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20 Laziest Players in the NBA http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/001/855/590/113257713_display_image.jpg Despite being paid more in a year than most of us will make in a lifetime, professional athletes tend to exhibit laziness on and off the court. It's extremely disappointing to see this from these athletes when you consider just how much they're getting paid to play the game that they grew to love. These players are either overweight, prone to mental lapses or subject to playing hard on one end of the floor. Usually those players are offensive players and not much more. Even players that score 20 points or more could be deemed as lazy if their work ethic is brought into question on the defensive end. If that player is able to work hard enough to score 20 points against an NBA defense, there shouldn't be any problems with at least attempting to keep up with their defensive assignment. Instead, some NBA players would prefer to play to their fullest potential on one end and then simply go through the motions on the other end. These players are just as bad as the ones that have perennial weight problems or go through mental lapses. It's not fair to the teammates when one player is failing to emit their energy to its fullest potential on the defensive end. So in no order, here are 20 of the laziest players currently in the NBA: Laziest Players in the NBA

Not surprised considering it comes from someone with a pink poney signature (What the..?!).

Damn.

Can't wait to see K-Mart get back to 100%!!

LeBron won't apologize for Griffin dunk tweet http://www.latimes.com/media/alternatethumbnails/storylink/2012-02/290222440-09153008.jpg LeBron James took to Twitter to express his excitement after Blake Griffin's monster dunk over Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins. The Miami Heat star wrote: "Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I'm No. 2 now. Move over #6." James' unbridled enthusiasm apparently didn't sit well with Perkins, who told Yahoo! that he wasn't pleased by the forward's emphatic reaction to his nearly 3.5 million followers. “You don’t see Kobe [bryant] tweeting,” Perkins said. “You don’t see Michael Jordan tweeting. If you’re an elite player, plays like that don’t excite you. At the end of the day, the guys who are playing for the right reasons, who are trying to win championships, are not worrying about one play. “They also are not tweeting about themselves talking about going down to No. 2. I just feel [James] is always looking for attention and he wants the world to like him.” When James was told of Perkins' adverse reaction to his tweet, the forward immediately fired back. "I would never apologize about anything like that when I'm connecting to my fans," James told ESPN. "Did I call him out? I mean, did you read the tweet? Did I call him out? I can see why he felt embarrassed. I don't think I was the only one to react to the unbelievable play by Blake and that's what it was all about," James said. Do you think James owes Perkins an apology? Do you think James owes Perkins an apology? Was James out of line and did his tweet serve to further mortify Perkins? Or is Perkins overreacting to a spontaneous and benign moment of excitement by James? Source

:o That's worse than Soviet!!

Thunder Respect Clippers The Thunder were well-aware coming into STAPLES Center that the L.A.Clippers would be a formidable opponent. “You knew they were good. You’ve got to think they’ve got great leadership,” Perkins said. “They’ve got a great coach. Chris Paul is running the team really, really well. You’ve got to think they’ve got a great team.” Before the game, Durant admitted that he was impressed by the Clippers and what Vice President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey accomplished in the offseason. “What’s the award at the end of the year, Executive of the Year? That guy should get it,” Durant said. “Just bringing in CP, keeping DeAndre [Jordan] and Caron [butler]. He should be Executive of the Year for the moves he made. They also bring in Chauncey [billups], I forgot about him. They’re playing pretty well right now.” He can’t help but admit he’s noticed their ability to dunk (He said this pregame – the response afterward was, well, different). “I enjoy [their] game, I’ll give you that. I enjoy watching [their] game,” Durant said. “They’re fun. Hopefully they don’t throw many lobs tonight.” Griffin’s dunk over Perkins wasn’t a lob but it may end up being the top dunk of the season and one of Griffin’s career highlights. After the game, Durant said curtly, “I don’t care about that dunk.” In fact, later in the game a play was being set up for Griffin to throw down directly on Durant but the Thunder star quickly scooted out of range. “I was going to go up there and try to contest but Reggie Evans grabbed me,” Durant said. While there was contact from Evans, by the naked eye it certainly looked like Durant was doing his best to avoid being on a poster. “They’re a good team. They’re the best team we played all year,” Brooks said. “They have everything. They have a talented team. The bench is really good.” Source

