Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Pierce, Bryant stay put to reach Finals
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 06 - 2008

Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant were playing pickup basketball in a Los Angeles gym last summer, a couple of frustrated NBA stars trying to sweat away the memory of a disappointing season. Talk soon turned to trades.
Bryant had lashed out at Lakers management for assembling a team that hadn't won a playoff series in three years.
Boston had gone four years, and Pierce worried that he might become the trade bait that kick-starts the rebuilding process.
“I remember being in the gym with Kobe, and me and him were arguing over who was going to get traded first,” Pierce said Monday after the Celtics held their first practice in preparation for the NBA Finals.
“He went public about getting traded, ... and I was like, ‘Shoot, I'm going to getting traded before you,' and betting that it would happen. That's what so crazy, now we're both here sitting in the Finals, where a year ago we were both in the gym.”
No one wound up paying off the undisclosed stakes.
Instead, both players stuck with the only NBA teams they've ever known and earned the chance to play for a championship. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night in Boston.
Bryant has already won three NBA titles, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal to win in consecutive years from 2000-02.
They made one more run at it in 2004, losing to Detroit in the Finals before O'Neal was traded away; it was Bryant's team, for better or worse.
The Lakers missed the playoffs the next year for just the second time in almost 30 years, followed by two straight first-round losses that left Bryant wondering. Then, he snapped.
Bryant called the team's front office a mess and said he wanted to be traded. Then he said he didn't. Then he said he did.
In the middle of the hubbub, he found himself sharing a post-pickup swig of water with Pierce. “Both of us kind of being in the same boat – the irony that we're both in the Finals is cool,” Bryant said after the Lakers practiced at their workout facility in El Segundo, California, on Monday. “It's good for both of us to be here. He's a great guy.”
Pierce had his own problems.The Celtics had been accumulating young talent like Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Ryan Gomes, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, but they had few wins – 24, to be exact – to show for it. When the draft lottery didn't yield a potential star like Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, the team's next title seemed far in the future.
“We were at a point where we were frustrated with the moves. The most obvious thing to do was to trade your star player for some young pieces and rebuild from there,” said Pierce, the longest-tenured Celtics player since the original Big Three.
“I pretty much thought it was over. I can't even explain it. I thought I was going to be a Los Angeles Clipper; I thought I was going to be anywhere but the Celtics,” he said. “All I know is if I wasn't a Celtic, right now I'd be home.”
Instead, the Celtics built around Pierce, adding Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in one of the most dramatic overhauls in NBA history. The team that went 24-58 with a bunch of young players won 66 games this year and put the Celtics in the Finals for the first time since 1987. – AP __


Clic here to read the story from its source.