PLAY ANYWHERE NO MORE PAIN

If you play hoops you know what it is like to sprain your ankle - PAIN - lots of pain, lots of ICE...most likely you can't go to work, can't put on your shoes. Most people think that taping your ankles and or wearing ankle braces will prevent you from spraining your ankle but that is just not true.

I played basketball in high school, college and a little bit of pro ball in Europe, then I played for years in the Y leagues and at the parks. I would tape my own ankles, wear braces and it really didn't prevent a thing.



JOHN STARKS AND NEW BASKETBALL SHOE EKTIO

Recently I got a chance to help create and direct 6 different videos and a commercial for a new basketball shoe called EKTIO in Brooklyn NY. Former Knick Superstar John Starks is in a couple of them and is currently recruiting NBA players to wear them.

It was created Dr. Barry Katz who happens to be a former ballplayer. I tried them and played a few games during the shoot. They really make you feel safe. Your foot feels like it is always moving with the shoe. I never felt like I could sprain my ankle. I wish I had them when I played for real.

Check out a couple of the videos at my Youtube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/CBTWEAK 
Click on "Play Anywhere" and then check out "Spraining your ankle is F'd UP"

You can learn more about the shoes at their new website: www.ektio.com

Here is an press story with John about the shoes:

Ex-Knick superstar John Starks has unveiled a new basketball sneaker he says he wishes he had during his heyday playing against Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller.

The shoe is billed as the first kind of sneaker to prevent ankle injuries, Starks told the Daily News recently.

"It's 99.9% effective against ankle sprains," Starks said.

The shoe is tightly secured to the foot with a strap, and the side features a protruding bumper designed to keep players from rolling their ankles.

"Once I put the shoe on, and strapped it in, immediately you feel secure in the shoe, and you feel like this is the shoe that's going to protect your foot," said Starks, who now works in the New York Knicks front office.

"I had many ankle injuries, some that put me out a day, some that put me out a week or two," said the 6-foot-2 former shooting guard. "I wish this shoe was out on the market at the time that I was playing."

The sneaker, made by a new company, Ektio, is the brainchild of New Jersey radiologist Dr. Barry Katz. He knows first firsthand what it's like to suffer an ankle injury while playing ball.

Katz played college basketball for the State University at Binghamton, and suffered three serious ankle sprains. His son also sustained a serious ankle injury on the court.

"We're very confident we are going to protect people," Katz said, noting 25,000 ankle sprains occur every day. "It keeps the foot and the shoe together, kind of like a ski boot."

Starks and Katz are working to push the sneaker to high school ball players, with hopes of picking up interest from colleges and the NBA.

"We want to grassroot it through the high school system, and bring it up through college," Starks said.

The $199 sneaker, which comes in high top and three-quarter styles, will be available for purchase online in time for the start of the NBA season on Nov. 1. Sizes will initially range from 8 to 14. A women's version will be available next year.

Katz and Starks are confident the sneaker can compete with the Jordan brand, or sneakers named after LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

"People are going to want to wear our shoe, not necessarily because of the name, but because of what it does," Katz said. "It's the real deal."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/10/06/2010-10-06_exknick_superstar_john_starks_his_new_basketball_sneaker_is_999_affective_agains.html#ixzz15zCyVgxK

LAKERS GET 2010 RINGS AND THEN WIN

Reality Basketball - Chris Bavelles

LOS ANGELES -- After opening the evening by receiving their championship rings and raising banner No. 16 to the rafters, the Lakers finished things in exciting fashion, coming from 13 down in the third and then hanging on for a 112-110 victory to open the 2010-11 season.

While Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant led L.A. in scoring with 29 and 27 points apiece, it was the 3-point shooting of Steve Blake and Shannon Brown that really sparked the team, and allowed them to overcome big nights from Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks, who finished with 26 and 24 points respectively for the Rockets.

FIRST QUARTER: Rockets 33, Lakers 26

The Lakers overcame the emotion of their ring ceremony fairly quickly and settled into some effective basketball with the team's first unit. But it was the Rockets' guards who were the story, with Aaron Brooks and Kevin martin combing to score 27 of their team's 33 in the period.

