HoopsHype.com Rumors

Twitter Inc. has teamed with the National Basketball Association to stream video clips of game highlights as the blogging service expands beyond 140-character status updates ahead of a possible initial public offering. NBA Digital, a joint venture between the sports league and Turner Broadcasting System Inc., will post game snippets on Twitter during the playoffs with the hashtag #NBARapidReplay, said Adam Bain, president of global revenue at Twitter. Short advertisements will appear alongside the clips, he said. Bloomberg

Media, Twitter 

Explaining why the NBA's relocation committee recommended against moving the Kings to Seattle, one of the league's most influential owners says Sacramento did everything necessary to keep the team. Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, in a Twitter exchange with a Seattle fan, suggested the committee's 7-0 vote amounted to a referendum on Sacramento, not a rejection of Seattle. The private tweets became public Thursday, less than a week before the NBA board of governors is expected to settle the Kings' situation once and for all. Sacramento Bee

Miami Heat, Seattle SuperSonics, Twitter, Micky Arison 

He said Seattle never would have lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 if city officials had responded the way Sacramento's did to the threatened loss of the Kings. Arison's criticism extended to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who's part of the group trying to wrestle the Kings away from Sacramento. Ballmer was praised by NBA Commissioner David Stern in 2008 for his unsuccessful efforts to keep the Sonics from leaving Seattle. Arison, though, said Ballmer "never stepped up" when the Sonics were heading out the door. Sacramento Bee

Miami Heat, Seattle SuperSonics, Twitter, Micky Arison 

He must not care. It doesn’t matter to King that his story about an “associate” posting the Melo analysis is, at best, hard to believe and at worst a flat-out fib. Why would a man of King’s stature be so irresponsible, so careless, that he would actually let another person express his thoughts as if they were his? Probably because he didn’t. And if King was so adamant these were not his tweets, that a “friend” and “co-worker” had taken over his account posing as King, why was it a “Knicks official” who initially went to the media to spin King’s version of the story? New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Twitter, Bernard King 

Once King copped to the party line, once everything was cool, his gig as a part-time studio analyst was safe. With the expanded postgame show, there was ample time to explain why King, the analyst, had become part of the Game 2 story line. Instead, they attempted to turn it all into a joke. Al (Wiggie) Trautwig reminded viewers they could follow him, Alan Hahn and Wally Szczerbiak on Twitter. “And we’ve gotten you (King) a fax machine,” Trautwig said, laughing. “I’m on fax,” King said. “So if you want to contact me, send me a fax.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Media, Twitter, Wally Szczerbiak, Bernard King, Alan Hahn 

Derrick Rose, 24-year-old superstar and the face of a franchise, is still recovering from a torn ACL, and did not play in Chicago’s massive Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat Wednesday night. The fact that Rose is still little more than a year removed from a major year injury, some less than understanding basketball fans want Rose to return to the court immediately. As the final horn sounded on a 37-point Bulls loss, #DerrickRoseMoreUselessThan starting trending nationally on Twitter. For The Win

Chicago Bulls, Twitter, Derrick Rose 

Someone else does think differently: Knicks legend and new Hall of Fame selection Bernard King, who took to Twitter Monday with three dispatches worth of pointed criticisms of Anthony and the Knicks. “If Carmelo’s shoulder is hurting that bad — work the paint — drive and dish — become a facilitator — it’s a TEAM game,” read one of them from King’s Twitter account. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Twitter, Bernard King 

The official Twitter account for King, who does some broadcasting work for both MSG Network and NBA TV, was shut down shortly after the dispatches were posted. According to a published report, the Knicks claim King had allowed a friend to use his handle and that those posts did not reflect his “sentiment.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Twitter, Bernard King 

Recovering from surgery, Bryant, via Twitter, had urged the Lakers to pound the ball into the post. "All these social media things about throw the ball inside -- you have to be able make shots from the outside if you're going to be able to make shots from the inside," West said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Twitter, Jerry West 

Jeff McDonald: “I guess he’s too good for Metta World Peace.” -- Metta World Peace, on why the Dalai Lama won't return his direct messages on Twitter. Twitter @JMcDonald_SAEN

Los Angeles Lakers, Twitter, Metta World Peace, Dalai Lama 

Fran Blinebury: Metta on Kobe tweets: "Kobe should tweet...The whole time, everybody possession. Critique us, criticize us, chew us out." #SpursvLakers Twitter @franblinebury

Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Kobe Bryant, Twitter, Metta World Peace 

Warriors forward David Lee, out for the season with a torn right hip flexor, has attending every practice. He’s participates in every meeting. He is filling his teammates eat with whatever insight he can offer. But Lee said should he be inactive for Game 2, you don’t have to worth about him live Tweeting. “Can you imagine that?” Lee said with a laugh. “Nah. I’ve got too many holes in my game to be on Twitter breaking down other people’s games.” Contra Costa Times

Golden State Warriors, Twitter, David Lee 

Tim Duncan swears he has never even logged on to Twitter.com. “I’m probably the only person I know that hasn’t,” Duncan said. The Spurs star wouldn’t know a Tweet from a twit, although he would probably agree the latter is often responsible for the former. At nearly 37, Duncan isn’t necessarily too old for social media. Just too private. “I have no desire to tell you guys what I’m doing,” Duncan said. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Twitter, Tim Duncan 

If Ginobili ever decided to Tweet during a game, he says he would confine his comments to messages of support. “I’m not going to criticize plays, or we should have run that or this,” Ginobili said. “It’s not my style.” San Antonio Express-News

Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili, Twitter 

Kobe Bryant: I see my tweeting during the game is being talked about as much as the game itself. Not my intention , just bored as I guess #notagain Twitter @kobebryant

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Twitter 

On why more NBA players don’t interact with fans on Twitter: “It’s something that has been perpetrated by the front office of the NBA, telling us not to do that. So basically, [they’re] telling us that we need to be above other people in society because [we’re] better than that. Better than what? What am I better than?” Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Martell Webster, Twitter, David Stern 

Chris Palmer: NBA players @Kobe Bryant tweets were retweeted over 100,000 times last night. Basketball, stand up. Twitter @ESPNChrisPalmer

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Twitter, Injuries 

In the video, Jackson is seen sitting at a desk typing out that "11 champ;ipnsikp[ ringhs" tweet, before turning around in his chair and revealing that he is wearing all 11 of his NBA championship rings. Because, in case you'd forgotten, Phil has won 11 rings as an NBA coach. And he has a new book coming that's called Eleven Rings. So he was wearing his 11 championship rings while he was typing his first tweet, which attempted to proclaim that he had 11 championship rings. There's even a hashtag, #GetYourPhil, to go along with the video. It's no #countonkobe, but it's a start. USA Today Sports

Phil Jackson, Twitter 

Phil Jackson hasn't even been on Twitter for six hours, and he's already nearly as good at social media as he is at coaching basketball. Early Wednesday afternoon, Jackson's fiancee and Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss tweeted that Phil had joined Twitter, and his account (@philjackson11) was verified shortly thereafter. Before he sent out his first tweet, Jackson had amassed over 40,000 followers, an impressive feat for anyone. USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Twitter, Jeanie Buss 

Phil Jackson: 11 champ;ipnsikp[ ringhs Twitter

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Twitter