sports buzz

NBA Players Support Haiti Recovery

According to the latest news, in response to the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in January, the NBA has been supporting UNICEF’s relief efforts by bringing attention to the crisis and much needed emergency assistance to the victims. Through NBA Cares, the league’s social responsibility initiative, the NBA family – the league, teams, players, and fans – responded rapidly to that nation’s dire need for assistance, and has already raised more than $3 million toward the relief efforts.

There are a lot of NBA players and legends who are contributing significant time, money, and energy. All 30 NBA teams are helping out as well. The league has also partnered with the National Basketball Players Association to raise and donate more than one million dollars to UNICEF and other relief organizations. These are just a few of the ways that the NBA and its teams and players are committed to helping Haiti.

Despite the generous response from the global community, there is more work to be done. Haiti, which is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and has a population of 9.6 million, is in dire need of funds to provide safe water, temporary shelter systems and essential medical supplies. If you would like to donate to support Haiti, please click here to learn how you can best help.

Mutombo accepted awards and honors from Obama

The former basketball star Dikembe Mutombo stressed the importance of an education as he was honored last Monday with an award for improving lives in his native Congo, NBA news reported.

Mutombo said he sold fruit and vegetables for about $1 a day in order to pay his school fee in Congo. He briefly studied medicine at Georgetown University before his basketball talents were discovered. He graduated from the university with dual degrees in linguistics and diplomacy. Mutombo played for six NBA teams, was the league’s top defensive player four times and was selected for eight All-Star games during his career.

His alma mater presented him with the Coach John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award during an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mutombo said as he accepted the award, “you never know what direction your life will take you or what road you will travel, but your chances of success are certainly greater with an education than without one.”

The foundation has worked to combat childhood diseases in Congo. It also opened a hospital in Kinshasa, which has served more than 25,000 patients.

President Barack Obama praised Mutombo for giving back to his nation’s people and honoring King’s legacy of service. Obama said the 18-year NBA veteran was attacking problems in Africa in “with the same ferocity with which he used to block shots in the NBA.”

Jackson ‘hopeful’ that Artest will be back at Lakers on Tuesday

According to the news, Lakers coach Phil Jackson says he is “hopeful” Ron Artest will rejoin the team in Los Angeles for Tuesday’s game against Golden State. Speaking before the Lakers played the Phoenix Suns Monday night, Jackson said Artest still was experiencing some dizziness.

Last Christmas Day, Artest sustained a concussion and injured his left elbow in a fall at his home. The team said Artest tripped over a box and fell down stairs. He did not travel with the Lakers on their two-game trip to Sacramento and Phoenix.

The 6-foot-7 forward is averaging 12.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in his first season with the Lakers after signing as a free agent. Jackson said his information on Artest’s condition came through the team trainer.

Kings Defeat Bulls in Comeback

Maybe last Monday Sacramento Kings are just too young to know they were out of the game. But, trailing the Chicago Bulls by 35 points in the third quarter, the visiting Kings made the totally unexpected comeback, forcing a tie with less than two minutes left and eventually pulling out a stunning 102-98 victory. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this comeback was the largest in the NBA since the Utah Jazz overcame a 36-point deficit against the Denver Nuggets in a game in 1996.

Sacramento rookie Tyreke Evans scored 23 points, and outscored the Bulls 11-3 by himself in the final two minutes before teammate Beno Udrih closed the game out with two free throws. Ime Udoka had 17 points, Udrih had 16, Jason Thompson had 14 points and Sergio Rodriguez had 10 for the Kings.

Kings owner Gavin Maloof visited the post-game locker room, and then came out singing the praises of his young team. “I thought this was going to be a long ride home, but it turns out to be the best ride ever,” Maloof said between shrieks. “Tyreke Evans is the real deal.” While, Sacramento coach Paul Westphal said “I’m not even sure I believe it, but it sure was fun”.

The Kings (13-14) won only their third road game in 14 tries and their second in a row. The Bulls (10-16) were trying for their second three-game winning streak of the season and had to think they had it wrapped up three minutes into the second half, when they led 79-44. But, in the final 21 minutes, the Bulls made just six baskets, scored just 21 points, and did everything they could to give the Kings a chance to recover from the Bulls’ hot start.

NBA players Christmas Day Buzz

• Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are the active leaders in Christmas Day games, having played in 11 each. That’s more Christmas Day appearances than 17 of the 30 current franchises. Derek Fisher (7) is the only other active player who has played in roughly half that many Christmas Day games.
• Bryant has played more games on Dec. 25 than he has on any other date on the calendar. There are only three dates on the calendar that Shaq has played more games than he has on Christmas: March 12 (12), March 15 (12) and March 26 (13).
• Shaq and Kobe played five Christmas games together (they went 2-3) and two against each other (not including 2006 when Shaq missed the Lakers-Heat matchup with an injury). So when the Cavs and Lakers meet in L.A. this year, the two will have shared the spotlight eight times on Christmas. Shaq has won both head-to-head matchups, but that’s was back when he was with Miami.
• In Bryant’s first Christmas Day game as a rookie in 1996, he had more fouls (one) than points (zero).
• Bryant has nine Christmas Day 3-pointers on 45 attempts from downtown. Steve Nash has 10 (tied with Scottie Pippen as the all-time leader) on 16 attempts.
• Pippen was undefeated (7-0) in Christmas Day games, including two games (1993 and 1994) during Michael Jordan’s first retirement. In that second game without Jordan, Pippen had 36 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, five steals and two blocks, playing all 53 minutes of an overtime win over the Knicks in Chicago.
• Jordan played in just six Christmas Day games. He lost the first one in New York in 1986, but won the other five, all at home. He had somewhat below-normal numbers on Christmas: 28.3 ppg, 44.3 percent shooting, 1-for-11 from 3-point range. His Christmas high was 42 points in a win over the Knicks in 1992.
• Oscar Robertson is the all-time leader in Christmas Day points (377) and assists (145 — more than twice the total of anyone else). In 12 Christmas Day games, he averaged 31.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 12.1 assists.
• Tracy McGrady has the fifth-highest Christmas Day point total and the highest since Bernard King’s record 60 points in 1984. McGrady had 46 for the Magic in a win over the Pistons in 2002. He has topped that total 11 times in his career (his career high is 62), but his 18 free throws that day are the most he’s ever made in a game.

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