Are the L.A. Clippers really worth $2 billion?

Are the L.A. Clippers really worth $2 billion? 

FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2014, photo, then-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, left, shakes hands with former NBA players Bill Russell, right, and "Downtown" Freddie Brown as Omar Lee looks on during an NCAA college basketball game between Washington and Oregon State in Seattle. An individual with knowledge of negotiations to sell the Los Angeles Clippers said Shelly Sterling has reached an agreement to sell the team to Ballmer for $2 billion. The individual, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press on Thursday, May 29, 2014, that Ballmer and the Sterling Family Trust now have a binding agreement. The deal now must be presented to the NBA.

 

A high-profile NBA franchise in a major media market was suddenly available. A handful of power brokers from the technology, entertainment and venture capital fields were lining up for a chance to join the party.

And all the while the clock was ticking on the bidding, with the league waiting and threatening to impose its will on the process if Donald and Shelly Sterling didn't unload the Los Angeles Clippers.

The result? A $2 billion record bid from former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer that sent sticker shock through the worlds of sport and finance.

The offer, which comes after recorded racist comments made by owner Donald Sterling prompted the NBA to force a sale of the Clippers, is among the highest amounts ever paid for a pro sports team. It roughly ties the $2 billion paid for baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and exceeds the $1.47 billion paid for soccer's Manchester United in 2005.

A perfect storm may have inflated the price.

A small time frame to negotiate, skyrocketing television rights fees that pushed professional sports franchise values through the roof, an owner-friendly collective bargaining agreement negotiated in 2011 and Ballmer's own desire to land the team after missing out in his bid to buy the Sacramento Kings last year collided to drive the Clippers price into the stratosphere, experts say.

"I'm completely hornswaggled -- if that isn't a word, it should be -- by the going price," said Michael Leeds, professor of economics at Temple University. "It is almost unimaginable that the Clippers would go for about the same price as the Dodgers did just a year or so ago."

Ballmer may have overpaid for the Clippers through an economic theory called "the winner's curse," which states that the winning bid is always the highest bid and not necessarily the most accurate one.

But with a meeting scheduled for Tuesday in which the NBA was expected to vote to oust the Sterlings as owners of the Clippers, the window for negotiating a deal was closing quickly. That can often prompt prospective buyers to be more aggressive with their initial offers than they normally would be, according to John Vrooman, profressor of sports economics at Vanderbilt.

But Ballmer had good reason to overpay, Vrooman said. The Clippers will soon be renegotiating their local television packages. Their current deal reportedly nets them about $20 million annually.

Thanks to the team's recent success, star power on the roster with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul and a voracious Los Angeles marketplace that could include bids from three networks, the revenue gained from a new contract will be much closer to the estimated $200 million that the Los Angeles Lakers earn annually as part of their deal with Time Warner, Vrooman said.

On top of that, the NBA will get a new national television contract in 2016 that figures to add another $50 million to each team's balance sheet.

The expected television revenue alone - not even taking into account revenue from tickets, luxury suites and in-arena advertising - pushes the value of the Clippers to the $1.2-$1.6 billion range, Vrooman said.

"These buyers are perhaps irrational and exuberant but not altogether foolish," Vrooman said. "There is method to Ballmer's `madness.'"

The extra $400 million added to Ballmer's bid is what Vrooman called the "blowaway factor" - additional money aimed at grabbing the seller's immediate attention and emphatically distancing his bid from others.

"About $1.6 billion of the price is sustainable investment and the extra $400 million may be what a billionaire owner with a Harvard degree in economics simply wants to pay for his NBA buzz," Vrooman said.

Owning a sports team has always been one of the ultimate status symbols, with billionaire playboys flexing their financial muscle to purchase the biggest, shiniest toys available. But in recent years, thanks to resounding victories by owners over players in collective bargaining negotiations, sports teams are getting closer to becoming fool-proof moneymakers as well.

"You would almost have to be the dumbest kid in class if you didn't make money on professional sports teams today," said Red McCombs, who has owned the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Vikings in the past.

Teams are also rarely available, and there are lots of interested buyers, so the sales prices continue to rise. McCombs was on the front end of the trend when he sold the Vikings, a team he purchased for $220 million in 1998, for $640 million in 2005.

McCombs made his deal before the NFL owners won a labor battle to reduce the players' portion of the revenue split to 50 percent in 2011, an arrangement the NBA duplicated later that year. Reducing player salaries - the biggest recurring expense for an owner - provided cost certainty to prospective buyers.

