Suns Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shaquille O’Neal knew he wouldn’t escape totally unscathed from

the Suns‘ latest review at the NBA offices. He took the $25,000 fine

for “verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a

timely manner” in stride.

“It’s just like a tax. It’s not something I worry about,” O’Neal

said. “It doesn’t matter to me, I don’t care. I said what I had to

say, but I guess for $25,000 I should have said a little more.”

O’Neal did have an issue with the fact that the NBA reviewed his

Flagrant 2 foul call on Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey and will likely drop

it to a lesser charge (Flagrant 1).

“I do care about (the league) being consistent,” he said.

Wake up Raja - The Suns Arena t Built to Run

Paul Coro writes today about a Suns team divided by those that want to run and those that want to work inside out.

Pistons are less physical, but more slick
The Bad Boys are long gone. These Pistons have their own personality with Allen Iverson — and it ain’t bad, Charley Rosen says.NBA/~4/459184172″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Phoenix Suns’ Shaquille O’Neal feeds needy Arizona families

Phoenix Suns Center Shaquille O’Neal is working with Feed The Children, an international hunger relief organization, to provide 400 families with boxes of food and personal care items.

Wade’s 40-11-5 night wasted as Raptors win
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Suns Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shaquille O’Neal knew he wouldn’t escape totally unscathed from

the Suns‘ latest review at the NBA offices. He took the $25,000 fine

for “verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a

timely manner” in stride.

“It’s just like a tax. It’s not something I worry about,” O’Neal

said. “It doesn’t matter to me, I don’t care. I said what I had to

say, but I guess for $25,000 I should have said a little more.”

O’Neal did have an issue with the fact that the NBA reviewed his

Flagrant 2 foul call on Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey and will likely drop

it to a lesser charge (Flagrant 1).

“I do care about (the league) being consistent,” he said.

MyFox NBA Roundup: Mavs End 5-Game Skid With Defeat Of Knicks

Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks dug out of a big hole to snap a five-game losing streak — and leave the New York Knicks wondering what the heck happened.

Free agency rumors about LeBron continue to swirl
While his free agency is still two years away, LeBron James won’t hestiate to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers if another franchise offers the superstar a better chance to win multiple NBA titles. “I think you do what is best for you and you do what is best for your career,” James said Tuesday night when asked about his sense of loyalty to the Cavaliers before they played the Nets in New Jersey. “…I go out and I play hard and that’s loyalty,” James added. “It’s hard because it’s a business.NBA/~4/457816028″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

BDL NBA Power Rankings: Shattered dreams, broken promises (Yahoo! Sports)
The BDL NBA Power Rankings combine two parts Chivas Regal with one part flippant observation to create the most…

It’s been a rough stretch for Mark Cuban
The Mavs stink. MLB is blackballing him. And the SEC is on his case. Kevin Hench is almost sorry for billionaire Mark Cuban. Almost.NBA/~4/456564579″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Clippers have problems all over
What’s wrong with the Clippers? Where do you want to start? Charley Rosen takes aim at a truly dysfunctional team.NBA/~4/457241045″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Jazz end 3-game skid with win over Suns (AP)

Utah coach Jerry Sloan was perplexed. After losing three straight at the end of a dismal road trip, the Jazz looked like NBA title contenders back at home. Utah ended a three-game losing streak by beating Phoenix 109-97 on Monday night, outrebounding the Suns 47-26 and holding Shaquille O’Neal to one rebound.

Suns Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shaquille O’Neal knew he wouldn’t escape totally unscathed from the Suns‘ latest review at the NBA offices. He took the $25,000 fine for “verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner” in stride.

“It’s just like a tax. It’s not something I worry about,” O’Neal said. “It doesn’t matter to me, I don’t care. I said what I had to say, but I guess for $25,000 I should have said a little more.”

O’Neal did have an issue with the fact that the NBA reviewed his Flagrant 2 foul call on Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey and will likely drop it to a lesser charge (Flagrant 1).

“I do care about (the league) being consistent,” he said. “I’m also anxious to know what happens to (referees) when they make mistakes.