Still think L.A.'s other team is a joke? A savvy G.M. (with help from David Stern) made the Clippers instant contenders. More impressive: Now stars want to join the club, not flee. In the spring of 1979 it was cool to be a Clipper. Point guard Randy Smith drove to the San Diego Sports Arena in his Rolls-Royce and tailored polyester suits. Shooting guard Lloyd Free—soon known as World B.—rapped at house parties when no one knew what rap was. Seven-foot Swen Nater danced with teammates at discos and coach Gene Shue bought drinks after landmark victories. The Clippers won 43 games that season, the franchise's first on the West Coast after eight years as the Buffalo Braves. Every possession was a fast break, and practices started as late as 7 p.m., which allowed players to sleep in and still hit the beach or the golf course. "It was the best," says Nater. "No one wanted to leave." In the summer of '79 lawyer William Kunstler, who represented leaders of the Black Panthers, summoned Shue to a farm outside Portland. Kunstler also represented the Trail Blazers' tie-dyed center, Bill Walton, who grew up near San Diego and was a free agent. The Clippers signed Walton to the richest contract in NBA history, $1 million per year. They also acquired forward Joe (Jellybean) Bryant, who arrived from Philadelphia toting a baby boy named Kobe. The Clippers believed they could contend when they opened training camp in the fall of 1979. But on the first day, in the middle of an outlet drill, Shue called three players into his office: Smith, the team's second-leading scorer; Kermit Washington, the leading rebounder; and Kevin Kunnert, the backup center. In those frontier days of the NBA, commissioner Larry O'Brien could award free-agent compensation when and where he saw fit, and the Clippers were growing too potent. O'Brien stripped them of all three players. Washington spent the next two weeks in his apartment and nearly retired in protest. "It destroyed the franchise," he says. A year later David Stern became the league's executive vice president, and free-agent compensation was outlawed. The Clippers, unable to heal Walton's chronic foot injuries, began a pattern of desperate trades and reckless draft picks. They moved to Los Angeles in 1984, the same year Stern was promoted to commissioner, just in time for a Lakers dynasty. While Showtime reigned, the Clippers flailed, suffering through 29 losing seasons in 32 years. Last month, after a 149-day lockout that was supposed to level the NBA's balance of power, Stern vetoed a trade by the league-owned Hornets that would have sent All-Star point guard Chris Paul to the Lakers. Six days later he approved a deal that brought Paul to the Clippers instead. Stern explained that he preferred the Clippers' offer, loaded with young players and draft picks, but to old-timers it was a karmic makeup call. "The dream is alive," Walton beams, "32 years late." The franchise hasn't been to the playoffs since 2006, but it is cool to be a Clipper again, with Paul launching lobs that appear headed for the concourse and power forward Blake Griffin soaring to stuff them. The team is selling out every game, local television ratings are up 150% and prices of tickets on the secondary market are 50% to 75% higher, according to L.A. broker Barry's Tickets. Actor Colin Hanks, Tom's son, considered buying Clippers season tickets with friends so his one-year-old daughter could relate to an underdog. But he stalled for a couple of days, the Paul trade was consummated, and then he was shut out. "I hear about it every day," says Hanks. "My friends are like, We had the golden ticket!" The Clippers were 9--5 at week's end, and in one glorious 48-hour stretch this month they vanquished the Heat and the Lakers while a man at Staples Center known as the Clipper Stripper peeled off eight L.A. jerseys in rapid succession. Griffin gushed that it felt like the playoffs. "I've never been to the playoffs," countered center DeAndre Jordan, a second-round pick in 2008 and the longest-tenured Clipper, "so I don't know what it should feel like." He will find out soon enough. Though the Clippers attract casual fans with their rim-abusing ally-oops, they are much more than Highlight Clips. They blend the guile of point guard Chauncey Billups and small forward Caron Butler with the hyperactivity of Griffin and Jordan with the transcendence of Paul. "You just feel the pride when you put on the red, white and blue," says Butler, without sarcasm. Six weeks ago, Butler was a Maverick, Billups a Knick, Paul a Hornet and apathy a Clipper. How in the World B. Free did this happen? The architect of Hollywood's latest overnight sensation knows from experience there is no such thing. Clippers general manager Neil Olshey is a 47-year-old former actor who grew up in Queens, studied at The Neighborhood Playhouse in Manhattan and landed roles on soap operas Loving and All My Children. He moved to L.A. in 1993, on the advice of then Law & Order star Jerry Orbach, and quickly booked commercials for Coke, Visa, Honda, JCPenney and Burger King. Living off the residuals, Olshey had more free time than he could handle, so he volunteered as an assistant basketball coach at Artesia High in Lakewood. He hadn't played varsity hoops—he was cut as a high school freshman—but he was a fixture at CYO games in New York City and intramurals at Le Moyne College in Syracuse. He preferred gyms to sound stages and started bagging auditions for substitute-teaching gigs at Artesia. Full Story

