There will be no more Sonics in Seattle.
Tonight is the first of two games that the mixed NBL squad will take on the national team of China.
The squad has spent the last two days practicing and getting accustomed with their new teammates. I have to say the guys have been progressing at a good rate as far as picking up what Coach Andrew Gaze is looking for.
Team China arrived in town today, but the big question is whether NBA All Star Yao Ming will play? Yao is working his way back from injury but it seems to be top secret as to whether he will play or keep recovering.
There other NBA player, Nets Yi Jianlian, is playing and I look forward to him and Alex Loughton going at it. After seeing Loughton up close for a couple of days know, I have to wonder how he got cut from the Boomers squad so early. The guy has some tools to play this game.
Tune in tomorrow to see how this squad represented Australia in China.
The Australian Boomers have kicked off their tour of Europe with a 78-74 win over Croatia.
Although on tour Matt Nielsen did not suit up for the Aussies as he is suffering from a virus.
This is a solid win for the Boomers as their previous combined five games against Iran and New Zealand presented little opposition.
Croatia is preparing to qualify for the Olympics via a tournament in Greece in the upcoming weeks. There are three spots remaining in the Olympic field and they will be filled by the top three teams from this tournament so Croatia is playing for something.
These teams play again this morning.
Germany has just enhanced their chances of qualifying for the Beijing Games. Los Angles Clippers centre Chris Kaman has just received his German passport. Potentially starting a front line that will include Kaman and perennial NBA All Star Dirk Nowitski, Germany will like their chance of securing one of the remaining three spots available at the Olympics..
Brisbane Bullets legand Leroy Loggins is prepared to run a new look Bullets as long as somebody can put up the cash. I'm guessing many people would put up their hand if they could find somebody to fund the project.
Check out this Q & A with the NBL's CEO Chuck Harmison. He talks about how the second Sydney franchise could not get off the ground.
New Zealand Tall Blacks finally taste victory. They defeated Lebanon 84-71 in the Jack Donohue International being hosted in Canada.
Now we wait and see what happens with television rights and a naming rights sponsor.
In NBA News the Seattle Sonics are moving on. Their new home will be made in Oklahoma City. The Sonics have been part of Seattle's landscape for the past 41 years. Owner Clay Bennett was always looking to move his team and it was decided today it will coast him $75 million to move to Oklahoma.
RIP Sonics and you have lost a big fan in DJ Leon Smith.
Free agent Elton Brand is considering taking the offer made by Golden State. Although it seemed as though Brand would be a simple re-sign with the Los Angles Clippers, all of a sudden the lucrative deal ($90 million) the Warriors have offered has Brand rethinking his future team.
DeSagana Diop and Gerald Green will sign free agent deals with the Dallas Mavericks.
High School kid thinking of skipping college to play in Europe before he enters the NBA Draft.
Sonics Owner Clay Bennett
Friday, July 4, 2008
Bits and Pieces
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Jimmy here just to quickly wrap up the happenings of tonights action at the Wuxi Sports Arena. The Australian team fought valiantly throughout the match but were unable to get over the top of a well drilled Chinese outfit who with the help of their 6th, 7th and 8th players were able to hold off the Aussies.
The coaching staff I must say were looking very sharp tonight, except for one unfortunate gentleman who seemed to have never cared for himself a day in his life. He look unkept to be polite while his trousers looked like something that had come straight out of bag of Smith's crinkle cuts. Very disapointing! Even my poor cousins from the mean streets of Wuxi were able to run the hot iron or scrap metal over their long johns before making the trek to the arena tonight.
The two teams head out of Wuxi tomorrow so I will ask my good friend Long Wang Jo to keep the punters updated on the tour.
It has been a pleasure! Jimmy out!
Jimmy:
I was great that you could give my readers a differnt angle about the team. I'm just disappointed that we did not meet but I look forward to bumping into your good friend in Ningbo.
Thanks for sreading the word about JR On Fire in China.
Talk about touching the masses!
Post a Comment