Suns C O”Neal fined $25,000 (PA SportsTicker)
MESA, Arizona (Ticker) - Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal was fined $25,000 after being called for a flagrant foul in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, according to a published report Monday.

Lakers coach Jackson responds to O’Neal chatter

Kobe Bryant went the Tiger Woods route Monday afternoon. “You’re not getting anything out of me but plain vanilla,” Bryant said after the Lakers practiced at their training facility.

With Steve Nash back from his one-game suspension and Matt Barnes completing his two-game sentence Sunday night, the Suns might have a new worry after Shaquille O’Neal’s Flagrant 2 foul on Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey and ejection in the second quarter of Sunday’s win over the Pistons.

With the Suns leading 48-33 and in the midst of a dominant 10-point quarter, O’Neal went up aggressively to block Rodney Stuckey’s drive to the basket with both hands. The two players collided and Stuckey landed chest-first and face-second on the floor. He remained prone on the court while officials—referee Ken Mauer called a Flagrant 2 foul initially—watched video of the play and upheld the decision.

“We got together and felt—first of all, a Flagrant 2 had to have a…

It’s been a rough stretch for Mark Cuban
The Mavs stink. MLB is blackballing him. And the SEC is on his case. Kevin Hench is almost sorry for billionaire Mark Cuban. Almost.NBA/~4/456564579″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Shaq ejected, but Suns beat Pistons 104-86 (AP)

Shaquille O’Neal made an early exit from Amare Stoudemire’s 26th birthday party. Stoudemire and the rest of the already short-handed Phoenix Suns did just fine without him Sunday night. Stoudemire had 29 points and 11 rebounds and the Suns overcame O’Neal’s second-quarter ejection to beat the Detroit Pistons 104-86.

Shaq thrown out for flagrant foul (AP)
Shaquille O’Neal was ejected from Sunday night’s game between the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons for a flagrant foul. The call came with 5:19 left in the second quarter when Rodney Stuckey went up for a layup and O’Neal sent the Pistons‘ player chest-first onto the court. The flagrant foul two, which is an automatic ejection, was upheld after a review by the officials.

Shaq thrown out for flagrant foul
Shaquille O’Neal was ejected from Sunday night’s game between the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons for a flagrant foul. The call came with 5:19 left in the second quarter when Rodney Stuckey went up for a layup and O’Neal sent the Pistons‘ player chest-first onto the court. The flagrant foul two, which is an automatic ejection, was upheld after a review by the officials. O’Neal stayed on the court to argue vehemently before finally leaving.NBA/~4/455533689″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Baron finding life not so Golden with Clips (Yahoo! Sports)
Free-wheeling Baron Davis came to L.A. to build a contender. The process could be slower than he envisioned.

Rasheed Wallace had 25 points and 13 rebounds, Allen Iverson added 25 points and the Detroit Pistons handed the Los Angeles Lakers their first loss of the season, 106-95 Friday night.

Los Angeles Lakersa guard Derek Fisher steals the ball from New Orleans Hornetsa forward David West in the second half Wednesdaya s game in New Orleans.

Nuggets pull away from Celtics in fourth quarter
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McGrady ends slump, leads Houston in Phoenix (AP)

Tracy McGrady shot out of slump and Shaquille O’Neal shoved his way up the NBA career scoring list. And there was a fracas in the waning seconds of the third quarter that resulted in two ejections and seven technical fouls. One-sided victories seldom have as many story lines as the Houston Rockets‘ 94-82 rough-and-tumble win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

NBA fines Theus $25K for ‘ridiculous’ comment
The NBA has fined Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus $25,000 for comments he made about the officiating following a loss to Detroit. The league also penalized the Kings $25,000 Thursday for Theus’ actions. Theus said it was “ridiculous” that the Pistons took 36 fouls shots to just 17 for the Kings in Detroit’s 100-92 victory in Sacramento on Tuesday.NBA/~4/452181681″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

NBA’s most dominant force? Injuries
The list of the NBA’s walking wounded grows by the day. Randy Hill looks at who’s been hit worst by an abundance of early injuries.NBA/~4/452007863″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Colangelo named director of USA Basketball for next four years (PA SportsTicker)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Ticker) — Phoenix Suns executive Jerry Colangelo has been rewarded for the big summer performance by the United States men’s basketball team.

