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Kobe Bryant passes the ball as Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu tries to knock it away in the first half. (Matt Sayles/Associated Press) |
NBA finals notebook
Any All-Star bid may be eyed coldly
Boston no garden spot in February
LOS ANGELES - Unless Boston somehow becomes warmer in February, the chances of an NBA All-Star Game coming there don't seem good.
The NBA announced yesterday that the 2011 All-Star Game will be in Los Angeles, Feb. 18-20, seven years after the last one here.
Since Denver hosted in 2005, the game has been held in such warmer climates as Houston, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Phoenix and will be in Dallas next year.
Boston's frigid February weather likely plays a big role in hurting the chances of bringing the All-Star Game back there for the first time since 1964.
Although the Celtics have mentioned potential interest in the game, commissioner David Stern said he has not received a bid from Boston for 2012, and president Rich Gotham said the team isn't currently looking into hosting.
While Stern said cold weather is "not a deal-breaker," he also acknowledged warm-weather cities are more attractive to fans.
"I think there's a pattern emerging," Stern said during a news conference before Game 2 of the Finals last night.
"I think that our guests seem to come in greater numbers to warm weather, and that's something that we're going to have to face up to and deal with as we seek to attract the largest number.
"I mean, the Finals are being shown in 215 countries in 43 languages, and All-Star weekend somehow attracts a lot of people who don't even make it to the Finals because they can make their plans very much in advance.
"So not only do the owners and team representatives like warm weather, but our international broadcasters like tourist destinations."
Phil and Joe
Two of the most successful coaches in professional sports history work in Los Angeles in Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Dodgers manager Joe Torre. Jackson has won nine titles and Torre has won four World Series. Jackson believes the two have a lot of similarities."I definitely follow the major sports' championships, and I think that Joe's low-key manner is something [similar] to what I have," Jackson said. "He seems to be able to take everything in hand, [and to] handle the players' personalities, I think, is a big part of that."
Game-time debate
Whether the Finals start at 8 or 9 p.m., Douglas J. White doesn't think he can win.White, ESPN's senior director of programming and acquisitions, said that statistically the 9 p.m. starts are the most popular, although they finish near midnight on the East Coast.
Fans in the West are hurt by earlier tipoffs, because they coincide with the end of the work day.
The Sunday starts (Games 2 and 5) were set for 8 p.m., while the rest of the series got 9 p.m. tips. All games are on ABC, the same Disney family as ESPN.
"That's why you see a lot of programming at 9 and 10 o'clock, because that's when you get the most viewers," White said. "Last year, the NBA wanted some reaction to some of the fan feedback for the 9 o'clock starts. We realized for maybe the folks on the East Coast the games were running past 11 o'clock, which maybe was a little bit late. We wanted to do something new to help those fans in terms of viewership.
"The 9 o'clock starts allow us to service the West Coast fans.
"That's something we have to take into consideration, the entire country. Not just the East Coast."
No, thank you
On why he never has coached USA Basketball's senior national team, Jackson said, "There was an opportunity maybe six or eight years ago where [Lakers general manager] Mitch [ Kupchak], who served also on the USA Basketball team council at that time, asked me if I wanted to be part of that coaching staff, and I said no, I really didn't. It's something I've never desired to do. I opted out at that time. I was asked by the Canadians if I'd like to coach their Olympic team. Steve Nash wasn't a mature enough player yet, so I had to turn that one down."
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