by Jason Espiritu
Quezon City, Philippines – Hello, NBA hoop junkies! We will bring you all the latest about the NBA off-season and this coming 2015-2016 season. It will be your daily dose of NBA trades, transactions, injuries, and news. We hope we’ll be able to feed your NBA hoop-starving minds. We're excited to get it going and keep it rolling.
Cleveland, Ohio – Injuries have messed with Cleveland in last years’ playoffs. Injuries to Big men Anderson Varejao and Kevin Love, All-star guard Kyrie Irving, may be the cause/reason for Cleveland’s defeat in the finals 4 games to 2 to eventual champ, Golden State Warriors. And injuries doesn’t stop now, Iman Shumpert broke his wrist before training camp, Irvin still recuperating from the knee cap injury, Love still rehabbing from the shoulder surgery. But leader LeBron James believes that this year’s Cavs will be better than last and he knows he won’t have to carry Cleveland like he did last year again. He likes the additions they made to have a deeper bench. He says they have enough to survive and compete till’ the starters come back. He’s raring to go. He wants to right the wrong of last season.
Boston, Massachusetts - NBA just finished their European Global games again yesterday. Boston Celtics participated in a two game showing against European clubs. Commissioner Adam Silver believes that the ties between the NBA and the Global market, especially in Europe, are growing and as stronger than ever. He also believes that it isn’t impossible to have European expansion team in the NBA but also tempered the hype by saying it will not be in the near future. It will take a long look and planning before NBA let a European team in. It’s going to be a complicated route that needs to be evaluated and studied thoroughly.
Matt Barnes, who is part of recent incident scuffle about the NBA, admits that the NBA office is now investigating about what happened between him and NYK coach Derek Fisher. Investigation by the league office will be private and the two parties involved will be updated through their representatives. Both parties involved and the NBA are not talking about the incident anymore.
New Orleans, Louisiana – The Pelicans suffers another blow in their lineup. Already losing Alexis Ajinca to a right hamstring injury for 6 weeks, and having limited Jrue Holiday to a recurring leg problem, Omer Asik suffers a left calf strain last night and will be out for at least 3 weeks. Pelicans who want to start stronger than last season, badly needed health just to compete against the wild western conference. With these injuries, they better sure hope they manage to stay afloat till’ they get all their horses healthy.
Toronto, Canada – Former no. 1 draft pick Anthony Bennett is embracing his new home, well not actually “old new” as he comes home to Canada to play ball for his 4th team, his hometown team at that. Traded and waived this summer, Bennett decided to sign a 1 year minimum deal with the Raptors. He feels comfortable in his surroundings that might be the help he needs to jumpstart his rocky NBA career. He’s happy that he is home and he wants to make his country Canada, proud.
NBA analyst and ex-player Steve Smith, happy to see Atlanta going into the right direction. The former Hawk star believes ATL is headed to the right path to success as they’ve put a great team and now a great management in place. Hawks were the no.1 team in the EAST last season in a surprising 60 win season. They reached the conference finals for the 1st time in decades. Smith believes that if the team remains intact for quite a while, they might get a shot at a title. Smith also says that he is happy that the HAWKS will retire his good friend, Dikembe Mutumbo’s number, a well deserved feat, he adds.
Sources: hoopshype.com, NBA.com, realgm.com, ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Michael Wallace NBA's Sekou Smith and David Aldridge, Jeff Zillgitt, Sam Amico, Ira Winderman, Ethan Skolnick, KC Johnson.
Follow the writer on Twitter: @EST42890
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