"Essentially, the commissioners and the owners have done a great job of pretty well identifying from the cost side what their total nut is going to be on salaries," McCombs said. "Through a lot of sweat and tears and lockouts, we have a fairly decent feeling as to what the cost to the players is going to be."

The rising prices have led to concerns about a bubble in the pro market similar to the one that brought about the housing crash. Vrooman said the lack of inventory separates pro sports from real estate.

"The housing bubble was caused by too many houses being built whereas this bubble is caused by too few franchises being created here and abroad," Vrooman said.

Ballmer, who stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in February, may also view the purchase - which still has to be approved by the NBA's owners - as a way to cast himself as a savior swooping in to rescue the Clippers from Donald Sterling after the fallout from the racist comments.

"Add to that the fact that he is a serious basketball fan, and, again, you have a formula for a higher-than-usual bid," Leeds said. "Still, all this reasoning comes after the fact and does not significantly lessen my astonishment."

 

Beckett Pitches No-Hitter, Dodgers Stop Phillies

Beckett Pitches No-Hitter, Dodgers Stop Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Josh Beckett pitched the first no-hitter of his stellar career and the first in the majors this season, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 on Sunday.

Beckett struck out six, walked three and didn’t come close to allowing a hit against a lineup that included two former NL MVPs and four former All-Stars.

“I don’t think I had no-hit stuff,” he said. “I just really kept them guessing.”

The 34-year-old right-hander, whose career was almost derailed last year by a nerve condition that left him unable to feel his fingertips, threw 128 pitches and fanned Chase Utley on a called strike three to end the game.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Philadelphia Phillies RBI Youth Baseball League Celebrated In Darby Borough by Rory Dillard mrmays22@yahoo.com

Philadelphia Phillies RBI Youth Baseball League Celebrated In Darby Borough by Rory Dillard mrmays22@yahoo.com

RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner-cities) is a Phillies-sponsored program with leagues throughout the city or borough. Two All-Star teams represent Philadelphia, PA or Delaware County, PA in a national RBI tournament involving over 140 cities.And the nearby Darby Pennsylvania has the Philadelphia Phillies RBI in it's borough.

Darby Borough Mayor Helen Thomas, RBI 
Coach, Rory Dillard, along with other league 
coaches and supporters pose for the opening day game.

Opening day at Darby Borough for the Philadelphia Phillies RBI Youth Baseball League. Mayor Helen Thomas throws out the first pitch. a

Mrs Esther Lytes encourages the team's and parents
to be continue good sportsmanship for the season.

Boil Water Advisory In Effect For Several Montgomery County Towns

Boil Water Advisory In Effect For Several Montgomery County Towns

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) — A boil water advisory remains in effect for Pennsylvania American Water customers in parts of Montgomery County.

That includes East Norriton Township, West Norriton Township, Lower Providence Township, Whitpain Township, Worcester Township and Whitemarsh Township.

The company says workers will test the water Wednesday and Thursday.

Following the Department of Environmental Protection regulations, if the tests on both days come back clean, the boil water advisory could be lifted, at the earliest, by Friday.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Gov. Corbett Says He Won’t Appeal Ruling That Legalized Same-Sex Marriage

Gov. Corbett Says He Won’t Appeal Ruling That Legalized Same-Sex Marriage

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – One day after a federal judge in Philadelphia struck down Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriages (see related story), Governor Tom Corbett announced that he is giving up his fight to restore the state’s “Defense of Marriage” law.

This afternoon, Corbett’s press office released a statement saying that Gov. Corbett has “thoroughly reviewed Judge Jones’ opinion” and has concluded that the case is extremely unlikely to succeed on appeal.

Therefore, the governor says, he has decided not to appeal the judge’s decision.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Phillies Phestival Raises Record-Breaking $904,732 For ALS Patients

Phillies Phestival Raises Record-Breaking $904,732 For ALS Patients

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Phillies hosted the annual Phillies Phestival on Monday, a fundraiser to help ALS patients.  In the year that marks the 75^th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s famous speech, Phillies fans broke the record for funds raised.

There is still no cure for ALS, but a major milestone was reached in the fight to defeat this devastating, always-fatal, progressive neuromuscular disorder.

A record-breaking $904,732 was raised at tonight’s Phillies Phestival, the annual autograph and auction party to strike out ALS.

