Grizzlies bring Iranian big man Haddadi back to Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed Hamed Haddadi, bringing back the Iranian center. Haddadi is the first Iranian ever to play in the NBA. The 7-foot-2 reserve center averaged 2.4 points with 2.2 rebounds in 31 games last season for the Grizzlies.   The 26-year-old native of Ahvaz, Iran, has spent the past three seasons with Memphis, averaging 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 86 games. Haddadi led Iran to an...

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Kevin Garnett buys small stake in Italian soccer club Roma

ROME (AP) -- Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett is about to become a limited shareholder in the American-owned Roma soccer club.   Roma confirmed to The Associated Press that Garnett accepted an offer from James Pallotta, one of the four Boston executives who closed a deal in August to become the first foreign majority owners of a Serie A club. Pallotta also is a minority owner of the Celtics. Earlier this year, fellow NBA star LeBron James...

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Kobe confirms directing A-Rod to German knee therapy

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant confirms he recently directed Alex Rodriguez to the German doctor who performed the treatment the Yankees' slugger had on his right knee. "I gave him the phone number," Bryant said Thursday night before the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the New York Knicks.Bryant opened up about the steps he has taken to heal his arthritic joints in a rare pregame interview, crediting the therapy with dramatic improvement in his own...

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Suns signs former All-Star Michael Redd

PHOENIX (AP) -- Michael Redd has come to the Phoenix Suns in a bid to revive a career derailed by injury, something he knows Grant Hill accomplished before him. The 6-foot-6, 32-year-old sharpshooting guard signed a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of about $1.3 million.Redd left the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of last season, the final year of his six-year, $91 million contract he signed with the Bucks in 2005. Injuries to his left knee...

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Hours before season opener, Rockets offically sign Dalembert

HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets have signed free-agent center Samuel Dalembert. The 6-foot-11 Dalembert agreed to a multi-year contract last week. The team officially announced his signing Monday. Houston opens the season at Orlando on Monday night.Dalembert averaged 8.1 points and 8.2 rebounds for Sacramento last season. He played his first eight seasons in Philadelphia after the 76ers made him a first-round (26th overall) pick in 2001.The Rockets needed to add a big man after NBA Commissioner David Stern halted a three-team deal that...

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Dallas Mavericks Raise Their Championship Banner before opener Vs Heat

DALLAS (AP) -- With a tug from Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and others, the Dallas Mavericks unveiled their championship banner minutes before opening this season against the team they knocked off in the NBA finals - LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The ceremony was supposed to have been held Nov. 1, but the lockout pushed it back. So after waiting until their 31st season to become champions for the first time, the Mavericks and their...

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Grizzlies deal Vasquez to Hornets for Pondexter

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have swapped guard Greivis Vasquez to the New Orleans Hornets for guard/forward Quincy Pondexter in a move designed to boost their depth with Darrell Arthur out for the season. The Grizzlies announced earlier Saturday that they signed Dante Cunningham after Charlotte failed to match an offer. Then they later announced the trade with New Orleans.The 6-foot-6 Pondexter averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds in 33 minutes in two preseason games against Memphis. The 23-year-old averaged 2.8 points and...

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Bulls ink reigning MVP Rose to five-year extension

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Derrick Rose was going down the list, thanking just about everyone who helped him become one of the NBA's best players, when he looked to his right.Seated off to the side was his mother, Brenda."I think I can finally say this now. Mom, I finally made it," he said.Rose, the Chicago Bulls' superstar point guard and the league's reigning MVP, agreed Wednesday to a five-year contract extension worth more than $94 million...

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At least 436 dead after storm pummels Philippines

Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- At least 436 people are dead after Tropical Storm Washi pummeled the Philippines, Red Cross Secretary General Gwen Pang said Saturday. The vast majority of the bodies were found in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, according to military officials and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Five people were killed in a landslide, but all others died in flash flooding. The provinces of Compostela...

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Hornets sign center Jason Smith to three-year deal

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets and 7-foot free agent forward Jason Smith have agreed to a three-year contract. Smith's agent, Mark Bartelstein, says the deal is worth $7.5 million. Smith played for the Hornets last season, averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. His best game came when he scored a career-high 20 points against Washington in the one of the six games he started.He was a backup for most...

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Kobe Bryant's wife files for divorce

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant's wife, who stood by her husband when he was charged with sexual assault in 2003, filed for divorce on Friday from the Los Angeles Lakers star, citing irreconcilable differences after a decade of marriage. Vanessa Bryant signed the papers on Dec. 1. Kobe Bryant signed his response on Dec. 7 and it was filed Friday, according to the documents."The Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a judgment dissolving their marital status will be...

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Rubio to make long-awaited NBA debut vs. Jennings, Bucks

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- For two years, Ricky Rubio has been little more than a myth for the Minnesota Timberwolves and their success-starved fans.They salivated over grainy YouTube clips of Rubio's fancy passing in European games, nervously read reports that the young Spanish point guard did not want to play in Minnesota and fretted over his paltry statistics for Regal Barcelona last season.And even when Rubio finally announced that he was coming...

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Shaq ready to launch new career as NBA analyst

ATLANTA (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal doesn't like the Chris Paul trade; Charles Barkley says Commissioner David Stern made a mistake. O'Neal also says the trade talk swirling around Dwight Howard has damaged his relationship with the Magic though Barkley says the center is the first player he would choose to start a franchise.Let the debates begin.O'Neal, the Hall of Fame-bound center, is joining Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson on the...

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Heat head coach Spoelstra gets contract extension

MIAMI (AP) -- Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat have agreed on a contract extension, ending any speculation that Pat Riley's protege would be a lame-duck coach this season.Riley, the team president, made the announcement Friday. The Heat typically does not release terms of deals for coaches and executives, and Riley did not divulge any details of Spoelstra's extension. Spoelstra is beginning his fourth season as coach and his 17th season with...

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Jazz reach deal with Howard; Kirilenko's return unlikely

Posted Dec 15 2011 7:52PM - Updated Dec 16 2011 6:30AMSALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor watched Josh Howard work out in North Carolina this week. It was enough to convince him the small forward could help in the condensed season.Howard agreed to a deal with the Jazz on Thursday, pending a physical. O'Connor said he expects Howard to be in uniform Saturday night when the Jazz have an intrasquad scrimmage."The first thing he brings is an ability to play in the NBA,'' O'Connor said Thursday night. "He's a guy that...

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Free agent Crawford decides to sign with Blazers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Free-agent guard Jamal Crawford has joined the Portland Trail Blazers. Crawford, who was reportedly considering Sacramento and the Blazers, announced his choice on Twitter, posting "Rip city!!!"The Blazers made it official a few hours later on Thursday when they announced they had signed Crawford. The terms of the two-year deal were not released.In order to make a deal with Crawford, the team used the NBA's new amnesty...

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Veteran guard Hamilton signs with Bulls

Posted Dec 14 2011 10:29PM - Updated Dec 15 2011 6:48AMDEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- As Richard Hamilton and the Chicago Bulls put the finishing touches on a contract, Derrick Rose couldn't stop beaming Wednesday night."With him, I'm going to have a lot more assists this year," the star point guard said.The Bulls made it official Wednesday night and announced they signed Hamilton to boost a backcourt that already included Rose, the league's MVP.Terms...

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