Kings Stun Nuggets Behind Martin

'Wounded warriors' watch; reporters boxed out

(NEWSER) - President Obama played basketball today with a constellation of NBA stars and a ringer from the national champion UConn women's team. Service members injured in action and participants in the White House mentoring program watched, but the press pool waited outside, the Washington Post reports. Retired stars Magic Johnson and Bill Russell played but Kobe Bryant only watched, reports The Hill . More»

Celtics beaten 83-79 as Lakers claim 16th title

(AP) - The Los Angeles Lakers have won their 16th NBA championship, dramatically rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in Game 7 of the NBA finals. Kobe Bryant scored 23 points despite 6-of-24 shooting while winning his fifth title with the Lakers, who repeated as NBA champions for the first time since winning three straight from 2000-02. More»

(NEWSER) - The NBA fined Lakers coach Phil Jackson $50,000 for complaining about the officiating in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, but the frustrated Nuggets think it was money well spent. They got whistled 30 times in last night's Game 5, and they’re angry, reports Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. “Every player in my locker room is frustrated,” said coach George Karl. More»

(NEWSER) - Idan Ravin has never played or coached competitive basketball. He has no formal basketball training. Yet somehow, this mild-mannered, 38-year-old Jewish ex-lawyer is one of the NBA’s most sought-after personal trainers, known in basketball circles as “the Hoops Whisperer,” the Wall Street Journal reports. Ravin’s workouts are more psychological than physical, putting players through such stressful, chaotic drills that their physical game becomes nearly automatic. More»

Fiery forward expected to make Houston a title contender

(NEWSER) - The Houston Rockets have made a deal to acquire Ron Artest from the Sacramento Kings, reports the Houston Chronicle. The gifted but hot-tempered forward is expected to give the Rockets a big boost toward chances at a title shot. The Rockets will give up guard Bobby Jackson and one other player, expected to be rookie forward Donte Greene. More»