NYK Makes LIN Decision

Kevin Martin doesn’t even remember Jeremy Lin being in training camp with the Houston Rockets last December. Seven months later, Lin is returning to Houston – and he's a lot richer for it.

Lin officially rejoined the Rockets Tuesday night after the New York Knicks declined to match the three-year, $25 million offer sheet he signed with Houston. The Rockets waived Lin just before the start of last season, and he went on to become one of sports' biggest stories during a stunning three-week run as the Knicks' starting point guard.

"Everyone knew his story and how it came alive, but it started in Houston with no one really even knowing he was there,” Martin told Yahoo! Sports. "I don’t remember him at all from training camp. It’s going to be kind of funny. Even though he’s been there for us before, it feels like we are getting a new player."

The Knicks declined comment on their decision to match the offer sheet. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey used his Twitter account to welcome Lin: "Welcome to Houston @JLin7! We plan to hang on this time."

"Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again!!" Lin tweeted.
Lin became the Knicks' starting point guard after injuries to teammates forced him into the lineup. He led New York to seven straight victories and earned a pair of Sports Illustrated covers and praise from President Obama. His stunning three-week stretch included a 38-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers and a game-winning 3-pointer at Toronto. The sports world was quickly swept up with "Linsanity," until Lin's season ended with a knee injury.

"Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support this past year … easily the best year of my life," Lin tweeted late Tuesday.

Lin was a restricted free agent, but was strongly expected to return to the Knicks no matter what offer he received. The Rockets creatively put together an offer sheet that includes a $15 million salary in the third year of the contract. New York would have incurred substantial luxury-tax penalties matching the deal because the team owes Carmelo Anthony $24 million,

Amar'e Stoudemire $23 million and Tyson Chandler $14.5 million that same season.
The Rockets and Lakers are the current frontrunners to acquire Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in a trade. Lin can't be traded until Jan. 15 after signing the offer sheet. But Martin, who is in the last year of his contract, could be moved. The Rockets have rid themselves of Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert and Chase Budinger this summer to acquire the salary-cap space and assets for a potential Howard trade.

"I got here 2½ years ago, and now I’m the longest-tenured Rocket there," Martin said. "We lost some great players over the last month in Kyle and Luis. They were great teammates. Nobody likes to go the rebuilding route, but sometimes it’s needed. And that’s how Daryl Morey feels right now, so you don’t know what the future holds for the Rockets."

read more...

LeBron for Wimbledon Inspiration

Drawing inspiration from LeBron James and his new NBA title, Andy Murray is ready to win his first championship, too.

The fourth-seeded Murray, who has lost in three Grand Slam finals, advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals for the fourth straight year by beating No. 7 David Ferrer of Spain 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4) Wednesday.

''He came very close to winning quite a lot of times,'' Murray, Britain's best tennis player and a big basketball fan, said of James. ''I would say for me I guess it's a similar situation. I've been close a lot of times and not quite made it. You know, just have to keep putting myself in the position, and hopefully it will click.''

Murray's three near-misses in major finals - twice at the Australian Open and once at the U.S. Open - have raised questions about whether he'll ever win the big one. But this year, with Rafael Nadal already out and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga waiting in Friday's semifinals, could be his time - at least to make the final. Winning it all, like James did last month with the Miami Heat after two losses in the NBA Finals, would be even better.

''There's a lot of people out there that didn't want him to win,'' Murray said. ''There's a lot of people that said he would never win. There's a lot of people who said he never played his best in finals, in the fourth quarter of games he never steps up.

For much of Wednesday's match, Prince William and his wife Catherine - also known as Wills and Kate - watched from the Royal Box. The pair sat in the front row, applauding politely at times and clapping loudly at others.

''It's always going to make a difference when you have royalty in there,'' said Murray, then turning his attention to some former Wimbledon champions who also sat in the Royal Box. ''For me, also playing in front of someone like (Andre) Agassi as well and Steffi Graf. Rod Laver was there, too. You know, it was an unbelievable privilege to play in front of those people.''