In the 30-year history of the Phillies’ partnership with The ALS Association, this is the largest amount raised at the Phillies Phestival. Monies garnered will provide much-needed patient care and services for ALS patients in the Greater Philadelphia area.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Pacers pull away from Heat 107-96 to take 1-0 lead

Pacers pull away from Heat 107-96 to take 1-0 lead 

Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) takes the ball down court as Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen, rear, recovers during the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoff series Sunday, May 18, 2014, in Indianapolis.

  

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana is done talking about home-court advantage.

The top-seeded Pacers are ready to use it against the two-time defending champs.

They took the first step Sunday, when Paul George finished with 24 points and seven assists, David West added 19 points and seven rebounds, and suddenly surging Indiana led wire-to-wire in a 107-96 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

"This is just a fun matchup," George said. "It's one that we've been waiting for all year."

For the first time in this year's playoffs, the Pacers won a series opener. And for the first time in their last three playoff battles against the Heat, the Pacers won Game 1.

Game 2 is Tuesday night. The home team has won all five games in this season's fiercest and most competitive rivalry, though none was more impressive or important than this one.

All five Indiana starters and backup C.J. Watson scored in double figures, helping Indiana produce its highest point total of the playoffs.

The Pacers limited the Heat to just four offensive rebounds and 6-of-23 shooting from beyond the arc. LeBron James went 1 of 5 on 3s and shot just two free throws, and Miami fell so far behind so fast, it never even had a chance to tie the score.

Sure, opening this best-of-seven series at Bankers Life Fieldhouse helped. The hometown crowd that sometimes serenaded the Pacers with boos during the first two rounds spent most of the first half on its feet, chanted "De-fense" every time it looked as if the Heat might come back and finished the game with its customary chant of "Beat The Heat!"

But the biggest difference was on the court.

Indiana shared the ball, limited its turnovers, maintained its poise and got contributions from everyone in a game it had to win. Roy Hibbert finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, Lance Stephenson had 17 points and eight assists, and George Hill added 15 points as the Pacers looked more like the team that was so dominant over the first half of the season, rather than the one struggled so mightily in the second half.

The challengers in this matchup insist they know it's only a start.

"There's nothing to celebrate. It's not like we won a championship. It's one game," Hill said. "Yes, it was good, but if we come out and lay an egg on Tuesday, this game doesn't mean anything."

The toughest part for the Heat will be figuring out what went wrong.

Coach Erik Spoelstra used Shane Battier in the starting lineup, then replaced him with Udonis Haslem after the Pacers took a 55-45 halftime lead. It made no difference.

James, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Dwyane Wade, who had 27 points on 12-of-18 shooting, desperately tried to rally the Heat but got little help. Chris Bosh had nine points and two rebounds. Ray Allen finished with 12 points.

While Bosh thought the primary problem was Miami's inability to get stops, James wasn't as sure.

"The game's still so fresh. It's too hard to just say, `Well, we need to do this better in Game 2,'" James said after the Heat lost for just the second time in 10 playoff games. "We need to evaluate our mistakes and things we did in Game 1 first before I can say what we need to bring to Game 2."

Clearly, the Pacers weren't the same team that spent most of the last three months answering questions about their second-half swoon.

Indiana swarmed the glass, exploited its size advantage, knocked down six of its first seven 3-pointers and forced the Heat into playing catch-up.

When the Heat cut a 10-point, first-quarter deficit to 41-37 midway through the second quarter, Stephenson scored four points in a 5-0 run to make it 46-37. When James trimmed it to 50-45 with back-to-back baskets late in the quarter, the Pacers ended the half with five straight points to make it 55-45.

Hibbert and West then combined eight of Indiana's first 14 points to open the second half, pushing the lead to 69-52.

James and Wade rallied the Heat within 83-74 early in the fourth, but the Pacers opened it up again to 102-84 with 4:11 to go.

Now comes the hard part - doing it all over again Tuesday night.

"We've been complacent many times. We just can't get complacent," George said. "We've got to stay humbled off this win and come in with the same mind-set that we have to get another one."

Notes: Miami has lost six straight series openers on the road. ... The last two games these teams have played were both decided by double digits. ... Former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine opened the series by playing the National Anthem on his harmonica.

Historical Marker To Be Dedicated To A Philadelphia Basketball Pioneer

Historical Marker To Be Dedicated To A Philadelphia Basketball Pioneer

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – NBA representatives will be in town this week to help honor a Philadelphia basketball pioneer.

