In 2010-11, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks met in the Western Conference Finals, the winner getting a chance to play in the NBA Finals. The Mavericks won the series and went on to win the NBA Championship. It was the second year that the Thunder made it to the postseason and they did better each year.

Dirk Nowitzki
Wikimedia Commons

Now in 2010-11, the Thunder are ready to make that next step towards their destiny. They have started the new season with a 3-0 record, looking like the long NBA lockout didn’t affect them one bit. However, the Mavericks are headed in the other direction, sitting at 0-2, they have not won a game since they won the championship last season.

Kevin Durant leads the Thunder once again. In three games, Durant has surpassed 30 points each time, the first player in franchise history, Seattle and Oklahoma City combined, to open a season with three straight 30 point games. If Durant hits 30 points again against Dallas, he will be the first NBA player since Kobe Bryant (2005-06) to open a season with four consecutive 30-point games.

James Harden is the second leading scorer, the most valuable sixth man in the NBA. Harden heads in averaging 18.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game. Despite not starting, Harden still averages over 30 minutes a game. Russell Westbrook fell hard in Week 3, going 0-of-13 from the field, but still averages 15.3 points, 6.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals a game.

Dirk Nowitzki leads the Mavericks once again this season, the defending 2010-11 MVP. He only averages 20.5 points in the first two games this season with only 4.5 rebounds. Outside of Nowitzki, Jason Terry (14.5), Sean Williams (12.0) and Jason Kidd (10.5) are the only double digit scorers.

Newcomers Vince Carter (8.0 points) and Lamar Odom (5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds) have not found their comfort level yet in Dallas.

From the look, the Thunder have outperformed the Mavericks in every area of play this season. In the preseason, Oklahoma City swept Dallas in both their meetings. If they beat the Mavericks now, the Thunder will be 4-0 for the first time since 2003-04 when they played in Seattle. The game against Dallas tips off at 7:00 p.m. CT on December 29 in Oklahoma City.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.

Source: NBA.COM

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Gotta run!.

PARIS – Dallas Mavericks’ German power forward Dirk Nowitzki, MVP in the Mavericks’ NBA finals triumph in June, is not ruling out the possibility of a move to Europe if the current NBA lock-out continues.

“This week we are going back to work, Dirk has not touched the ball since the European Championship at the end of September,” declared Nowitzki’s personal coach Holger Geschwindner, who also said the player was “ruling nothing out, even if he has no concrete ideas” about a switch to Europe.

“At the moment, Dirk is out of shape. We are going to work hard over the next two weeks,” added Geschwindner.

“If he goes anywhere, he will be going there for the whole season.”

However, Nowitzki’s mentor has not yet abandoned all hope of the NBA season eventually getting underway.

“There is still a small chance of a breakthrough in the negotiations with the NBA. If not, we will have to find an alternative solution,” he admitted.

A number of European clubs, particularly in Germany, have already sounded out the 33-year-old.

“We have to keep all options open and keep an eye on what’s happening abroad,” Nowitzki said at the end of October.

“If the lock-out continues, it is something I will really have to think about.”

The failure of owners and players to agree upon a new collective bargaining agreement is responsible for the ongoing NBA lock-out. — AFP

Gotta run!.

Agence France Presse (AFP)

11/18/2011 | 01:42 AM

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Sunday, Sep. 11, 2011

There is the quick update of the day.

The Associated Press

Posted:

Sep 9, 2011 6:32 PM ET

Last Updated:

Sep 9, 2011 6:30 PM ET

That’s all the news for today.

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP)—With his team on the brink of elimination, Dirk
Nowitzki(notes) delivered for Germany.

The Dallas Mavericks star made four free throws in the last 19 seconds,
helping Germany beat Turkey 73-67 to stay alive at the European Championship.

“Sometimes it’s not always the most beautiful basketball,” said Nowitzki,
who scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half. “We only scored six points
in the first quarter, but the good thing was that the defense was good.”

