 (Atlanta) Steve Smith (Texas legend), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Coco Miller (Atlanta Dream)

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Curry to defend title in Taco Bell skills challenge

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will defend his Taco Bell Skills Challenge title against a field consisting of Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets. The 2012 Taco Bell Skills Challenge will take place on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando.

Curry will attempt to join the Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash (2005 and 2010) and the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only two-time winners in Taco Bell Skills Challenge history. This year's Taco Bell Skills Challenge will feature an expanded field from five to six participants.

Curry, who leads the Warriors in assists with 6.5 per game and averages 17.2 points and 1.8 steals, won last year's Taco Bell Skills Challenge with a final-round time of 28.2 seconds to beat Westbrook. Irving, the overall top selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, who also is participating in the BBVA Rising Star Challenge, leads rookies in scoring (18.3 ppg) and ranks second in assists (4.8 apg). Parker, a 2012 NBA All-Star, paces the Spurs in both scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (7.8 apg). Wall, the No. 1 selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, averages a team-high 7.5 assists to go along with 16.9 points. Westbrook, the 2011 Taco Bell Skills Challenge runner-up and a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks fifth in the league in scoring (23.2 ppg) and seventh in steals (1.9 spg), while adding 5.5 apg. Williams, the current record holder in the event at 25.5 seconds which he set in 2008 in New Orleans, is a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks sixth in assists (8.3 apg) and eighth in scoring (21.7 ppg).

This is the third year Taco Bell has offered the Graduate To Go experience for teens at the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. In partnership with NBA Cares and the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, each Taco Bell Skills Challenge player will be paired with an All-Star teen from an Orlando area Boys & Girls Club who has shown outstanding leadership and determination to stay in school despite personal obstacles. All participating teens will receive the Graduate to Go experience of a lifetime: a behind-the-scenes career tour of NBA All-Star; an opportunity to meet with NBA players; the chance to be on the court during the Taco Bell Skills Challenge to cheer on their NBA player; and an educational scholarship. At the conclusion of this event, $55,000 in educational scholarships will be awarded to the participating All-Star teens. The teen paired with the winning Taco Bell Skills Challenge player will receive a $25,000 educational scholarship.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and features players competing in a two-round timed "obstacle course" consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The three players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which will also feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest and Sprite Slam Dunk. TNT and ESPN Radio's national coverage will begin at 7 p.m. ET from Amway Center in Orlando. The 61st NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 26, will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio, and in more than 200 countries in more than 40 languages.

Past winners

2003 -- Jason Kidd, New Jersey 2004 -- Baron Davis, New Orleans 2005 -- Steve Nash, Phoenix 2006 -- Dwyane Wade, Miami 2007 -- Dwyane Wade, Miami 2008 -- Deron Williams, Utah 2009 -- Derrick Rose, Chicago 2010 -- Steve Nash, Phoenix 2011 -- Stephen Curry, Golden State

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Mavs' Nowitzki 23rd NBA player to 23,000 points

DALLAS (AP) -- Dirk Nowitzki became the 23rd NBA player to score 23,000 career points, reaching the milestone with a free throw with 7 minutes left in the second quarter in the Dallas Mavericks' game against Milwaukee on Friday night.

During a timeout less than 2 minutes later, fans stood and cheered when the milestone was announced. Nowitzki, who has spent all of his 14 NBA seasons in Dallas, acknowledged the crowd. 

 

"He's had a staggeringly awesome career," coach Rick Carlisle said before the game. "He's right up there (with the best ever)."

Nowitzki, playing his 1,005th game, recently made his 8,000th field goal.

Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett are the only active players with more points than Nowitzki. Elgin Baylor is next on the career list with 23,149 points.

Nowitzki, the 2007 NBA MVP, was the MVP of the NBA finals last season when the Mavericks won their first championship.

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Howard leads all players in first All-Star Ballot returns

NEW YORK -- Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and LeBron James of the Miami Heat top the Eastern Conference, while Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Western Conference after the first returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint. Howard, the Kia Defensive Player of the Year each of the past three seasons, is the overall leader with 754,737 votes. 

