T-party brouhaha
Now, NBA players are fed up with what’s happening after the whistle.
With technical foul calls nearly doubled compared to the same point last season, union director Billy Hunter wants commissioner David Stern to lighten up on the NBA’s crackdown on complaining – or he might even seek legal action against the league.
Players are fined for every technical foul they receive, and there were 122 of them called through the first 51 games of the season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. There were 66 through 50 games last season.
“You say you want to deter it, curtail that kind of conduct on the court and now it’s kind of dipped down so the slightest little inclination … a guy throws his hands up, the refs are now calling a tech,” Hunter said. “So I really think it’s incumbent upon the commissioner to kind of tell the referees, instruct them they got to back off a little bit.”
What if he doesn’t?
“I think what may ultimately happen if it continues to occur is we will probably be compelled to bring an unfair labor practice action or something,” Hunter told the Associated Press.
Denver and Sacramento lost their leading scorers when Carmelo Anthony and Mike Bibby were ejected from their season openers. Rasheed Wallace wasted no time getting tossed, but even well-mannered players such as Dwyane Wade and Tim Duncan have been hit with technicals along the way, as has Kobe Bryant.
Knicks, Brown settle
The New York Knicks will pay former coach Larry Brown $18.5 million to settle a dispute over his firing in June, the NBA team’s owner, Cablevision Systems Corp., said.
The settlement is less than half of what the Hall of Fame coach had left on the remaining four years of his contract.
Generous Anthony
Sitting next to his former coach, Jim Boeheim, and sporting a Syracuse University baseball cap turned backward and an orange T-shirt on Tuesday, Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony committed $3 million to his old school for a new basketball practice facility.
The gymnasium will be named after Anthony, who led the Orangemen to the 2003 national title before bolting to the NBA after his one season in college.
“It’s what I wanted to do,” Anthony said. “The whole city took me in like I was a Syracuse native.”
On the court
Tony Parker scored 29 points and Fabricio Oberto added 22 on 11-of-11 shooting to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 111-106 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in San Antonio.
Celtics 110, Bobcats 108 (OT): At Boston, Delonte West made a jumper at the overtime buzzer, Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak each scored 35 points, and the Celtics beat Charlotte for their first victory of the season.
Charlotte’s Adam Morrison hit just 2 of 11 shots from the field but added eight free throws to finish with 12 points.
Nets 96, Jazz 89: At East Rutherford, N.J., Vince Carter scored 30 points to lead New Jersey past previously unbeaten Utah.
Raptors 106, 76ers 104: At Toronto, Chris Bosh made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left and finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Raptors to a victory over Philadelphia.
Wizards 117, Pacers 91: At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 40 points in 32 minutes to lead the Wizards to a victory over Indiana.
Trail Blazers 101, Lakers 90: At Portland, Zach Randolph had 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Trail Blazers to a victory over Los Angeles.
Clippers 103, Mavericks 85: At Los Angeles, Cuttino Mobley scored 28 points and the Clippers beat Dallas, keeping the defending Western Conference champions winless.
Dallas has opened a season 0-4 for the first time in the franchise’s 27-year history.
They are the first team since the 2001-02 76ers to start out with four straight losses after going to the finals.
Knicks 109, Nuggets 107: At Denver, Jamal Crawford stole the ball from Eduardo Najera and made a 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds left to give New York a win over the Nuggets.
Crawford, subbing for injured Steve Francis, scored 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, when the Knicks erased a 12-point deficit.
Rockets 97, Bucks 93: At Milwaukee, Tracy McGrady scored 32 points and Yao Ming added 23 points to lead a big third-quarter spurt as Houston beat the Bucks.
Kings 99, Pistons 86: At Sacramento, Calif., Kevin Martin equaled his career high with 30 points and Corliss Williamson scored 13 of his 15 in the second half against his former team, leading the Kings over Detroit.
Around the league
The struggling Dallas Mavericks will be without Josh Howard for two weeks because of a sprained left ankle. Howard was hurt Monday night in the second quarter of a 107-104 loss to Golden State. … Denver’s Kenyon Martin was sent for an MRI on his swollen right knee, forcing him to miss the Nuggets’ game against the New York Knicks. … Indiana forward Jermaine O’Neal missed the Pacers’ game against the Washington Wizards because of a left ankle injury suffered in a victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. … Jalen Rose signed with the Phoenix Suns and played 6 minutes against San Antonio. He did not score. … Boston Celtics forward Al Jefferson had his appendix removed and there was no immediate timetable for his return.