He was only five-foot eight, but he remains a towering figure in basketball.

Eddie Gottlieb founded and played for the champion South Philly Hebrew Association SPHAs and helped to establish the NBA in the 1940s, for years drawing-up the league schedule by hand.

He owned and coached the Philadelphia Warriors.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Offense Comes Alive To Help Hamels Earn 100th Career Win, 12-1 Over Reds

Offense Comes Alive To Help Hamels Earn 100th Career Win, 12-1 Over Reds

 

 
Cole Hamels #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against
the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning in a game at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cole Hamels threw seven sharp innings to earn his 100th career win, Domonic Brown had a career-best five RBIs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-1 on Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Cody Asche snapped Philadelphia’s 23-inning scoreless streak with a two-run double that sparked a six-run fourth. Cesar Hernandez capped the scoring with his first career homer.

Hamels (1-2) didn’t need much run support.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Rory Dillard: Helping Our Kids Learn Sports In Delco County And At The Christy Rec. Center In Philly by Van Stone frontpagenews1@yahoo.com (267) 293-9201

Rory Dillard: Helping Our Kids Learn Sports In Delco County And At The Christy Rec. Center In Philly by Van Stone frontpagenews1@yahoo.com (267) 293-9201

Rory Dillard, Sports Director, Education Adviser.

Rory Dillard, Coach and Educator Adviser, has been successful in helping our children with athletics. And Dillard has done this in both Delaware County and the Philadelphia region.  Is it any wonder that most kids who are endlessly toted around as youngsters from one game or tournament to another by Coach Rory have moms and dads ending up showing up to practice and games? For a host of reasons kids find ways to remain, boosting their hopes and the hopes of their parents who are counting on good coaching.  This is happening because Dillard is taking the bottom line in what youth service work is really about across Darby, PA, Yeadon, PA, Lansdowne, PA, East Lansdowne, PA, Upper Darby, as well as sections of Southwest and West Philly.     

Rory Dillard is involved in children’s sports in Delco County and Philly County community sections, particularly the 56^th and Christian Street Christy Recreation Center, because he loves to volunteer.

Q. As long as you can remember, how long have you been surrounded by youth sports and community activities that cross both Delco County and Philly?

A. I have been involved in youth sports in Delaware County and Philadelphia for five years, starting in 2009.

Q. When did you begin coaching football, basketball, and baseball in Southeast Delco and the 56^th and Christian St. Christy Rec. Center area? And is there any other youth sport that was not mentioned? 

A. In 2009 I was brought in by the President of the Upper Darby Trojans as the Athletic Director to revamp their program.  In 2011 I was appointed the Athletic Director of the R.Y.A. Ravens located in Yeadon, PA, where we have a travel team for basketball and we are planning baseball in 2015. In 2013 I joined The Darby Devils who play in the Philadelphia Phillies RBI youth baseball league as Co Coach.

Q. Who inspired you to work in community service?

A. There really isn't one individual in the community that inspired me to do what I do.  It has been a collective group of people throughout my life who have helped me to reach this point in my life. There have been some high school and college level coaches that I have drawn from as far as teaching different types of fundamentals and techniques of the game.  My being involved with youth happened solely because of all my youth coaches and my involvement in The Boys Club.  That's where my foundation and inspiration began as far as communication, respect, and teamwork stands.

Q. Who would you say helped you master the art of teaching kids safe sports?

A. I feel like all of my youth coaches (football, basketball, and baseball) deserve the credit for me mastering these sports. All of them have taught me the fundamentals, the techniques, and the strategies of those particular games.  

  

Q. What is the name of the top youth sports team that you work with in Delaware County and/or Philly? Provide any details such as the ages involved, the rank, the class or the division of each sport.

A. There isn't, in my opinion, one team being alone at the top.  But a sports league that caught my eye is the Delco Football League. The Delco Football League is located in Delaware County, PA.   It consists of 13 teams between Philadelphia, PA and Chester, PA. The players are ages 5-15. We play weight ball meaning that we weigh the players before each game. Also there are weight classes from 80lbs-170lbs. In the basketball sport the league is called the Delco Boys Basketball League. This league runs from December to March, and is broken down into age groups from 7-18 years of age. Both sports have playoffs, championships, and All-Star games.

Q. What traits do you feel that kids from Delco County and Philly area have in common? And why do you feel that these traits need your attention to help them succeed in school, in the neighborhood, and cross counties?