Pau Gasol had 12 for L.A., and Ron Artest hit a couple of threes to keep the Lakers close, despite the team's 36.4 percent shooting.

Phil Jackson was asked before the game if he expected his rookies to get any minutes tonight, and he joked, "I hope not." But he inserted Derrick Caracter into the lineup just over three minutes in, once Lamar Odom was forced to the bench with two personal fouls.

SECOND QUARTER: Rockets 62, Lakers 51

It was the Chase Budinger show early, and the Kevin Martin show late. Budinger had nine points in the first 3:35 of the period, helping to extend the Rockets lead quickly to 10. Martin then poured in seven of his own after L.A had trimmed the lead to three, but also managed to pick up the first "Respect the Game" technical foul of the season. Martin was whistled for a personal foul after hitting Kobe Bryant from behind on a jumper that Bryant ended up banking in anyway, and gave an "air punch" as a reaction that the referees promised would be an automatic during the preseason.
THIRD QUARTER: Rockets 82, Lakers 77

After a largely lackluster period from both squads, one of the Lakers' newest additions gave his team a spark to make it a game heeding into the fourth. Steve Blake went on a personal 6-0 run to end the third, connecting on a couple of corner 3-pointers to cut an 11-point Houston lead to just five.

FOURTH QUARTER: Lakers 112, Rockets 110

Blake's two threes to end the third were the beginning of a 28-9 Lakers run that put the champs up eight, one that was capped by a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers from Shannon Brown.

The Rockets battled back, though, and took a 110-109 lead with under 30 seconds to play after a layup from Luis Scola that he scooped up and in around the outstretched arms of Pau Gasol.

But Blake once again came through, and drained a long 3-pointer -- his third of the night -- to put the Lakers up for good.

Houston had two final chances at tying it in the final seconds, but Scola missed a contested layup inside, and after instant replay gave the ball back to the Rockets on an overturned out-of-bounds call, Brooks couldn't finish on a drive to the rim.

YOU HAD TO BE THERE PART 2
Overall, both teams did a good job controlling their emotions with the officials, and only Houston's Kevin Martin received a "Respect the Game" technical foul. But after taking a hard hit on a shot from Budinger on a shot attempt in the second, Kobe Bryant gave a glare to the official that was "respectful" enough to get him a late whistle in his favor.

YOU HAD TO BE THERE
The scoreboard that hangs over center court at Staples Center was replaced since last season, and while it might not be anything near the size of the one that spans more than half the length of the field at Cowboys Stadium, make no mistake -- it's huge by NBA arena standards. For someone like me who's been coming here for the past 11 seasons since the arena opened in 1999, it was more than a little disorienting, and definitely took some time to get used to.

Overall, both teams did a good job controlling their emotions with the officials, and only Houston's Kevin Martin received a "Respect the Game" technical foul. But after taking a hard hit on a shot from Budinger on a shot attempt in the second, Kobe Bryant gave a glare to the official that was "respectful" enough to get him a late whistle in his favor.

YOU HAD TO BE THERE PART 3

Fans rose to their feet with 9:30 to play, looking to explode for the first time all night. But as the Lakers came down trailing by two with the chance to tie, Lamar Odom missed a 20-footer from straight away and Matt Barnes missed a put-back attempt before grabbing his own rebound and being fouled on a second try, temporarily denying the fans their chance to cheer.

Barnes tied it anyway after the timeout at 86-all by connecting on both free throws, and after a stop, a Shannon Brown layup in transition gave the Lakers the lead, and gave the fans their first opportunity of the game to truly celebrate. Brown continued to inspire the crowd, connecting on three 3-pointers that extended the Lakers lead to eight with five and a half minutes to play.

YOU HAD TO BE THERE PART 4

The Rockets swore that Yao Ming was going to have a hard cap of 24 minutes a game, easing him back into the regular- season grind after missing so much time due to injury. But With his team trailing by 1 with 6:30 to play, Yao was approaching his limit, and was still out on the court. Press row was buzzing about it, looking down at the Rockets bench to see if there was any activity to send another player to the scorer's table to report as a sub.