The Los Angeles Clippers took a harsh blow on when guard Chauncey Billups tore his Achilles’ tendon, knocking him out for the season. Billups, more so than point guard Chris Paul, has that crucial championship experience that the Clippers will need as they head into what could be an unprecedented postseason run. The Clippers will be able to replace Chauncey’s production, to an extent, throughout the regular season but having an NBA Finals MVP on the floor in the closing moments of vital playoff games? That’s tough to overcome. Initially the Clippers have a loaded roster of guards including Randy Foye, Mo Williams, Eric Bledsoe, rookie Travis Leslie and Paul. Caron Butler can guard the position when size is needed. Even Kenyon Martin, historically, has spent time at the two defensively – notably in a playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers covering Kobe Bryant. According to sources, the Clippers feel it’s imperative they improve the roster before the March 15th trade deadline. That’s no easy task given the only real bait they’re willing to offer is salary savings by taking on a player with either of the team’s two trade exceptions. The Clippers can bring in a player making up to $3,931,184 (Eric Gordon) or $2,855,560 (Al-Farouq Aminu), both exceptions acquired in the Paul trade. Full Story

Well deserved indeed. Shaq-Fu's #34 belongs up there.

Over time, some draft classes will give the league multiple superstars, but most produce 15 or so quality players who last for a decade or so in the NBA, with perhaps a star or two mixed in. For the class of 2010, though, aspiring to be even average may be too heady, despite gaining one phenom from the previous year thanks to an injury. For starters, five of the guys who went in the lottery are no-shows on our top 20 list just a year after the draft. By my count, 22 of the first-round picks are in danger of not even sticking in the NBA for five years. That's bad. Still, there are success stories, while others are showing signs of life and can be counted on to represent this class until 2020 and beyond. Who stands tallest today and who might be making waves in the future? Let's explore. The top two: 1. Blake Griffin, Clippers As if there's another choice? This class is exceedingly weak by any measurement, except one: star power -- thanks to Griffin. Griffin is still racking up monster plays in the paint and finishing even better than he did last season, though some of that is due to the Clippers' upgrade at point guard. He's breathtaking when he attacks the rim, which is often, and he's one of the two most feared big men to tangle with in the NBA, along with Dwight Howard. Unfortunately, he shares something else in common with Howard. Griffin's free throw percentage has dropped significantly and is now even lower than any of Dwight's end-of-season percentages. In addition, Blake shoots too many perimeter jumpers, zones out too often on help-side defense and doesn't make nearly enough impact plays defensively (he ranks 94th in steals per game and 52nd in blocks). His poor defense is a big part of why the Clippers are a bottom-six defensive team. Still, I'd be a fool to get caught up in his negatives, because he's one of the most electrifying players in basketball and a good part of why the Clippers are a top-six offensive team. I expect solid improvement from Griffin on the defensive side of the ball as the season evolves, as he begins to understand the importance of every possession (he did not play many meaningful games last season). I also don't think we'll see as many long jumpers come later in the season, and he'll make more of the ones he shoots. That comes with experiencing pain from tough losses, which will force him to exercise better shot selection. The one question I have come playoff time will be about his free throws. Lack of improvement there could be a killer come spring. Of course, even if he drops to 25 percent from the line, he'll still be the best player in this class. 2. Greg Monroe, Pistons How good has Monroe been this year? Not good enough to get Detroit out of the bottom five of the league, unfortunately, but I'll tell you this: If Detroit was a better team, then Blake Griffin would have some competition for "best of class." Monroe is top 12 in the NBA in PER and offensive rebound rate and top 20 in overall rebound rate. And while Detroit is an awful defensive team, only Ben Wallace is playing better defense than Monroe, who has to carry an offensive burden far more than Wallace does. There are still questions about how Monroe would perform on a better team, or if he's good enough to be a top-three player on a good team. But all things considered, no one in this class besides Griffin can touch Monroe right now. Top candidates to one day replace Griffin as tops of this class 3. John Wall, Wizards When he's on, he's untouchable. Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, John Wall. That's the list of elite athletes with size at the point guard spot. Wall is the fastest of the three, to my eye, and the best natural passer. So yes, he's got multiple All-Star appearances in his near future, if he and his franchise get things figured out. Simply put, the Wizards have steered off course -- which might be by design -- and Wall has taken a step backward this year. Not his overall game, but his shooting. He still can't shoot and is not a great paint finisher, either. There's every reason to believe he'll improve this part of his game, but until he does, he just can't be nearly as effective on offense. 4. DeMarcus Cousins, Kings There are those who believe that some players are "coach killers" -- guys that are good enough to raise expectations but who rarely deliver, so consequently they get their coach fired. I, too, believe in that concept. However, I do not put Cousins in that category. At least not yet. He may be enigmatic, but Cousins is still efficient and productive and has been more under control this season. There aren't five tougher guys to keep off the offensive glass than Cousins, and if he'd learn to explode when finishing, he'd be even tougher to stop in the paint. He gets over six shots per game near the rim, but makes just half of them. Link