A. The student athletes in the Delco/Philly area that I have encountered have many things in common, such as their level of competitiveness which is very high and proves their athleticism. All of the kids work hard and have a unique high intelligence level for the game and for life. Well, even though I’m proud to talk about the kids' level of intelligence, these young people still need guidance, coaching, and encouragement from adults they respect. I've been a coach and a teacher for twenty years, and I know it's proven if you command respect you must give respect in order to accomplish anything. Teamwork is the key, along with communication and respect.

Q. During the spring and through the summer of 2014 what areas of the city are you hoping to work with to demonstrate that you are concerned about both youth education and sports activity? Provide any details about what you feel the youth and/or parents should do when or if they become involved in excellent youth programs.

A. In the coming months I hope to get started on football workouts, and get ready to start the season.  Until the time comes when we can start a new football season I will be running summer basketball and coaching baseball - Go Devils!  The R.Y.A. Ravens territorial concentrations are Darby, Yeadon, Lansdowne, East Lansdowne, Upper Darby, Southwest and West Philadelphia. 

Next up: Coach Rory will team up with fellow coaches, some who are both former professional and semi professional sports players, to work basketball competition in West Philly’s 48^th and Brown Street Millcreek Playground section of the city.  

If anyone would like to volunteer for any of the programs (including cheerleading, majorettes, or any of the 3 sports basketball, baseball, or football) you can call the R.Y.A. Ravens offices for coach Rory at 610-931-7366 or 267-560-3576.

Former PR Director For Phillies Pens Book About His 5 Decades Working For The Team

Former PR Director For Phillies Pens Book About His 5 Decades Working For The Team

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Former Phillies PR director Larry Shenk has been busy writing a book about his five decades working for the team.

Larry Shenk hit the ground running when he arrived at Connie Mack Stadium ahead of the 1964 season. For the ex-newspaper reporter it was a dream job for a dream team, at least until the last two weeks of September.
 
“We’re in first place and we start making plans for the World Series and before you knew it, it was over. I don’t remember too much about it because we were so busy making World Series plans and then the next thing you know the season’s over.”

For for full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Delco Front Page News Southeast Delaware County And Philly Region Youth B. Ball Stars by Coach Rory Dillard mrmays22@yahoo.com

Delco Front Page News Southeast Delaware County And Philly Region Youth B. Ball Stars by Coach Rory Dillard mrmays22@yahoo.com.

2014 SOUTHEAST DELAWARE COUNTY/SOUTHWEST AND WEST PHILLY YOUTH BASKETBALL STARS

At the conclusion of each sports weather season (winter), the leaders who are with Coach Rory children's sports group select  kids from teams at every borough and section of the city level for All-Star Player Performance and First Starters and Off The Bench as well, appreciation for their own players during the year. The children's sports and education program currently operate in the following areas of the Philadelphia region -from the Southeast to Southwest and throughout the West: Darby, PA, Yeadon, PA, Lansdowne, PA, East Lansdowne, PA, Upper Darby, PA, Southwest Philadelphia and West Philadelphia. 

Josiah and Unique 11/12 all stars.

Highlights: Josiah and Unique played basketball during
all of their regular season games. 

 

Andy and Monty 9/10 all stars 

Highlights: Andy teamed with Monty to help win

basketball games during all of their regular season games. 

Phillies Turn To Kendrick In Series Opener With Reds

Phillies Turn To Kendrick In Series Opener With Reds

Pitcher Kyle Kendrick #38 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch
in the top of the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on
May 5, 2014 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Phillies will look to snap a three-game losing streak tonight as they welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Citizens Bank Park for the opener of a three-game series.

Kyle Kendrick will get the ball for the Phillies. The right-hander hasn’t won a game since August 6th of last season, although he has pitched pretty solid baseball here in 2014. In 7 starts, Kendrick is 0-3 with a 3.98 ERA.

In his career against the Reds, Kendrick is 3-3 in 9 starts with a 4.41 ERA.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Three Local Squads Gearing Up For D3 NCAA Baseball Tourney

Rowan University celebrates winning the NJAC title

Latest Sports

Three Local Squads Gearing Up For D3 NCAA Baseball Tourney

May 13, 2014 2:07 PM

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Rowan University celebrates winning the NJAC title

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Division III NCAA Baseball Tournament is set to get underway this week and three local squads are a part of the field.  Haverford College, Rowan University and Widener University will all open regional play on Wednesday.