But Yao took the decision of whether or not to extend his minutes out of his team's hands, picking up his sixth foul just as he crossed the 24-minute plateau.

Read More: Lakers Rockets Aaron+Brooks, Chase+Budinger, Kevin+Martin, Kobe+Bryant, lakers+opening+game+2010, lakers+opening+night+2010, lakers+vs+rockets, lakers+vs+rockets+2010, Lamar+Odom, Luis+Scola, Pau+Gasol, rockets+vs+lakers, rockets+vs+lakers+2010, Ron+Artest, Shannon+Brown, Steve+Blake, Yao+Ming

NBA CHAMPS TO PLAY IN LONDON

 

 

 

 

Los Angeles Lakers 2009-2010

	#	Name	Ht	Wt	Dob	Pos	From	Years
	37	Ron Artest	6'7"	260	November 13, 1979	F	St. John's	11
	9	Matt Barnes	6'7"	226	March 09, 1980	F	UCLA	8
	5	Steve Blake	6'3"	172	February 26, 1980	G	Maryland	7
	12	Shannon Brown	6'4"	210	November 29, 1985	G	Michigan State	4
	24	Kobe Bryant	6'6"	205	August 23, 1978	G	Lower Merion HS (PA)	14
	17	Andrew Bynum	7'0"	285	October 27, 1987	C	St. Joseph HS (NJ)	5
	45	Derrick Caracter	6'9"	265	May 04, 1988	F	Texas-El Paso	0
	3	Devin Ebanks	6'9"	215	October 28, 1989	F	West Virginia	0
	2	Derek Fisher	6'1"	210	August 09, 1974	G	Arkansas-Little Rock	14
	16	Pau Gasol	7'0"	250	July 06, 1980	F-C	Barcelona, Spain	9
	11	Russell Hicks	7'0"	245	June 15, 1985	C	Florida International	0
	1	Trey Johnson	6'5"	218	August 30, 1984	G-F	Jackson State	3
	41	Drew Naymick	6'10"	250	February 18, 1985	C-F	Michigan State	0
	7	Lamar Odom	6'10"	230	November 06, 1979	F	Rhode Island	11
	50	Theo Ratliff	6'10"	235	April 17, 1973	C	Wyoming	15
	0	Anthony Roberson	6'2"	180	February 14, 1983	G	Florida	5
	18	Sasha Vujacic	6'7"	205	March 08, 1984	G	Maribor, Slovenia	6
	4	Luke Walton	6'8"	235	March 28, 1980	F	Arizona

Phil Jackson Smack is true!

Jackson talks smack, mentions Kevin Garnett -  Bynum's knee drained...

Reality Basketball

Trey Kerby

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your sausage McGriddle.

Shira Springer, Boston Globe: Did you expect a pre-Finals news conference to pass without Lakers coach Phil Jackson taking a jab at the Celtics? When questioned about potential physical play in the series, Jackson took his first swing. "We don't have a smackdown mentality," he said. "You might have seen that with [Kevin] Garnett on [Orlando's Dwight] Howard in Game 6 in Boston, where he was smacking Howard's arm and was finally called for an offensive foul. That's not our kind of team. We don't go out there to smack people around. I call it more resiliency. We're a more resilient ball club. We try to stay strong and play hard. But we're going to have to withstand some of that. We're going to have to play through it. We have some guys who are capable of playing to that style in [Derek] Fisher and Ron [Artest] and obviously Kobe [Bryant]. But our big guys are going to have to stand up because that's basically what got the Celtics through Orlando." Lamar Odom(notes) took a more diplomatic approach. "[All the series] have been physically demanding, even this last one, all the running we had to do," said Odom. "This one will be physical, if they let us play a little bit." Jackson did show sympathy for Kendrick Perkins(notes), one of the Celtics' most physical players. The Lakers coach said his team had no desire to frustrate Perkins in an effort to force the center into a technical foul. One more technical and Perkins will earn an automatic one-game suspension. "I don't even like to think about those kind of things," said Jackson. "Those things I think should be wiped out. Flagrant fouls. Technical fouls. It just means the longer you've been in the playoffs the more penalized you are. It seems like that's not a really good code right now."

