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Thursday, May 23

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» Update: 09:03 AM ET

LANDRY: “The Warriors are home whether I opt in or out. Hopefully, I can spend the rest of my career here because this is a very special place. Everything here is what you want: the city, the fans, the front office, the coach, the teammates. You can’t ask for anything more.” Contra Costa Times

Golden State Warriors, Carl Landry 

Knicks rookie point guard Pablo Prigioni said on Argentine radio Wednesday his preference is to remain in the NBA next season rather than return to the Spanish League and his wife is OK with it. “If I can choose, I prefer to play in the United States and stay in the NBA,’’ Prigioni said. New York Post

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Spain, Pablo Prigioni 

Jones said after the Heat won the championship last season he “most definitely’’ was thinking about retiring. But he returned this season and now says he’s not considering retirement. “Not at all,’’ Jones said. “Those stories get blown up.’’ FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, James Jones 

"I've grown as a player, this is my fifth year and maybe I need to start talking up more," Hibbert told Yahoo! Sports in the losing locker room. "They pay me [max-contract money] for a reason. "I didn't say anything, and I wish I did. From now on, I need to speak up." Yahoo! Sports

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert 

When it was over, Hibbert desperately wished he had the chance, but make no mistake: He wasn't playing that "I- knew-I-would've-had-it" nonsense. If James had cradled the ball near his body, Hibbert knows he probably could've drawn the foul. Had he extended his reach to lay it on the glass, yes, Hibbert knows he could've blocked James' shot. "But I'm not going to put it all on coach," Hibbert said. "I gave up some possessions, some offensive rebounds. We wouldn't have been in that position if I had handled my business." Yahoo! Sports

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert 

Asked what he thought about leaving Hibbert out of the game, Vogel responded: “I would say we’ll probably have him in next time.” NBA.com

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert 

Norris Cole could have been a little more subtle about this low blow to David West. It was the culmination of an extremely physical Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. For The Win

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, David West, Norris Cole 

An ESPN report said Howard devoted part of a separate meeting with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak following his formal exit interview three weeks ago to lament how Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni made him feel "marginalized." Kupchak said that didn't happen. "Criticism of a coach did not come up," Kupchak said Wednesday in a phone interview. "Our coach did not come up." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

Meanwhile, Anthony’s MRI exam showed he had played in the playoffs with a small, partial tear in his shoulder, but the Knicks don’t expect him to need surgery, according to a league source. Anthony has been prescribed rest and physical therapy for a month to allow the shoulder to heal. Had the shoulder sustained a full labrum tear, surgery would have been required. Now it’s unlikely. New York Post

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Injuries 

Multiple reports from Venezuela indicate that New Orleans Pelicans point guard Greivis Vasquez will undergo a cleanup procedure on both ankles in the coming days. Loose material in his ankles bothered the guard as the season neared its close. Bourbon Street Shots

New Orleans Pelicans, Greivis Vasquez, Injuries 

Enes Kanter's recovery from April shoulder surgery is ahead of schedule, his agent said Wednesday, but the Utah Jazz center may not be cleared to play until August. That means Kanter will not participate in the Orlando Summer League July 7 through 12, although Kanter's agent, Max Ergul, said it was unlikely the Turkish big man would have played that week even if healthy. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz, Injuries, Enes Kanter 

The Post has learned J.R. Smith’s nightmarish playoff performance was partly because of a swollen left knee that contained fluid buildup. According to a league source, Smith likely will have his knee drained of the fluid in the next two weeks — the same procedure Anthony underwent in March. So Smith’s struggles weren’t only about his sharp elbow in the Celtics series, alleged hangover and viral infection. New York Post

New York Knicks, Injuries, JR Smith 

A day after the NBA Draft order was set for the June 27 event with the lottery, Trey Burke is getting a feeling about his targeted area. “I’m hearing anywhere from two to six,” he said Wednesday on the “Huge Show” syndicated across Michigan, identifying the two teams – Orlando and New Orleans – needing a point guard. “That’s pretty much everything I’m hearing now. It’s really a toss up and up in the air. So I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next month or so.” Detroit Free Press