Haverford won the Centennial Conference and they are the #8 seed in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  This will be their second NCAA Tournament appearance in three seasons. The Fords first game will be against the region’s top seed Moravian.

Haverford brings a 22-18 record into the tournament. They lived on the edge in the double-elimination conference tournament, winning four straight games after losing their first.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Sterling stirs new dispute with Magic-HIV remarks

Sterling stirs new dispute with Magic-HIV remarks

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2010, file photo, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling, right, sits with his wife Rochelle during the Clippers NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in Los Angeles. An attorney representing the estranged wife of Clippers owner Donald Sterling said Thursday, May 8, 2014, that she will fight to retain her 50 percent ownership stake in the team.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An interview that was supposed to be an attempt at rehabilitation instead had Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling facing fresh rebukes as he went from apologizing for recent racist remarks to slamming Magic Johnson, repeatedly bringing up the ex-NBA star's HIV and calling him an unfit role model for children.

"He's got AIDS!" Sterling said loudly at one point in the interview, cutting off CNN's Anderson Cooper as the interviewer attempted to cite Johnson's accomplishments after Sterling asked, "What has he done, big Magic Johnson, what has he done?"

Johnson, who is appearing on Cooper's show on Tuesday, wrote on his Twitter account that "I'd rather be talking about these great NBA Playoffs than Donald Sterling's interview."

In an early excerpt from Johnson's interview posted on CNN's website, the former Lakers star said Sterling is "reaching."

"He's trying to find something that he can grab on to help him save his team," he said. "And it's not going to happen. ... I'm a God-fearing man and I'm going to pray for him and hope things work out for him."

Sterling's comments earned quick condemnation from the league that was already trying to rid itself of the owner.

Commissioner Adam Silver, who gave Sterling a lifetime ban and $2.5 million fine two weeks ago, issued a statement saying, "while Magic Johnson doesn't need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack."

"The NBA Board of Governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible," the commissioner added.

Sterling's estranged wife, Shelley Sterling, watched her husband's interview and told NBC's "Today" show that he may be losing his mental faculties.

"He's not the man I know, or I knew," she said. "There's something wrong. I really think, personally, he has dementia.

"I don't think it happened overnight. I think it's been happening, but nobody really knew the reason. I mean, he gets crazy, and yells, and screams, and hollers one moment. The next moment he'll ... talk about something else. I mean it's like nothing makes sense."

Sterling changed course briefly during the interview to call Johnson "a good person," but soon resumed his criticism.

"He acts so holy," Sterling said. "He made love to every girl in every city in America, and he had AIDS, and when he had those AIDS, I went to my synagogue and I prayed for him, I hope he could live and be well. I didn't criticize him. I could have. Is he an example for children?"

Cooper corrected Sterling, explaining that Johnson was HIV-positive but did not have "full-blown AIDS."

Sterling briefly adjusted his language but not his tone.

"What kind of a guy goes to every city, has sex with every girl, then he catches HIV. Is that someone we want to respect, and tell our kids about?" Sterling said. "I think he should be ashamed of himself."

Sterling also claimed that the Clippers players still love him and don't believe he's a racist.

Two of the team's stars, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, were asked about Sterling's comments prior to Tuesday's game against Oklahoma City. The Los Angeles Times reported that both disputed Sterling's characterization but said they are focused on the team and not the owner.

"If you ask every single guy on this team, they'd say they love their family. They love their teammates," Griffin said. "That's who we're playing for. And that's really the bottom line."

Andray Blatche baffles Heat as Nets get creative in key Game 3 win

Andray Blatche baffles Heat as Nets get creative in key Game 3 win

 

Andray Blatche had 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in Brooklyn’s Game 3 win.

BROOKLYN — If “Andray Blatche” is the answer, chances are the question was a joke.

Blatche is the type of basketball player that makes coaches gray early. The type that can go from brilliant to baffling in the drop of basketball. The type with all the talent in the world and all the excuses not to use it.

The type to show enough potential to be designated a building block of a rebuilding team — only to be designated as an amnesty player two years later.

Half magnificent, half maniacal. You’re never quite sure what version of Blatche you’re getting until he’s inserted into the game.

In Game 2 against the Heat, Blatche went scoreless in four minutes. In Game 3, he had 15 points and 10 rebounds and powered the Nets’ season-saving 104-90 victory, helping Brooklyn cut its deficit in the Eastern Conference semifinal to 2-1.