Kevin Ding, Orange County Register: Andrew Bynum(notes) had 70 milliliters — nearly 2 1/2 fluid ounces — drained from his right knee early Monday morning in a procedure done by Lakers doctor Steve Lombardo. Bynum said his knee, which has torn cartilage in it, was still medicated from the procedure, so he wasn't sure how it was feeling. But he said: "It supposedly makes you feel more healthy." Bynum's understanding is that there are no major ramifications to the drainage, and he intends to practice Wednesday to test how much his knee has improved. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Thursday night. Bynum is awareKobe Bryant(notes) had his swollen right knee drained after Game 4 of the playoffs' opening round and has played well ever since. "He's obviously feeling much better," Bynum said. "You could tell he was a step slow before."

Chris Forsberg, ESPNBoston.com: Rajon Rondo(notes) and Rasheed Wallace(notes) were limited during theBoston Celtics' practice session Monday. Rondo, who suffered muscle spasms during the Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic, then landed hard on his back during a first-quarter drive in Friday's clinching Game 6, participated in what Celtics coach Doc Rivers estimated was 3/4 of the practice, but was held back with eyes towards Thursday's Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Wallace developed back spasms during Game 5 against Orlando, then departed in the fourth quarter of Game 6 when the symptoms worsened. Rivers held the reserve big man out of contact drills Monday and remains concerned about his availability moving forward. Rondo was on the court and active during 5-on-5 drills to close out the session; Wallace watched from the sidelines. "Rondo felt pretty good, he went 75-80 percent of practice," said Rivers. "Rasheed is not right yet, he did the skeleton offense stuff, but other than that, we didn't allow any contact. So if we have a concern right now with anybody, [Wallace] would be the only one."

Greg Beacham, AP: Although Andrew Bynum didn't play in the 2008 NBA finals, he remembers how it all ended. Boston Celtics fans celebrated their clinching victory by throwing rocks and other projectiles at the Los Angeles Lakers' departing bus, also rocking it back and forth. "I only saw a couple of games, and it was crazy-the energy, the fans," said Bynum, who was out for the season with an injured kneecap. "That bus ride back to the hotel, it wasn't the greatest." Bynum kept that memory close for the past two years, and so did most of his teammates. Although the Lakers' roster is remarkably similar to the group that lost to Boston two years ago, Bynum sees two big reasons Los Angeles might have a better shot to do the rocking this time. Ron Artest(notes) and Bynum said Monday they hope to play major defensive roles in the Lakers' NBA finals rematch with the Celtics, starting Thursday night at Staples Center. Artest is the Lakers' only newcomer this season, while Bynum has postponed surgery on his right knee to participate in the Lakers' playoff run. Unlike Kobe Bryant, who professes no special interest in a Celtics rematch, Bynum is thrilled this run is ending with Boston. "It's a great opportunity for us to get one back," Bynum said. "You never want to let something like that sit. I know it means a great deal (historically), but I'm more concerned about my own history."

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald: Last week's reprieve aside, Kendrick Perkins remains on thin ice with six postseason technical fouls, just one short of a one-game suspension. Doc Rivers admittedly is worried that his center is one bad move or word away from leaving the Celtics undermanned against the Lakers' big front line in the NBA Finals. "Clearly what I've talked about hasn't worked," the Celts coach said after yesterday's practice. "Maybe I should have another one. I'm concerned by it, honestly. It's going to be a physical series, and there's going to be guys that get tangled up under the basket, and there's going to be officials who want to clean the game up. Perk may be in that." It all goes back to Rivers' beef with a perceived escalation in double technical fouls, a measure taken to clear up potential clashes between teams. Four of Perkins' six postseason techs have come from double-technical situations. "And that's why I've been on this double-technical thing for a month now," Rivers said. "It's part of the seven techs (that lead to a suspension) and it really shouldn't be, and it's a factor. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a factor in this series."

