Tag: the NBA

Spurs’ first three preseason games scrapped

Due to the ongoing labor battle between owners and players union, the NBA formally announced this afternoon what most had suspected for days or weeks:

Neither training camps nor the preseason will start at the scheduled time.

Per a news release this morning, the NBA has indefinitely suspended the start of camp, originally slated to open Oct. 4, while also cancelling some 43 preseason games through Oct. 15.

“We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time and need to cancel the first week of preseason games,” NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.  “We will make further decisions as warranted.”

Among the carnage was the Spurs’ first three exhibition games — Oct. 9 against New Orleans, Oct. 11 at Sacramento and Oct. 15 at home against the Kings. For now, the earliest the Spurs might open the preseason is Oct. 17 against Cleveland.

The team’s website, , has already been amended to reflect the changes.

According to published reports, league officials are planning to revisit the schedule on Oct. 1 to decide if the rest of the month must also be scrapped.

Blog brothers analyze Spurs’ 2K12 playing grades

To a big segment of the NBA’s viewership, the release of the ratings for NBA 2K12 games was a big deal.

Twitter accounts were buzzing as the ratings across the league were released Wednesday. LeBron James had the highest score of any NBA player with a 98. Dirk Nowitzki, who thoroughly outplayed James as his team won the NBA Finals, claimed an 85.

Jesse Blanchard of 48 Minutes of Hell.com has a little better handle on these ratings than me. He breaks down what the Spurs ratings mean in this that accompanies the recent release of the game. Project Spurs  analyst Jeff Garcia also provides his.

While we’re in suspended animation today as the Rosh Hashanah holiday has shelved lockout negotiations for the day.

Here are a few Spurs-related posts from across the blogosphere to get you ready for Friday’s return to the negotiating table.

  • Robby Lim of Spurs World.com writes that cutting Richard Jefferson for the rumored amnesty provision of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement .
  • The posters at Real GM.com weigh the merits of Tim Duncan as the .
  • We missed this one during our engrossment with the Big 12 realignment saga, but Michael DeLeon of Spurs Nation.com provides his ever-cogent analysis in .
  • Graydon Gordian and Andrew McNeill of 48 Minutes of Hell.com take to the podcast platform to once the lockout ends.
  • BJ1dr of Pounding the Rock.com for the Spurs  future.
  • Bill Simmons of Grantland.com analyzes that no team would be as in the upcoming season as the Spurs.
  • Spurs director of media services Tom James to catch up with one-time Spurs fan favorite Tom Copa.   
  • Steve Kerr tells Ryan Kartje of USA Today of the , including his 1999 and 2003 rings earned with the Spurs.
  • Nate Timmons of the always entertaining Denver Stiffs.com provides a tidy blog  roll of, including the Spurs.
  • Shawn Cayley of the Toronto Star was there when , Pickering High School in the Toronto area.
  • Nigel Broadnax of the Bleacher Report of every Spurs player.
  • Jefferson’s name popped up in Robin Leach’s gossip column in the Las Vegas Sun after he participated in a at the Cosmopolitan Casino.

McDyess No. 213, Tiago 226th in ESPN.com’s NBA top 500

Two key inside players for the Spurs’ present and future are ranked closely in ESPN.com’s most recent entries on its countdown of the top 500 current players in the NBA.

Veteran forward/center in the poll of 91 experts who were asked to gauge each player on a 1-through-10 point basis.

Tiago Splitter, who eventually will be asked to replace McDyess in the Spurs’ rotation checks in at No. 226.

The post notes that McDyess once was one of the most valuable players in the league before injuries wreaked havoc on his knees. He was once involved in a trade to New York where Denver received Nene, Mark Jackson and Marcus Camby in exchange for him.

And Splitter’s development in the playoffs against Memphis in points, rebounds and shooting percentage are mentioned as prime reasons for his ranking.

The Spurs are planning for a lot of development from Splitter over the next several years.

And they wouldn’t necessarily mind having McDyess around for a little while longer to help in the transition.