If I had told you “Andray Blatche” was going to be the difference Saturday, I would have only done so behind muffled laughter and a snarky grin. But Blatche’s mesmerizing play off the bench in Game 3 forced us to stop laughing at the precarious big man — and start laughing with him.

You couldn’t help but chuckle at some of Blatche’s antics Saturday — even the good ones. He crossed over Chris Bosh in the post and scored on a nifty scoop shot. He busted out the “Dream Shake” in the second quarter and drew a foul (despite taking a “handful” of steps). He had a few choice words for LeBron James after one score. And a heat check from 20 feet after another. He used his big 6-foot-10 frame to dominate the paint in a series that’s been dominated by small ball. And most importantly, he gave the Nets a desperate influx of offense after they fell flat in South Beach.
 
“The big thing about this team is that we trust everyone,” said Nets coach Jason Kidd. “And when you look at Dray and what Mirza (Teletovic) did for us off the bench was big.”

After pouring in 20 points in Game 2, Teletovic’s hot hand carried into Game 3, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep. Even more impressive, the shooting specialist did an admirable job of defending LeBron, a feat even more miraculous than Blatche taking over Game 3.

It was a strange defensive assignment in a game littered with strange lineups. Down 0-2, Kidd shook up his rotation drastically in hopes of finding something that worked. After receiving a DNP-CD on Thursday, Andrei Kirilenko played 19 minutes Saturday, doing everything from guarding Dwyane Wade to playing center in one of Brooklyn’s most extreme lineups. Mason Plumlee played all of just two minutes. Marcus Thornton, who averaged almost 20 minutes per night in the Nets’ first two games against the Heat, played just six Saturday.

Was there a method to Kidd’s madness or was he just throwing things at wall hoping something would stick? Either way, it worked.

“You’re not going to surprise the champs,” Kidd said. “They’ve seen everything.”

On Saturday, they saw the Nets team that swept their season series 4-0, not the one that rolled over twice in South Beach.

The Nets hit 15 three-pointers in Game 3 and had 26 assists on 38 baskets. They got another strong effort from Joe Johnson (19 points on 7-of-10 shooting) and respectable ones from Paul Pierce (14 points) and Kevin Garnett (10 points, seven rebounds), which is all they can ask for at the advanced stages of their careers. They outrebounded the Heat 43-27 and their bench outscored Miami’s 40-16. They used a huge third quarter (26-14) to pull away and they expertly staved off the Heat’s finally rally in the fourth.

“They simply outplayed us,” LeBron said.

After cruising through the first six games of the postseason, Miami finally hit its first wall of resistance in Brooklyn. The first quarter appeared to offer more of the same with LeBron scoring 16 points (his most of any quarter this postseason) and hitting 6-of-7 shots. Brooklyn, to its credit, trailed by just one point after the period thanks to a Shaun Livingston 40-footer at the buzzer, but this looked like one of those nights when LeBron’s dominance was more inevitable than preventable.

How good was LeBron in that opening period? He could have put his head down and scored on the ’85 

Bears. On one play, he drove to the hoop, beat two defenders then had Paul Pierce attempt to drag him down by the shoulder — resulting in flagrant foul — and LeBron STILL scored. I mean, who scores on a flagrant foul?

 

LeBron does. Which is what made his disappearing act the rest of the game that much odder.

He attempted just one shot in the second quarter. Brooklyn’s defense adjusted accordingly after being burned in the opening frame and LeBron looked disinterested in challenging in. We’ve seen the Heat win countless games without LeBron scoring a a bevy of points. In Miami’s first two games this series he scored 22 points in each victory. But his 28 points in Game 3 could have been 40. Sometimes it almost seems as if LeBron is trying to prove he can without putting up Durant-like numbers. But sometimes that passiveness goes too far. When you’re the best player on the planet, sometimes you need to be selfish. Sometimes you don’t pass to Norris Cole or James Jones even though they’re open. Sometimes you just take over, block everything else out, and score at all costs.

We didn’t see that from LeBron in Game 3. Strangely, we saw it from Blatche. After looking immune to the competition in the first six games of the postseason, the Heat showed their first signs of weakness in Game 3.

It was the type of game that left you shaking your head leaving the arena, wondering where these versions of Miami and Brooklyn had been in the first two games. Saturday was a game in part won by Andray Blatche and in part lost by LeBron James.

If that’s not enough to make you laugh, I don’t know what is.