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando -- on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

Howard paces centers in the East, followed by the Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (75,038). James leads Eastern Conference forwards with 640,789 votes, followed by Carmelo Anthony (496,351) of the New York Knicks. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls leads Eastern Conference guards with 640,476 votes, followed by Miami's Dwyane Wade (637,912).

Bryant's 690,613 votes leads Western Conference guards, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul placing second (540,173). Durant's 633,538 votes lead forwards in the West, with Blake Griffin of the Clippers next in line with 394,264 votes. The Lakers' Andrew Bynum paces Western Conference centers with 496,597 votes, followed by the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan (134,961).

The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the first returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint are below:

All-Star Balloting Presented By Sprint | Eastern Conference

Forwards: LeBron James (Mia) 640,789; Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 496,351; Amar'e Stoudemire (NYK) 178,797; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 173,161; Chris Bosh (Mia) 140,601; Paul Pierce (Bos) 94,071; Luol Deng (Chi) 85,086; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 54,739; Carlos Boozer (Chi) 53,477; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 43,154.

Guards: Derrick Rose (Chi) 640,476; Dwyane Wade (Mia) 637,912; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 253,969; Ray Allen (Bos) 174,934; Deron Williams (NJN) 89,128; Jose Calderon (Tor) 42,929; John Wall (Was) 38,025; Richard Hamilton (Chi) 36,418; Kyrie Irving (Cle) 27,713; Joe Johnson (Atl) 23,384.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 754,737; Joakim Noah (Chi) 75,038; Tyson Chandler (NYK) 61,774; Joel Anthony (Mia) 41,832; JaVale McGee (Was) 24,713; Al Horford (Atl) 23,546.

All-Star Balloting Presented By Sprint | Western Conference

Forwards: Kevin Durant (OKC) 633,538; Blake Griffin (LAC) 394,264; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832; Pau Gasol (LAL) 185,428; Kevin Love (Min) 143,814; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 118,268; Tim Duncan (SA) 81,783; Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686; Metta World Peace (LAL) 39,006; Danilo Gallinari (Den) 34,438.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 690,613; Chris Paul (LAC) 540,173; Ricky Rubio (Min) 133,520; Steve Nash (Pho) 118,922; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 107,197; Kyle Lowry (Hou) 90,725; Monta Ellis (GS) 63,696; Manu Ginobili (SA) 50,765; Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596; Chauncey Billups (LAC) 42,657.

Centers: Andrew Bynum (LAL) 496,597; DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 134,961; Marc Gasol (Mem) 102,116; Nenê (Den) 94,167; Marcin Gortat (Pho) 62,631; Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 41,579.

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76ers' Hawes out with strained lower back

NEW YORK (AP) -- Starting center Spencer Hawes missed the Philadelphia 76ers' game in New York on Wednesday night because of a strained lower back.

Tony Battie started for Hawes, who was hurt Tuesday night in a victory over Sacramento. He played 11 scoreless minutes before sitting out the second half.

Hawes has been one of the keys to the 76ers' 7-2 start, averaging 11.1 points and a team-leading 9.1 rebounds.

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Horror of Haiti quake still on mind of Rockets' Dalembert

HOUSTON (AP) -- Samuel Dalembert stepped off the plane and barely recognized the land where he grew up.Two frantic days after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake rumbled across his native Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, the veteran NBA center returned to the Caribbean nation and could hardly absorb the chaos and horror.

Victims missing limbs lying helplessly in the littered streets. Children covered in blood, screaming for their parents. Buildings pulverized and homes crushed into twisted piles of rubble.

"You felt like this was the end," Dalembert recalls. "It's like the end of Earth."

Dalembert lost a cousin and several close friends among the estimated 300,000 killed. Another 1.5 million residents were left homeless. Roads were impassable. Communication was impossible.

"You looked at the country," Dalembert remembers, "you felt like it was Armageddon. It was devastating."

Two years later, the NBA's only Haitian-born player prays for progress, while tempering his frustration that more hasn't been done to rebuild his crippled country.