Murray is trying to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. If Murray beats Tsonga, he will be the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938.

British bookmaker William Hill already has Murray as an odds-on 1-2 favorite to advance over Tsonga. But he's still not favored to win the title. That honor belongs to defending champion Novak Djokovic, who is at 4-6. He is followed by six-time champion Roger Federer at 7-2 and Murray at 9-2. Tsonga is the outsider at 10-1.

''I'm in a good position, that's for sure,'' Murray said. ''Whether it's the best chance or not, I'm not sure. But I've been in this position a few times now and want to push on.''

On Centre Court, Murray saved 10 of the 12 break points he faced, including two while trailing 4-3 in the final set.

He also saved a set point in the second-set tiebreaker. Ferrer led 6-5 after Murray sent a backhand return wide, but he evened the score moments later with a forehand winner. Ferrer then made mistakes on the next two points to give Murray the set.

''I think the key was in the second set, no, when I have 5-4 or I had one set point in the tiebreak,'' said Ferrer, who served for both the first and second sets but failed to close them out. ''But Andy, in important moments he play really good. He played more aggressive than me, and he was better, no?''

Murray was better in the end, keeping his cool even when he was down.

''Subconsciously, I'm probably extremely stressed out right now,'' Murray said, ''but I try not to feel it.''

read more...

James, Wade lead Heat to 115-83 win over Pacers

Suddenly, the road back to the Eastern Conference finals no longer looks daunting for Miami.

Not after the Heat left the Pacers beat up and banged up.

LeBron James scored 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 28, and the Heat moved a win away from the NBA's final four with a 115-83 victory over the hurting Pacers on Tuesday night, a game where three flagrant fouls added more chapters to an already-physical series and Indiana watched starting forwards Danny Granger and David West leave with injuries.

''This is our challenge right now, to leave it behind us,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''A lot of good things tonight, but we have to focus on the next one.''

That would be Game 6 in Indiana on Thursday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven East semifinals 3-2.

James added 10 rebounds and eight assists. Shane Battier scored 13 points, Mario Chalmers had eight points and 11 rebounds, and Udonis Haslem finished with 10 points for Miami, which never trailed, held a 22-2 edge in fast-break points and shot a franchise playoff-record 61 percent - best of any team in the playoffs this season.

Paul George scored 11 points for Indiana, with Granger and West adding 10 points apiece. Granger left with a sprained left ankle in the third quarter and departed the arena in a walking boot, while West departed with what the Pacers called a left knee sprain at the end of that period - something that West thought was born of a

A series marked by ugly moments had perhaps its worst with 19.4 seconds remaining when Miami reserve center Dexter Pittman went across the lane to send a forearm into the chin area of Indiana's Lance Stephenson - who was caught on camera making a choke sign toward James during the Pacers' Game 3 win, drawing the ire of the Miami locker room.

Pittman was caught on camera winking after the foul.

''I don't know if that was retaliation. ... I'm sure the NBA will and do what they have to do,''

Granger said, adding that Stephenson was getting X-rays for a possible collarbone problem.

Physicians were examining Stephenson after the game.

Miami, which had gotten into quick deficits in each of the first four games, was the team that started hot in Game 5, running out to a 19-8 lead on the strength of three 3-pointers from Battier - who had been 2 for 19 from the field in the first four games of the series. Battier left his mark in many ways, even stopping a 3-on-1 Indiana break to set up a score by Wade at the other end.

Even after facing the big deficit, Indiana even had two shots to tie or take the lead late in the first half, the second of those a 3-point try from Granger with 3:03 remaining.

It didn't go down. He did.

Granger landed on James' foot after the shot, spraining his left ankle and leaving the game. The Heat outscored Indiana 8-2 the rest of the half, with James - who had been guarded by Granger for much of the series - scoring seven of them.

