Mental war underway ahead of NBL decider on Friday

Hostilities in the psychological war between the Cairns Taipans and New Zealand Breakers have well and truly broken out ahead of Friday night’s sold-out sudden death Game Three of the iiNet National Basketball League Grand Final series.Taipans’ shooting guard Phill Jones, one of two Kiwis on the Cairns roster who will look to deny New Zealand their first-ever NBL championship title, has boldly predicted that the Breakers will face a whole new level of pressure when they take the court for the series decider at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland on Friday.

The Breakers were the minor premiers with the best record in the league, and will enter Game Three as the heavy favourites with Centre bet listing them at $1.18 to win the decider, compared to $4.80 for Cairns.  Jones says there are huge expectations on the Breakers to deliver New Zealand their first ever Australian professional league title.

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Kobe Bryant leaves arena on crutches

Kobe Bryant did one of the few interviews ever conducted in a trainer’s room, sitting on a padded table after sustaining what the team officially called a sprained left ankle, though Bryant indicated it was more of a foot injury.

He was injured while defending Willie Green with 1:32 to play. He was moving across the lane when his foot buckled under him without any contact.

Two crutches were propped against the wall in the trainer’s room. He then used them to leave the arena and board the team bus.
“It’s going to take a lot to stop me to play,” Bryant said. “We’ll make sure we stay on top of it.”


He said he would undergo treatment on the plane ride back to Los Angeles immediately after the game. The team was planning an MRI exam or X-rays as a precaution.
After getting hurt, Bryant walked stiffly around the court for a minute before giving Shannon Brown an “I’m good, I’m good” when the reserve guard approached him.

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Kings to leave Sacramento for Anaheim

The Sacramento Kings have been in California's capital city since 1985 after stints in Kansas City, Omaha, Cincinnati and, where it all began in 1945, Rochester.

Now it looks as if the team is aiming to move again.

Thursday, the National Basketball Association revealed that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, has requested an extension of the league's Tuesday deadline for asking permission to move to a new city this year, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who played in the NBA from 1987 to 2000 for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, is hugely disappointed and said, "This means one thing. They are trying to cut a deal to leave," the Bee reports.

The team's destination is believed to be Anaheim.

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