Recently signed by the Houston Rockets, the 6-foot-11 Dalembert is on a mission to help, donating about $650,000 and establishing a foundation for relief efforts and putting down $1 million out of his own pocket to break ground on a sports academy for Haitian children.

"I know I'm not going to be able to save the whole place," he said. "But I know that I can make a difference in some young one's life, and give them hope."

The 30-year-old Dalembert made four trips back home this summer while the NBA's labor dispute lingered. He estimates that the country is "about 20 percent" back to the way it used to be.

President Michel Martelly acknowledged this week that the rebuilding process has been slow, and that he has made mistakes since he was elected last May.

Dalembert has become acquainted with Martelly, a pop star in Haiti when Dalembert was a boy, and he's optimistic that the new president has put the reconstruction on the right track.

"My buddy has become president of the country now, and he's tried to really make a change," Dalembert said with a proud grin. "He's really tried to make things move in. Sometimes, you've got parties that try to hold things down and try to get their own people in. It's politicking and I try to stay away from that."

Before the disaster, Dalembert took classes at Stanford on how to start a charitable foundation to aid his already impoverished country. It launched in 2007. But when he witnessed the scope of the catastrophe three years later, the foundation kicked into high gear, and he began mapping out plans for the first of several community centers that he wants to model after YMCAs in America.

A former first-round pick, Dalembert felt compelled once he reached the NBA to use his fame and wealth to give back to his fellow Haitians, a lesson his parents instilled in him.

He has been an active participant in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Program, a campaign aimed at improving education, health and fitness for young people around the world, and has worked in the aftermath of the earthquake with Medishare, a Miami-based nonprofit agency trying to improve health care in Haiti.

"Looking back, and you say, 'Wow, God kind of gave you this opportunity, coming away from there and being in the league,"' he said. "I take pride in that. I feel like I'm very blessed, and I'll continue to do the best I can and help."

The country was hardly well off before the earthquake, and Dalembert has vivid memories of his own hard-scrabble upbringing.

Food was sparse and when someone cooked, the children shared their paltry portions without hesitation. Electricity was even scarcer, and controlled by the government, so when Dalembert cracked the books to study mathematics, history and Latin it was by candlelight most of the time.

"When they did give back electricity, one time a week, or maybe one time every two weeks," he said, "Mom's trying to iron as many clothes as she can for the days to come, because you don't know the next time they are going to give it back to you."

He moved to Canada with family members as a teenager, found his passion in basketball and earned a scholarship to play at Seton Hall. Dalembert became a shot-blocking specialist in college, and the Philadelphia 76ers took him in the first round of the 2001 draft.

He's in his 10th NBA season now, a respected presence in the Rockets locker room after less than a month with the team. His fierce national pride emerges when he talks about Haiti, even as he opens up about the most painful memories.

Dalembert smiles when he thinks about the country's future, the faith that he puts in Martelly and the resolve of Haiti's people.

"It's in our blood. It's in our blood to fight, and get things," he said. "We basically learn to operate under stressful situations, and we keep on moving, we keep walking on the same path and we're hoping for a better future. If it doesn't happen, hey, life continues."

But he also worries about the safety of family members who remain there, though much of his family has moved to Miami, and a younger brother is going to school in Philadelphia.

Dalembert tried to convince his father, a retired former government official, to leave. Emmanuel Dalembert refused.

"He said, 'Son, in all the life you're living, there's one time you can see your country can be rebuilt,"' Samuel Dalembert said. "Some people never live to see that. He said, 'I will never leave this country, and I will be there.' He's a patriotic guy."

Samuel understands.

"It's like when I go back home," he said. "You see your youth, you've got that sense of pride in you, and you be like, 'Wow, this is my country.'

"I always tell some of those kids, 'Listen, there are countries out there who were not independent until this day,"' he said, "and the only thing you can say is, 'This country is yours, and you've got to make the best of it."'

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Wade, Lebron continue to grow closer with time

MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are known to bicker like brothers. They screamed at one another more than once during Miami Heat playoff games last season. And when they're on opposite teams in practice, they attack the other like they would any opponent.

Now they're closer than ever.

And on the cusp of entering Year 2 together with the Heat, Wade and James opened up about their friendship Friday in an interview with The Associated Press.

