Hooped Up

Back on Nov. 1, 1946, at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens, New York’s Ossie Schectman scored the first basket in NBA history at Maple Leaf Gardens and yesterday Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons scored the 10 millionth point in NBA regular season history.

Gordon successfully converted on a jumper with 3:51 left in the second quarter of the Pistons’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers for the NBA milestone.

However, Kobe Bryant plays tonight and the 11 millionth point might be on its way.

After the jump, watch history.

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Add Ben Gordon to the list of limping Pistons. Gordon went down hard during on his left ankle and sprained it during Wednesday night’s game. He’s listed as day-to-day, but it’s unlikely Gordon will play tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers.

If that’s the case, he will join Richard Hamilton (severely sprained right ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (small ruptured disc) on the sidelines.

“We’re dropping like flies,” Rodney Stuckey said. “We just have to fight through it. That’s pretty much it.”

The question is how? Where will the scoring come from? With Gordon, Hamilton and Prince, that’s 58 points per game out of the lineup.

Detroit News

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

Since making automobile references are mandatory when talking about the Pistons. This summer, Detroit got a new driver in head coach John Kuester plus brand new after market bolt on parts Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon and Chris Wilcox. But will they get better performance out of their upgraded whip? Read More »

Back to the labor!  One of the The newest members of the Detroit Pistons Ben Gordon recently sat down with Hoopshype for an interview and when he was asked “Did it make you feel bad that the Bulls, the team you had led in scoring several years, didn’t show more interest in re-signing you?” This is what Gordon had to say about the Chicago Bulls situation.

Yes and no. After being there for five years, I had a great understanding of how the organization operates. I had a better understanding from the inside, that people on the outside don’t see, of how things work. And at the end of the day, it’s a business. Everybody in that position is going to make the decision that they feel is the best business decision.  As a basketball player, obviously with everything I’ve done [in Chicago] and the potential of the future with this team, to not be made an offer is kind of a slap in the face,” Ben Gordonsaid. “But from a business standpoint, I fully understand why everything happened the way it did. I don’t have any bad feelings. It’s time to move on and start a new chapter in my career.”

In reality Ben Gordon should be a Bull and he knows it just like everybody else does and the Bulls not offering him a deal was a slap in the face. Then again, having Ben Gordon come of the bench for all those years was a spectacular slap in the face too.

Hello, fuel to the fire of the Detroit vs. Chicago rivalry.

Via Hoopshype

The Pistons wasted no time signing free agents as fast as they could and as a result Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva will now call Detroit home.

According to league sources, Ben Gordon has agreed in principle to a deal worth $55 Million over 5 years and Charlie Villanueva has agreed in principle to a $35 million pact with Detroit for the same length of time. Last season with the Bulls Gordon averaged 20.7 points for the Chicago, leading them in scoring for the fourth straight year and should be able to keep near that average in Detroit.

Charlie Villanueva, who turns 25 next month, averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Milwaukee Bucks. Villanueva went from being a restricted free agent to an unrestricted one when Milwaukee chose to not make him a qualifying offer.

I’m officially confused about what Joe Dumars is trying to do in Detroit.

Via Press Release

Ben Gordon might have a strained left hamstring, but his sense of humor and shooting touch are still intact. 

“He will undergo an MRI exam today, which will help determine if he can play in Game 5 on Tuesday in Boston. “I was driving and I heard something pop,” said Gordon, who incurred the injury while shooting in the second quarter. “It’s sore; hopefully it’s not too serious. I’m going to do what I need to do [to play].” Gordon rode a stationary bike near theBulls’ bench during the third quarter to keep the hamstring loose. “It started affecting me right away,” he said. “I couldn’t do some of the things I wanted to do. But a game like that, you’ve got to play through it.” Gordon’s celebratory gesture after drilling the tying three-pointer at the end of the first overtime likely will draw a fine from the league. “If Mr. [David] Stern asks, it was my groin [bothering him],” Gordon joked.”

Via Chicago Sun Times

Facing a 10:59 p.m. deadline Wednesday on whether to accept the one-year qualifying offer, Bulls guard Ben Gordon played it like an NBA general manager on draft night, letting the clock wind down to zero while all options were explored.

The Bulls finally made the official announcement late in the evening that Gordon would take the qualifying offer worth $6.4 million and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. In the meantime, he cannot be traded without his consent.

The Bulls offered a six-year deal worth about $59 million and were reluctant to go any higher because they would be faced with paying the luxury tax if their payroll grows beyond $71.1 million.

Daily Herald

For the last two seasons, Ben Gordon has turned down a lot of money hoping to earning more with no success.  Now it looks like he will except a one-year deal with the Bulls, attend training camp and try again next summer.

“There had been speculation that Gordon might not show up Monday for media day or for the first of five days of double practice sessions beginning Tuesday because of dissatisfaction over his negotiations. But Gordon, a restricted free agent, told confidants that rocking the boat wasn’t his style and he had to remain professional.

Along those lines, Gordon is expected to sign the one-year tender offer of $6.4 million by Wednesday’s deadline and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. No serious sign-and-trade options have developed.”

Chicago Tribune

The stakes just got a little higher for the Chicago Bulls if they want to keep Ben Gordon.  

“It’s possible Gordon would prefer joining a European team over signing the one-year qualifying offer from the Bulls worth $6.4 million. One site pegged CSKA’s offer at $5.5 million. Either way, Gordon would become an unrestricted free agent next summer, when several NBA clubs are expected to have salary-cap room.”

Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Even if Gordon goes to Russia or anywhere else overseas, it’s not the NBA that is in trouble.  The NBDL on the other hand could fold up like a tent with this kinda overseas money being thrown at players eventually.