Defending champion Spain reached the quarterfinals, routing Serbia 84-59
behind the dominant play of brothers Pau and Marc Gasol(notes).

France downed host Lithuania 73-67, with Nando de Colo(notes) scoring 13 of his 21
points in the fourth quarter. Tony Parker(notes) added 19 points for unbeaten France
and Joakim Noah(notes) had 13 rebounds. France will play Spain for first place in Group
E on Sunday.

Germany trailed 26-23 at halftime before regrouping.

“We talked at halftime about how it was one of the worst halves that we
have ever played. But we were still only down three points,” Nowitzki said.
“We saw everything positively, and in the second half we really played as a
team and hit some important shots. It was good enough.”

Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman(notes) had 20 points for Germany. He and
Nowitzki had seven rebounds each. Chicago Bulls backup center Omer Asik(notes), coming
back from a broken lower left leg, led Turkey with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Nowitzki, the MVP of the NBA finals after taking the Mavericks past Miami
for the title, is trying to take Germany to its second straight Olympics. The
two finalists from this tournament will qualify for next year’s London Games.
The next four teams will go to an additional qualifying tournament.

Germany will need help from others to make the quarterfinals.

“We overcame the first hurdle and now we have to see what the other teams
do,” Nowitzki said. “I hope that we can have a bit of a final on Sunday and
that the place is packed.”

Germany must beat Lithuania and hope for Turkey to defeat Serbia.
Lithuania’s win would leave Serbia or Turkey as the fourth team to progress.
Lithuania can’t lose big or it can also be eliminated in a three-way tie. Turkey
advances if it beats Serbia and Germany loses to Lithuania.

Spain again rode the strength of the Gasols. Pau Gasol(notes) had 26 points and
younger brother Marc had 20 to go with 10 rebounds. In one stretch in the second
quarter, Pau Gasol scored seven points and Marc Gasol added four in an 11-0 run.
Spain led by as many as 29.

“To hold a team that’s been scoring 80 to under 60 is a great
achievement,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. “We came in with great
concentration and immediately established our high-tempo game. We are still not
shooting that great, that’s the only problem.”

Serbia, led by Nenad Krstic’s(notes) 12 points, has lost three straight matches but
can still advance if it beats Turkey in its final Group E game. Turkey is the
only team to have beaten Spain at this year’s tournament.

Spain beat Serbia in the European final two years ago, but then lost to the
Serbs in the world championship quarterfinals last year. This time, it wasn’t a
contest.

“They hurt us very badly and we didn’t defend as usual,” Serbia guard
Stefan Markovic said. “Now we have to focus on the last game.”

All 12 of Spain’s players scored. Serbia was without guard Aleksandar Rasic
because of a back problem. Milos Teodosic, the Serbia guard whose 3-pointer at
the buzzer beat Spain at the worlds last year, was held to six points.

“We wanted to stop Teodosic and we did it,” Spain guard Jose Calderon(notes)
said.

That’s all the news for today.

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP)—With his team on the brink of elimination, Dirk
Nowitzki(notes) delivered for Germany.

The Dallas Mavericks star made four free throws in the last 19 seconds,
helping Germany beat Turkey 73-67 to stay alive at the European Championship.

“Sometimes it’s not always the most beautiful basketball,” said Nowitzki,
who scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half. “We only scored six points
in the first quarter, but the good thing was that the defense was good.”

Defending champion Spain reached the quarterfinals, routing Serbia 84-59
behind the dominant play of brothers Pau and Marc Gasol(notes).

France downed host Lithuania 73-67, with Nando de Colo(notes) scoring 13 of his 21
points in the fourth quarter. Tony Parker(notes) added 19 points for unbeaten France
and Joakim Noah(notes) had 13 rebounds. France will play Spain for first place in Group
E on Sunday.

Germany trailed 26-23 at halftime before regrouping.

“We talked at halftime about how it was one of the worst halves that we
have ever played. But we were still only down three points,” Nowitzki said.
“We saw everything positively, and in the second half we really played as a
team and hit some important shots. It was good enough.”

Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman(notes) had 20 points for Germany. He and
Nowitzki had seven rebounds each. Chicago Bulls backup center Omer Asik(notes), coming
back from a broken lower left leg, led Turkey with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Nowitzki, the MVP of the NBA finals after taking the Mavericks past Miami
for the title, is trying to take Germany to its second straight Olympics. The
two finalists from this tournament will qualify for next year’s London Games.
The next four teams will go to an additional qualifying tournament.

Germany will need help from others to make the quarterfinals.

“We overcame the first hurdle and now we have to see what the other teams
do,” Nowitzki said. “I hope that we can have a bit of a final on Sunday and
that the place is packed.”

Germany must beat Lithuania and hope for Turkey to defeat Serbia.
Lithuania’s win would leave Serbia or Turkey as the fourth team to progress.
Lithuania can’t lose big or it can also be eliminated in a three-way tie. Turkey
advances if it beats Serbia and Germany loses to Lithuania.

Spain again rode the strength of the Gasols. Pau Gasol(notes) had 26 points and
younger brother Marc had 20 to go with 10 rebounds. In one stretch in the second
quarter, Pau Gasol scored seven points and Marc Gasol added four in an 11-0 run.
Spain led by as many as 29.

“To hold a team that’s been scoring 80 to under 60 is a great
achievement,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. “We came in with great
concentration and immediately established our high-tempo game. We are still not
shooting that great, that’s the only problem.”

Serbia, led by Nenad Krstic’s(notes) 12 points, has lost three straight matches but
can still advance if it beats Turkey in its final Group E game. Turkey is the
only team to have beaten Spain at this year’s tournament.

Spain beat Serbia in the European final two years ago, but then lost to the
Serbs in the world championship quarterfinals last year. This time, it wasn’t a
contest.

“They hurt us very badly and we didn’t defend as usual,” Serbia guard
Stefan Markovic said. “Now we have to focus on the last game.”

All 12 of Spain’s players scored. Serbia was without guard Aleksandar Rasic
because of a back problem. Milos Teodosic, the Serbia guard whose 3-pointer at
the buzzer beat Spain at the worlds last year, was held to six points.

“We wanted to stop Teodosic and we did it,” Spain guard Jose Calderon(notes)
said.

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Dwyane Wade(notes) and the Miami Heat made it to the sixth game of the NBA Finals before succumbing to Dirk Nowitzki(notes) and the Dallas Mavericks. Now, Wade isn’t planning to take a break even if the NBA season isn’t played.

The Associated Press reports that Wade has decided to play somewhere next season, whether it’s in the NBA or not. “I’m going to play basketball this year,” Wade told the AP. “I don’t know where, but I love the game so much that I will play it. And we will figure that out.”

The 29-year-old guard also told the news service that he hasn’t received any international offers yet.

For now, Wade is preparing for the NBA season in case it somehow starts on time, the AP reports: “I’m working into things slowly. Right now I’m taking my time, doing what I do for my body, which might be different than others.”

Don’t forget to follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Associated Press

Related: Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat

Gotta run!.

Dwyane Wade(notes) and the Miami Heat made it all the way to the sixth game of the NBA Finals before succumbing to Dirk Nowitzki(notes) and the Dallas Mavericks. Now, Wade isn’t planning to take a break even if the NBA season doesn’t take place.

The Associated Press reports that Wade has decided to play somewhere next season, whether it’s in the NBA or not. “I’m going to play basketball this year,” Wade told the AP. “I don’t know where, but I love the game so much that I will play it. And we will figure that out.”

The 29-year-old guard also told the news service that he hasn’t received any international offers yet.

For now, Wade is preparing for the NBA season in case it somehow starts on time, the AP reports: “I’m working into things slowly. Right now I’m taking my time, doing what I do for my body, which might be different than others.”

Don’t forget to follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Associated Press

Related: Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat

That’s all for today.