"I don't think many players that have the similar games as we have or have done the things that we did in the league can come together this fast and make it work," Wade said. "That communication is there. I don't mind him saying something to me. I don't mind when I have to say something to him. We know how to make it work."

They have so much in common that both find it almost funny sometimes.

Forget the obvious stuff: They're both among the NBA's highest-paid players, then make another truckload of money annually in endorsements. They're both among the league's best scorers, perennial All-Stars, among the most recognizable athletes in the world. What's often forgotten is the ties that really bind, like both having difficult times as kids, relying on one parent at a time and soon understanding that basketball was the vehicle for changing their lives.

James is 6-foot-8, Wade is 6-foot-4. James is from Akron, Wade from Chicago. James loves tattoos, Wade doesn't have any. James went to the NBA straight out of high school, Wade went to college first.

Nonetheless, Wade and James basically look at each other as mirror images.

"That had a lot to do with me coming down here," James said. "There's nothing that I've seen that he hasn't seen, and vice versa. To be able to be alongside him, be with him every day and basically go through the same things on the court and off the court, it's great. Sometimes you're able to sit back and see things from a different perspective instead of everybody watching you."

They take their cues from each other, whether it is fashion, workout regimens or just where to sit sometimes. For Friday's post-practice interview, Wade slid his body down a wall in a room adjacent to the Heat training facility, slumping to the floor.

"Tired," Wade said.

Two minutes later, James entered the room. Even though he didn't see how Wade took his seat, he did the same thing, putting his back to the wall and sliding to the red carpet.

"Tired," James said.

Maybe it's more than a coincidence.

"What's the saying? Iron sharpens iron. Greatness breeds greatness," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "So you see an example of that next to you. Those guys want to be challenged. Those guys like to be challenged. They do not accept the success that they've had and where they are right now. They're always trying to push to go to the next level. And there's no better way for them to do that than to have an equal peer next to them, pushing them."

The biggest question when Wade, James and Chris Bosh teamed up in July 2010 was will it work?

There have been bumps in the road, and likely there will be a few more - but they are making it work.

James finished second in the league in scoring, Wade finished fourth. Since 1965, the only other time two teammates were among the NBA's top four scorers, and played for a team that went to the NBA finals was 2001, when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal did it for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Of course, Bryant and O'Neal won the title; Dallas beat Miami in last season's finals. And James and Wade will get yet another reminder of that defeat Sunday when the Heat open their season against the Mavericks - and watch the new champs raise their title banner.

"For us, getting better is not necessarily going to show in our numbers," Wade said. "It's going to show in our leadership. It's going to show in those moments where we get in those games like the finals where we're up 10 in the fourth quarter, how do we help our team get that win no matter what's going on in the game. It's moreso that, not just how we score the ball, rebound, pass. We're going to have those numbers. It's the other things."

Last year in training camp, Wade and James wanted to be on separate teams in practice, trying to set a tone for workouts. This year, with an abbreviated training camp and the core of last year's Eastern Conference championship team back, the mano-a-mano matchups haven't happened much, their preference being to keep Miami's first unit together as much as possible to get sharp for the season.

That's fine with James and Wade.

"I'd rather not go against him," James said. "We're two competitors. We go against each other at practice at times. But I've found it's definitely better to have him by my side."

When the Heat got James, the team got a two-time MVP, and both players got - of all things - child-care help.

An interesting perk, for certain, but it's just another tie that binds. James has two sons, Wade has two sons, and the kids are all of relatively similar ages. They hang out often, overnighting and playing together, sometimes going so late that the dads are still a bit sleepy when they arrive for work the next day. It speaks to the level of trust James and Wade have with each other as well.

The way they see it, if you can trust a teammate with your kids, you probably can trust him with the basketball with the game on the line, too.

"There's things we knew from afar," Wade said. "Our moms struggled. We both played this game at a high level. We knew that. But when you're around each other every day, you get to really learn the ins and outs. Things that LeBron deals with sometimes, I'm like, `Oh my God, I got that call yesterday.' It's not a lot of things that you'd see that we have in common. But I understand him. And he understands me."

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