Ron Artest to the Rescue? as Marv Albert would say "Yes"

With one minute to go in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals and the Lakers up 101-98, Ron Artest missed a 20-foot jump shot, then promptly hoisted a three-pointer after Pau Gasol dished out an offensive rebound with a new shot clock.

He missed, his seventh errant shot in eight attempts, much to the ire of the STAPLES Center crowd (not to mention Phil Jackson).
Over the course of the next minute, Channing Frye would brick a three with Gasol following suit on a driving dunk attempt before Jason Richardson banked home Phoenix’s third three-point attempt of their final possession (thanks to two long rebounds), tying the game at 101 with 3.5 seconds left.
Quite a bit to take in already, but still plenty of time for Kobe Bryant to nail a buzzer-beater, right?
After all, perhaps the only ending better suited for Hollywood would be Artest - seeking redemption - crashing in from the weak side to grab Bryant’s missed turnaround three-pointer from the right wing, then lay the ball in off glass as the shot clock flashed red to signify the game’s end.
Crazy, right? Well, it happened.

Artest did just that and won the game for L.A., creating a 3-2 series lead to put the Lakers one win away from their third consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.
“As a group, it’s always fun to have wins like this at the buzzer,” said Bryant, who happened to make seven shots in the final seconds in the regular season. “Especially for Ron … I’m very happy for him.”
“I was extremely excited and happy for him,” offered Lamar Odom, who began playing AAU ball with Artest when the two were 12-year-olds in Queens, N.Y. “I always remind him that this is why he came here. His whole career, his whole life, was about perseverance, sticking with it. Tonight was a prime example of that.”
When Artest’s put-back went down, it was so loud in STAPLES that the buzzer couldn’t be heard as Artest was first embraced tightly by Bryant, then mobbed by his entire team in the corner opposite Phoenix’s bench.
“Yeah,” Artest nodded when asked if the shot were the biggest of his career. “Biggest layup. I missed a lot of layups during the regular season.” But he made the biggest one, by a few hundred miles. Question: why was he in that position in the first place?
Artest explained that he thought Bryant was fouled on his attempt, so he “kind of figured it was going to be short, looked like he got hit on his arm a little bit … and it was a little short.”

Bryant was again brilliant in a game L.A. largely controlled (leading by as many as 18), again coming as close as possible to a triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists,* Odom had a big 17-point, 13-rebound double-double off the bench, Gasol chipped in 21 points, nine boards and five assists and Derek Fisher came through with a season-high 22 points, but it was Artest’s moment.

*Bryant missed triple-doubles in Games 3 and 4 by a total of four rebounds.

“We’re very happy for Ron because Ron’s been asked to sacrifice a lot of his game to really try and fit in,” said Fisher. “Sometimes it makes it hard for him to have the rhythm and the fluidity to his game that he’s capable of having, but he sacrificed a lot to help us get to where we’re trying to go. That’s why we’re so happy for him.”

“I think it means a lot for him,” added Bryant. “He’s kind of been going up and down, emotionally it was a big boost.” L.A. had led by as many as 11 early in the fourth when Bryant nailed his fourth three of the game (and 10th in two games), but the Suns refused to go away, hitting three fourth quarter threes of their own and getting to the line eight times to hang around until the final stanza.

Overall, the statistics favored L.A., as the Purple and Gold out-rebounded Phoenix 49-40 (including 19 offensive boards), won the paint point batle 38-26, committed 11 turnovers to 15 from the Suns and blocked 10 shots, though Phoenix did manage to take more free throws again (29 to 23, much to the Lakers’ collective chagrin) and shoot a higher percentage (46.8 to 41.8).

LAKERS NOW IN A REAL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

REALITY BASKETBALL with Johnny Ludden - Chris Bavelles.

The Lakers can now forget about Denver. Or Houston. Or Oklahoma City. Last year, last month, whatever. It’s all in the past, Kobe Bryant(notes) snarled. None of it matters now. And don’t dare mention the Boston Celtics. They’re a subject for a more pleasant time.

