Poll: Will Love Face Suspension After Stomping?
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love seemingly retaliated Saturday night against Houston Rockets big Luis Scola after an incident earlier in the week left Love writhing with pain. After getting rebound after rebound over Scola and finally netting a basket, Love appeared to have fouled Scola on the other end of court, causing the fifth-year player to drop to the floor. Love quickly turned to head back down the court and stepped on Scola’s chest and face with his size 19 left sneaker. Talking heads from around the NBA having varying opinions on what actually transpired at the Target Center.
- Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune hasn’t taken a stance on the stomping but allows for the possibility that the incident may have just been a poorly timed accident on Love’s end.
- Houston Rockets beat writer Jonathan Feigen describes the attack on Scola as a no-brainer one-game suspension for Love.
- SB Nation’s Bomani Jones (via Twitter) says that the time for retaliation against Scola was last game, not last night.
J.R. Smith Rumors: Sunday
Former Denver Nuggets shooting guard J.R. Smith looks to return to the NBA after a stint in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Smith, 25, has received attention from numerous NBA teams with the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks among his strongest suitors. As stated by Smith in a tweet on Friday, he would be excited to see what kind of pick-and-roll tandem he and Amare Stoudemire could form at the Garden.
- According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, beleaguered Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni isn't hiding the fact that the Knicks desperately need another shooter and view Smith as an ideal candidate to fill such a role for the 9-15 squad. The Knicks can offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception but will have to waive a player upon signing him.
- Picking an opportune time for a career-high 25 points and seven dimes, Jeremy Lin can rest assured that he would not be a roster casualty if Smith signs with New York.
- After recently signing free agent Kenyon Martin to a contract, the Clippers may turn to Smith in an effort to add depth off the bench as they attempt to make a run at a top seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers no longer have the payroll flexibility to offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception after giving it Martin and would have to sign the former Hornet for the veteran's minimum.
- For those wondering about the impact the eighth-year player out of New Jersey has made in China, Smith lit up the scoreboard with 60 points during a CBA game last week.