Don’t be fooled, Jazz still hitting high notes
Don’t be fooled. Under bandleader Jerry Sloan, the Jazz are still hitting all the high notes — just like they always do, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/450898184″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

McGrady ends slump, leads Houston in Phoenix (AP)

Tracy McGrady shot out of slump and Shaquille O’Neal shoved his way up the NBA career scoring list. And there was a fracas in the waning seconds of the third quarter that resulted in two ejections and seven technical fouls. One-sided victories seldom have as many story lines as the Houston Rockets‘ 94-82 rough-and-tumble win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

Suns Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shaquille O’Neal entered an exclusive group Wednesday with a slam dunk late in the fourth quarter, passing John Havlicek to become the 10th all-time leading scorer in NBA history. O’Neal finished the game with 18 points and 26,402 points in his career, putting him 266 points behind Dominique Wilkins and ninth-place.

If he plays enough games and keeps his average about where it has been through the first seven games, he’ll become only the seventh player to surpass 27,000 points this season.

“It’s pretty good for a juvenile delinquent from New Jersey,” he said. “Pretty good.”

After passing Havlicek (26,395), O’Neal should catch Wilkins (26,668), Oscar Robertson (26,710), and Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) if he stays healthy and productive.

Lakers hold on against Hornets, stay unbeaten
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LeBron spreads the wealth in sixth straight win
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2 ejections, 3 others get techs in Suns-Rockets (AP)
Houston’s Rafer Alston and Matt Barnes of Phoenix were ejected, and three other players drew technical fouls Wednesday night in a third-quarter skirmish between the Rockets and the Suns. What was mostly a shoving match broke out just after Tracy McGrady’s 3-pointer put Houston ahead 74-55 with 27 seconds left in the quarter.

Richardson to miss a week after surgery
Bobcats scoring leader Jason Richardson will be out about a week following arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his right knee. The 6-foot-6 guard will miss Friday’s game against Utah and is doubtful for Sunday against Orlando, the team said. Richardson is averaging 17.6 points. He led Charlotte with 23 points in an 88-80 loss to Denver on Tuesday that dropped the Bobcats to 2-5 under coach Larry Brown.NBA/~4/450977852″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Phoenix Suns’ Raja Bell Welcomes Son Tai Brooklyn

Sign up to get cute photos, exclusive giveaways, special offers and more! Sign Up you said it ” My favorite was Harrison Ford as a peapod, that’s hilarious! I’m saving that one so I can look at it in case I’m …

NBA Pacific: Bynum Hopes To Help Lakers Take The Next Step

Obviously if you reach the NBA Finals and take the eventual champs to six games you have to be considered a legitimate NBA title contender.

Pierce, Celtics hand Hawks first loss
Like in last season’s playoffs, the Hawks gave the Celtics all they could handle Wednesday. But Boston handed Atlanta its first loss.NBA/~4/451381409″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Don’t be fooled, Jazz still hitting high notes
Don’t be fooled. Under bandleader Jerry Sloan, the Jazz are still hitting all the high notes — just like they always do, Mike Kahn says.NBA/~4/450898184″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Bulls’ Hinrich shelved for 3 months

Kirk Hinrich scrambles for the ball in Friday’s 100-83 Bulls win. Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich will be sidelined for three months following right thumb surgery.

Pierce’s clutch jumper hands Hawks first defeat
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Lakers hold on against Hornets, stay unbeaten
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Oden makes quiet return as Blazers beat Heat
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James, Stoudemire honored by NBA (PA SportsTicker)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday.

Barbosa’s 27 points lift Suns past Grizzlies (AP)

Rookie O.J. Mayo did all he could to rally Memphis in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies had no answer for Leandro Barbosa. Mayo had 19 of his game-high 33 points in the final period, but the victory went to the fifth-year veteran known as the Brazilian Blur and Phoenix as the Suns won 107-102 on Monday night.