Thursday, Final Meeting Before Lockout?

We all know that the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement expires tomorrow at midnight unless a deal can be met beforehand. There’s one more meeting scheduled tomorrow, in attempt to avoid that.

With the clock ticking down, NBA owners and their representatives are still hoping for a last-second miracle, but are preparing for a worst-case outcome that could produce the league’s first labor lockout in 13 years.

While there was no “lockout vote” per se taken at Tuesday’s Board of Governors meeting at the Hilton Anatole, NBA commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver would not rule out the possibility of a shutdown.

Read more about the potential lockout on NBA.com.

New Munich Court ‘The Anklebreaker’

We just saw these photos of a new innovative basketball court in Munich on the Yahoo! Ball Don’t Lie basketball blog. They are super freaky to look at, and quite clearly the design of the court was developed by artists and not athletes. Seriously, between the Tim Hardaway killer crossover and this Munich basketball court, who do you think would break more ankles?

From Art in Public Space:

A regulation-sized basketball court was erected on the grove-like forecourt of the school building of the occupational school. The court consists of a soft orange-red tartan covering and two normed baskets and seems to be forced over the grid of the lamps that have been set up. The playable court has been “morphed” as in a 3D program on a computer and looks like the grounds of a rollercoaster, with heights and depths and calm and dynamic zones. The resulting paradox, which moves between a normative set of rules and pleasurable, anarchic change, requires creative engagement for its use.

Who Should Replace Mark Jackson on ESPN’s Broadcast Crew?

There’s nothing worse than having a good game destroyed by poor commentating. The announcers are part of the experience for us at home watching the game and truly play a vital role in how the game is enjoyed by viewers. Read more

Ridiculous Apparel: Team Heads Plush Hat

Every once in a while we come across some NBA apparel that leaves us scratching our heads. Something so ridiculous that it has us wondering out loud “who is buying this crap?” For today that piece of ridiculous apparel is the Dallas Mavericks Team Heads Plush Hat. Just what every Mavs fan needs (if they don’t plan on ever getting laid). Photo after the jump.

Here is what the NBA.com store has to say about it:

No one will question your team devotion when you show up to the game in the Team Heads basketball plush fan hat. Designed to look like a basketball, it’s decorated with allover black piping and an NBA team logo on the front; a comfy mesh liner keeps you cool.

OKC Picks Up Option on Harden, Ibaka and Others

The Oklahoma City Thunder probably have the best young core in the entire NBA and turned the corner this past season. Expect more of the same and the team has picked up the option on a few key guys.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have picked up the option year on the contracts of Serge Ibaka, James Harden, Eric Maynor, Byron Mullens and Cole Aldrich, keeping them all with the franchise for two more seasons.

General manager Sam Presti announced the moves Tuesday, extending the contracts through the 2012-13 season.

Read more about this story via AP on ESPN.com.

Artest’s Agent Says He Will Not Play in Finland

A few days ago, news broke that Ron Artest had plans to play in Finland this season. Well, that’s news to his agent. Ron’s agent, David Bauman, is shooting down these reports and has even called it a “publicity stunt.”

Amid various internet reports indicting Lakers forward Ron Artest plans to play for a Finland professional basketball team, agent David Bauman said they aren’t true and are nothing more than a “publicity stunt.”

“I’m his agent and nothing has come across my desk,” Bauman said. “Although Ron has asked me to explore all options over in Europe in the event of a prolonged lockout, there are several legal and business considerations that have to be addressed. The biggest one involves insurance. None of those have been addressed and I don’t even know who this guy claiming to have an agreement is. Final thing is what if the league has a lockout for say two weeks and then end up getting a deal. It becomes a moot point.”

“The whole notion strikes me as a publicity stunt,” Bauman said. “Nothing has come across my desk. Ron has asked me to look into options in Europe, but certainly not with a small team in Finland.”

Read more about Ron’s situation at LAtimes.com.

Why Are Gilbert Arenas and Dwight Howard Planking?

I know we normally attempt to do some moderate research when we receive questions from readers by email, but we’re coming up empty here on an email we received from a reader last night. Jarryd from Orlando asked the question: “Are Arenas and Howard bored or something in the offseason? What’s with the planking”. So if there are any diehard Orlando Magic fans reading this, feel free to enlighten us in the comment section as to why Gilbert Arenas and Dwight Howard are posting pics on the web these days of themselves ‘planking’. Photos of the planking after the jump.

For those of you who don’t know what ‘planking’ is here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

The lying down game (also known as planking,[1] or face downs) is an activity, popular in various parts of the world, consisting of lying face down in an unusual or incongruous location. The hands must touch the sides of the body, and having a photograph of the participant taken and posted on the Internet is an integral part of the game.[2] Players compete to find the most unusual and original location in which to play.[2] The location should also be as public as possible, and as many people as possible should be involved.[3]

For those of you out there who are familiar with the planking phenomenon, can you at least let us know in the comment section if Howard and Arenas are any good at it?

OKC’s James Harden Goes Off For 51 Pts in Summer League

As if the fast rising Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t already have enough talent in their starting line-up with names like Durant, Ibaka, and Westbrook, rumor has it that 3rd year pro James Harden will be the starter at SG when and if the NBA ever gets going again. Read more

Quai 54 Tournament Recap

In addition to the Jordan Vs we showed you back in April that was made for this year’s tournament, a special set was made with a black upper for Jordan Brand Friends & Family, all 54 pairs seem to be in Paris for the weekend.

Ray Allen takes the court to hit a half court shot on his first try in the Air Jordan V “Black Quai 54″

Participants run a couple practices games to warm up

On top of all the basketball festivities going on throughout the day, attendants were treating to a performance by rapper Fabolous.

When the dust settled and everything was over with Spain took home the trophy for the 3-point contest and for the second year in a row, France edged out the USA winning the championship.

Celebs like Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, & Algerian basketball star Kadour Ziani were among those in attendance in France this year.

Today the players who lasted throughout the weekend will play in the coveted championship game. Check back over at The Hoop Doctors for more on this game.

Biyombo Seeking Buyout With Spanish Team

Bismack Biyombo was taken in the lottery by the Charlotte Bobcats, but he still has ties to his Spanish team. He is looking to work out a buyout with them that would allow him to come over to the NBA right away.  Wait. Haven’t we seen this movie before? (cough, Ricky Rubio).

Charlotte Bobcats draft pick Bismack Biyombo and his Spanish club have scheduled a mediation session Friday in hopes of settling a dispute over the contract buyout required before he’d be allowed to play in the NBA.

Jorge Sanz, spokesman for the Madrid-based team Fuenlabrada, said Biyombo has two seasons left on his deal and his buyout clause is more than $1.4 million. NBA rules say the Bobcats can’t pay more than $500,000 toward a buyout.

While Sanz said the team has accepted and won’t fight the 18-year-old Congo native’s desire to leave, it expects to receive the buyout.

Read more about Biyombo contractual situation via AP at ESPN.com.

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