Kobe Bryant will miss Billups Chauncey Billups’ torn left Achilles tendon not only knocked him out for the rest of the season, but also ruled him out of playing at this summer’s Olympics for Team USA. Billups had previously said that playing in the Olympics was one of the last goals in his career. “Of course [we'll miss him], because of the rapport that we’ve had with that team in Beijing,” Kobe Bryant told ESPNLA’s Dave McMenamin. “Hopefully he’ll still be there, though. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t still there in some capacity helping out some of our younger guards that are going to be a part of the team.” Bryant said Billups took Chris Paul under his wing when they were both named to the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team in 2006 following Paul’s rookie season. “He really helped out Chris Paul a lot,” Bryant said. “Chris Paul was kind of [at] the beginning of his career. I know Chris views Chauncey as almost like a big brother. Chauncey did a great job showing Chris kind of the tempo and pace of the game and things like that.” Source

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0124/la_g_lakersts_576.jpg Before the L.A. Lakers embarked on their season-long six-game road trip last week, center Andrew Bynum said the team needed to "prove that we're able to win, or else they're going to start doing things." After the Lakers lost to Philadelphia on Monday to fall to 1-2 to start the trip, forward Pau Gasol said, "There's always a sense that if something was going to happen before, something might still happen," referring to the failed three-team trade that would have sent him out of town and landed Chris Paul as a Laker. Now all of the Lakers' Big Three have spoken on the trade speculation surrounding the Lakers, who at 14-11 have just the fifth best record in the Western Conference, after Kobe Bryant joined 710 ESPN's "Max & Marcellus Show" on Wednesday. "I'm sure they'll do something!" Bryant said. "They'll tweak something. I don't know what. But I'm sure they'll do something." While Bryant reiterated at Lakers practice Wednesday at the TD Garden that his only motivation as a 16-year veteran is to win another ring and he is "obsessed" with the pursuit of a sixth championship, he made it clear the Lakers organization will do everything possible to make it happen despite the team's mediocre start to the season. Full Story

It looks like Ivory Coast will finally conquer the continent's trophy. I remember how a few years ago they lost in the final. Didier Drogba, my favorite (active) player Abdul-Kader Keïtá & co. deserve it. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40939000/jpg/_40939678_trophy270a.jpg CÔTE D'IVOIRE FTW!! http://ystudio.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/keita.jpg

Fabio Capello quits as England's head coach 'Don Fabio' quit as England coach on Wednesday in a dispute over captain John Terry, throwing the national team's preparations for the European Championship into turmoil. Capello resigned during an hourlong meeting with team executives after four years on the job. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/02/fabio-capello-quits-as-coach-of-england.html

Game #23, LAC @ CLE 92-99, (15-8, 2nd West) Clippers Lose in Ohio http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2012-02/67952774.jpg The Clippers came up short in a 99-92 road loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night despite 25 points and 15 rebounds from Blake Griffin. Caron Butler added 21 points and Chris Paul recorded a double-double (16 points, 12 assists) for Los Angeles in the loss

That large enough for you, or you're gonna need glasses? http://hostingb.hotchyx.com/adult-image-hosting-07/3867rullzz.jpg Still 'nothing'?

Happy 20th, Legacy! This one's for you: ^ "(...)The legacy I leave behind.... I don't ask for much these days, just enough room to spread my wingz and a world fin 2 know my name! (...)"

Like they did earlier this season (LAC-MIA 95:89 )? Or like they did last season when the Clippers beat Miami with a different team (no Chauncey) -- LAC-MIA 111:105? LOL @ your hyper-homer (Easter Conference-biased) posts. Gimme a break, son.

Couldn't have put it any better. Y'all need to calm down. He's not the next Jordan. Not anywhere close so I don't see what's the hype for. Led his team recently. Good for him. Nothing special tho'. I'm not impressed.

Unofficial thread for all sick tweets by Lob Angeles' own DeAndre Jordan: http://i43.tinypic.com/25a81er.jpg http://lockerz.com/s/180487097 https://twitter.com/#!/deandrejordan/status/165609370829328384

Yeah, remember those. "The Limited Edition" one = one of my faves.