He opened the burst with a 3-pointer, stole the ball from West and dunked for a seven-point lead with 26 seconds left, then capped the half by coming up with a defensive rebound, passing to Wade, getting the ball back just before the halftime horn sounded and laying it in to send Miami into the break with a 49-40 edge.

''They played at their tempo,'' West said. ''We weren't able to get enough stops. You can't allow a team to shoot 60, 60-plus, whatever from the field.''

So now the Heat are one win from the East finals, after a series filled with twists and turns.

There was Vogel's accusation before the series started that the Heat were floppers, Chris Bosh's lower abdominal strain that sidelined him midway through Game 1, James and Wade missing key chances late in the Game 2 loss, Stephenson's gesture toward James and the 40-point, 18-rebound, nine-assist effort from James in Game 4.

And now a blowout - followed by a chance for a Heat close out on Thursday.

''When we defend and we rebound, we're a very good team,'' James said.

read more...

Heat top Bulls 83-72, Tighten East Race

The earliest Miami and Chicago could meet again is Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Good thing. The tempers could use a little time to cool down. And after a game filled with shoves and takedowns, the race for the No. 1 seed in the East is still going strong.

LeBron James had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 18 points and Miami tightened up the race in the East by beating the Bulls 83-72 in a scuffle-filled matchup Thursday night.

Mario Chalmers scored 16 points and Udonis Haslem grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, which held the Bulls to a season-low point total and moved within 1 1/2 games of Chicago.

John Lucas scored 16 points for Chicago, which was again without reigning MVP Derrick Rose because of injuries. Joakim Noah scored 15 points, Luol Deng added 11 and Carlos Boozer had 10 for the Bulls, who split four games with Miami this season.

The teams combined for four technicals, two flagrant fouls and Miami reserve James Jones was ejected.

But above all else, Miami decided this one with defense. The Bulls went up 21-20 on a layup by Deng with 3:36 left in the first quarter, making them 10 of 14 from the field at that point. They shot 15 for 56 - 27 percent - the rest of the way.

Chicago (47-16) has games with Dallas, Indiana and Cleveland left, while Miami (45-17) still has matchups with Washington (twice), Houston and Boston.

In case anyone forgot that the Heat and Bulls don't particularly care for one another, the refresher courses came often in this one.

The first real salvo came with 6:05 left in the first half, when Jones was ejected after being assessed a flagrant-2 for excessive contact against Noah while trying for a rebound. Jones stretched out both arms to move Noah out of the way, making contact around the head.

By the end of the game, that play seemed like a love tap.

Wade and Chicago guard Richard Hamilton - rivals for years - raised the level of angst a few more notches early in the third quarter.

Hamilton led with his elbow and shoulder to create some space, and Wade took exception - so he delivered an elbow and shoulder back, sending the Bulls' guard sprawling to the court. The jousting then turned verbal, enough to merit a technical foul for each, plus a flagrant-1 on Wade.

And then things really got hot a few minutes later, not long after James was pulled down under the basket. James set a screen and was run into by Lucas, who gives up 9 inches and 85 pounds to the two-time NBA MVP. Predictably, Lucas went flying. Even more predictably, Lucas - who was leapfrogged for a dunk by James in Chicago's first trip to Miami this season - got angry.

After Deng fouled Chalmers to stop the play, and reopened a cut over his own left eye in the process, Lucas ran at James and the other eight players on the court at the time quickly converged on the area. It took referees about 5 minutes to sort out the mess, which only resulted in a personal foul on Deng and technicals on Lucas and James (who, upon hearing his name announced, shouted, "For what?).

James shrugged off the next hit, a hard foul by Chicago's Omer Asik about a half-minute later, converting a three-point play in the process.

"A physical Eastern Conference game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the third quarter in a televised interview. "It's an emotional game, a passionate game."Your site "Digital Printing" will be reviewed within 5 business days

read more...