Draft, Trey Burke 

As the Clippers look for a replacement for just-let-go coach Vinny Del Negro, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan has emerged as a potential candidate, according to several NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the situation. McMillan is one of about five candidates the Clippers’ front office is seriously considering and will present to owner Donald Sterling, one NBA executive said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Coaching, Nate McMillan, Donald Sterling 

Memphis Coach Lionel Hollins, whose team is playing the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, also is someone the Clippers are interested in. But Hollins, who is in the final year of his contract, might be too pricey for the Clippers, and the Grizzlies haven't given any team permission to speak with Hollins, an NBA executive said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Part-time Spurs advance scout Rick Duque has known a different Popovich than the rest of us since their days together as recruit and coach in the mid-1980s at Division III Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, Calif. There was a bond built that remains to this day, a decade after Popovich's hard-wiring as a disciplinarian learned at the Air Force Academy, back when his foundation that has so much to do with the player-coach relationship was being formed. As is so often the case with Popovich, it all began with a shared love of wine and basketball. Duque's father, Henry, shared a passion for Popovich's favorite pastimes, so he and his wife, Judy, became instant friends with their son's new coach. Some 30 years later, Popovich still checks in with them. "When I graduated and (Popovich) left (for the NBA), he still continued to stay in touch with my mom and dad and with me as well," said Duque, who would only agree to be interviewed after receiving Popovich's permission. "He'll write handwritten notes to check in and see how they're doing and let them know how his life was. He still remembered who they were, even though he'd moved on to something bigger." USA Today Sports

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich 

While Popovich will never sing his own praises, his record does: a .681 regular-season winning percentage, four titles, the NBA's longest tenure. Next longest: the Boston Celtics' Doc Rivers, at nine seasons. Over Popovich's 17 seasons, the other NBA clubs have averaged seven head coaches. "He's actually, I think, a little more fiery now, if you can believe that," Duncan tells USA TODAY Sports. "Obviously he's been doing this for a long time, and I don't think his passion has changed. That's tough for the period of time that he's done it. And as I said, I think he's even more fired up now and wants it even more than he did before." USA Today Sports

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich 

Nike generated $300 million in U.S. retail sales in 2012 for James’ signature shoe, LeBron X, according to research firm SportsOneSource. Nike’s haul represents a 50% increase from sales of James’ kicks in 2011. “The first thing is the aesthetics. The shoes look great and his star stature continues to rise,” says SportsOneSource analyst Matt Powell. “The media attention on him helps him sell more footwear.” Forbes.com

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Sneakers 

The second best-selling active NBA pitchman is Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. His Kobe 8 signature shoes sold $50 million at U.S. stores last year. Bryant has been part of the Nike family since 2003. The 15-time All-Star was an Adidas athlete for the first six years of his career. Bryant’s shoe sales in the U.S. were down in 2012, but he is the NBA’s biggest star in China and his Nike sneakers sell briskly in Asia. Forbes.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Sneakers 

Adidas’ other top endorsers have really struggled. John Wall signed with Adidas subsidiary, Reebok, in 2010 for $25 million over five years. Reebok had high expectations for Wall, who was a heavily-hyped star after a year at the University of Kentucky, but sales of his signature shoes have disappointed. Retail sales were only $5 million in 2012 and in January Wall departed the Reebok brand for that of its parent, Adidas. Forbes.com

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Sneakers 

Dwight Howard continues a longtime trend of NBA big men struggling to sell shoes. Adidas moved only $5 million worth of Howard product last year. Powell says the soap opera surrounding his departure from Orlando and first year in Los Angeles hurt him in the marketplace. “Your average 10-year-old can envision being Kobe. He has no way of being Dwight Howard,” says Powell. Forbes.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard, Sneakers 

Smith’s image took a further blow when his former friend, Rihanna, stated on her Instagram account that his playoff woes stemmed from his being “hung over.’’ Rihanna deleted the post after a request from CAA superagent Leon Rose, who represents Smith. New York Post

New York Knicks, Leon Rose, JR Smith, Agents, Rihanna 
 
 

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