If the Los Angeles Lakers got caught looking too far ahead, they’d now be wise not to peer too deep into their past. This is about living in the moment. This is about how the Lakers lost something between Hollywood and here, and how these Western Conference finals have suddenly turned stone serious.

Eyes aflame, jaw locked, Kobe stared into the cameras late Tuesday and narrowed his gaze to a Game 5 some 44 hours away in Los Angeles.

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“We have to play with a sense of urgency,” he said, “and understand this team can beat us.”

Kobe’s words were terse and his eyes simmered behind them. His message was clear: No longer should the Lakers expect a smooth road to the NBA Finals. No more. They arrived here up 2-0 and jetted home with the series reduced to a best-of-three. The Phoenix Sunshave their attention.

“I think people were overlooking them after the first two games, and just thinking ahead already,”Pau Gasol(notes) said. “And so, obviously, that’s a big mistake.”No one knows that better than Bryant. Four years ago, he and the Lakers carried a 3-1 first-round lead into Game 5 against the Suns. They lost and went on to drop the series. The Suns ran over the Lakers again the following year, spurring Bryant to issue an edict to the franchise: Get me help or trade me.

At the time, the two losses to Phoenix stained Bryant’s résumé. He won three championships with Shaquille O’Neal(notes), but Shaq had been traded. Everyone wanted to know: Can Kobe lead his own team to a title?

Bryant won’t admit he came into this series seeking payback, but he’s clearly able to turn those memories into fuel – and that’s what made Tuesday all the harder to stomach. The Suns ran free and loose once again, burying 3-pointer after 3-pointer, using their self-described “girly” zone defense to lull the Lakers into too many jump shots of their own. Even more embarrassing: It was the Suns’ reserves who overwhelmed the Lakers’ stars in the fourth quarter.

Kobe totaled 38 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds – following his 36-point near-triple-double in the Game 3 loss – but didn’t get much assistance from his supporting cast.

“Kobe had a great game,” Lamar Odom(notes) said. “Too bad we weren’t able to come along with him.”

The Suns’ gimmicky zone continued to cause some trouble. The Lakers shot well enough, but the Suns choked off the passing lanes and kept them from getting the ball inside to their big men. In the two losses, the Lakers have attempted 60 3-pointers to 33 free throws, a staggering differential that points to the difficulty the Lakers have had getting the ball to the rim – or getting calls.

More than anything, the Suns’ zone has scrambled the Lakers’ priorities. The Lakers have spent the past couple days looking at ways to attack the Suns’ defense while neglecting their own. When the Lakers needed a stop in the fourth quarter, they couldn’t deliver.

“We lost the game,” Bryant said, “because our defense sucked.

“Our focus was on the other side of the floor, which doesn’t win championships. So we need to get back to ground zero when it comes to that.”

The Lakers can say they’ve been in this position before. Within the past two seasons, they reached three Game 5s with the series tied 2-2. They won each – beating Houston, Denver and Oklahoma City – and have won eight straight Game 5s overall dating to the 2007 loss to the Suns.

“Experience,” Odom said, “is the best teacher of all.”

These Lakers don’t worry about much. They will play Game 5 at home and, if necessary, also Game 7. The officiating could slide the other way with the change of locale. So could Channing Frye’s(notes) shooting. History is on the Lakers’ side.

Bryant, however, didn’t want to hear about the past, and that’s why he started to set the tone for Game 5 before the Lakers even reached the loading dock. He had spent part of the game barking at teammates, and now his anger was continuing to rise as he sat at the dais. Each question about the Suns’ zone was swatted away with a criticism of his own team’s defense. Asked how he was feeling, Bryant deadpanned: “Jovial.”

Bryant marched off the dais and made the long walk down a pair of hallways to the team’s bus. He was surrounded by security. He wasn’t smiling. This was the look of a man who had seen enough. The Lakers were losing their grip on the series, and Kobe needed to take charge.

Forget the past. Don’t worry about the Finals. All that matters is now. The Lakers aren’t cruising through the playoffs anymore. They’ve found a fight.

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