?Voice of the Sonics? Kevin Calabro will call his 1,500th broadcast with the team Tuesday, April 4 when the Sonics take on the Houston Rockets at KeyArena.
The entertainment during Tuesday night?s game at the Key, courtesy of FSN Northwest, will include a ?Top 10 Calabro Calls? ArenaVision video tribute and a ?Call It Like Calabro? segment in which two lucky fans will be chosen to compete for the best mimicking of a vintage Calabro call. FSN Northwest will also provide a collectible rally card as a giveaway to the first 10,000 fans through the KeyArena doors. The rally card will commemorate Calabro?s milestone.
?Kevin Calabro has long been one of the best play-by-play announcers, not just in basketball, but in all of pro sports,? said Sonics & Storm President and CEO Wally Walker. ?It has been a thrill for Sonics fans to hear Kevin?s classic calls over the last 19 seasons, and we congratulate him on reaching this milestone.?
June 2006 Basketball Wiretap
With Amare Stoudemire back on the shelf, Steve Nash isn't sure that the power forward is needed.
?I think the later it goes, the more we should stick to this team,? Nash said. ?For a guy to not really play all that time and then get thrown into the playoffs? You?re asking a lot of a young man.
?If (Stoudemire were) a 10-year vet ? like a Chris Webber for example, a guy who knows the league, sees the floor and knows how to play without his jumping ability ? it?s a different story. But Amar? is a young guy, he has his whole career ahead of him ? you?ve got to err on the side of caution.?
The Toronto Raptors activated point guard Jose Calderon from the inactive list prior to their game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
The 6-foot-3 rookie had missed the previous eight games with left Achilles' tendinitis.
"I feel great," said Calderon, who isn't sure how much he will play against the Suns. "I feel 100 percent. I'm ready to play."
Baron Davis (sprained right ankle) was examined by doctors Wednesday and will remain in his immobilizing boot until further notice. The point guard is set to be examined again next week.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on its Web site Friday that Dominique Wilkins has been told of his election into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
"Two SEC teams in the Final Four -- I've got to be there," he told the Atlanta paper with a laugh.
The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets announced today that they have signed Marcus Fizer from the NBADL?s Austin Toros to a 10-day contract.
?Marcus is a proven NBA player and he?ll help strengthen our injury-depleted frontline as we make our playoff push,? said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. ?He showed great professionalism this season by improving his game in the NBADL and we look forward to the contributions he?ll be able to make right away.?
Fizer was named the NBA Development League?s Most Valuable Player for the 2005-06 season earlier today after averaging 22.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 35 games with the Toros. Fizer signed a 10-day contract with the Seattle SuperSonics on March 8, but did not appear in a game.
The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets announced today that they have waived forward/center Jackson Vroman.
Vroman appeared in 77 games (19 starts) with the Hornets, averaging 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds. He suffered a season-ending injury when he broke his right wrist on February 1st against Chicago.
Dallas Mavericks center DJ Mbenga has been suspended one game without pay for committing a Flagrant Foul Penalty Two by striking Cleveland?s LeBron James in the head, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President Basketball Operations.
The incident, in which a Flagrant Foul Penalty One was called and, subsequently, upgraded by the League Office to a Flagrant Foul Penalty Two,
occurred with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks 107-94
loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. Mbenga
will serve his suspension tonight against the Orlando Magic.
Joakim Noah, now a projected lottery pick, is gearing up for this weekend's Final Four and is deflecting the talk that he might bolt for the NBA early.
"I'm having the time of my life," Noah said. "Right now, I'm loving this. This is what it's all about. I know that people dream about going to the NBA, but it's a little different for me because I'm not one of those people who didn't have food on the table (growing up).
"The refrigerator was always full when I went home. I mean, I understand why people talk about it and that's my dream, but at the same time, is that what it's all about? I love my life right now and I love playing for Florida."
"It's definitely something you consider; that's a lot of hamburgers right there," Noah confessed. "But right now, if anybody on this team thought about the NBA at this point right now, that would be the most selfish and disappointing thing. I think it's something that I'll definitely talk about with my family and my coaches, but money doesn't buy happiness. That's the truth."
Jeff Van Gundy was reportedly not involved in the process that led the Rockets to name Daryl Morey their next general manager, but this does not mean that his days as head coach are numbered.
"With any change, it's never one change," Van Gundy said. "There are more changes. That's how it is. When there is a major change in any organization, there are more changes on the horizon.
"And yet, I can honestly say, whether that includes me or doesn't include me, I haven't given it one thought. I'm happy with where I'm at. I like the guys I work with both coaching staff-wise and the players. And really, I'm only thinking about trying to win tomorrow night."