Knicks player says lockout probable

Knicks guard Roger Mason Jr. was elected a vice president of the NBA players union a year ago while he was still with the Spurs. Since moving to New York, he’s been privy to the ongoing labor negotiations between the league and union chief Billy Hunter as the two sides attempt to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement and avoid a work stoppage next season. So it means something when Mason says Continue reading

Spurs decide to keep two bench players

It appears Chris Quinn and Ime Udoka will remain with the Spurs for the remainder of the season. Both players were still on the roster as of tip-off in New York, ensuring their veteran minimum contracts will become fully guaranteed on Jan. 10. Tuesday was the last day teams could waive players in time to clear waivers before the deadline. In recent days, coach Gregg Popovich has praised both players for filling veteran roles at the end of his bench. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs star says he wanted to play for Knicks

Tony Parker shattered some New York hoops dreams when he signed a contract extension on Oct. 30 that tied him to the Spurs for four more seasons and took him out of the summer’s free-agent pool. Here’s the hardest bite to swallow Continue reading

Spurs franchise started in Dallas

The Spurs franchise was originally located in Dallas Continue reading

Spurs players make Alamo Bowl bet

Though he declined to name the stakes, Arizona alum Richard Jefferson has made an Alamo Bowl bet with James Anderson, an Oklahoma State product. The two Spurs’ alma maters face off Wednesday at the Alamodome, with Anderson’s Cowboys entering as heavy favorites. “I still feel very confident,” Jefferson said. “It doesn’t matter if your team is 0-10 and you are playing against a 10-0 team. You have to ride or die with your teams.” — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs big man says he’ll retire after season

Antonio McDyess had said this likely would be his final NBA season. He’s not backing off. Barring an unexpected turn of events, the San Antonio Spurs forward will retire after this, his 16th season. “No doubt,” McDyess said in an interview with FanHouse before Thursday’s game at Denver about retiring. “I’ve been in it for 16 years. I’m tired. My body is breaking down. I’m just tired. Enough is enough.” — Fanhouse

NBA stars divorce might be called off?

Given that Eva Longoria and estranged husband and NBA star Tony Parker have been getting together — most recently for a San Antonio barbecue dinner captured by a TMZ paparazzo — there’s buzz the couple truly is attempting a reconciliation. The couple’s divorce is still pending, but a close Longoria pal at “Desperate Housewives” hints that Parker’s strong pitches to his wife to take him back “just may be working.” — Chicago Sun-Times

NBA’s best team has attempted fewest free throws

The San Antonio Spurs are the NBA’s best team, they’ve also attempted the fewest free throws (467). The Mavericks are next lowest (536), followed by the Lakers, 28th in attempts at 540 attempts. On the other side of things, the Jazz leads the NBA in free throw attempts at 752, followed by the Timberwolves (751), Warriors 744 and Clippers 685. — Stats Inc.

Spurs having career years from 3pt land

Three Spurs are enjoying career seasons from behind the arc — Matt Bonner (50.8 percent), Richard Jefferson (46.3) and George Hill (40.4). Neal, a 26-year-old rookie, is shooting 41.3 percent. The only Spurs shooter below his career 3-point percentage is Manu Ginobili, who leads the NBA in attempts (152) and is second in makes (56), but is hitting just 36.8 percent. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tim Duncan is NBA’s second biggest winner

Spurs center Tim Duncan became the 94th player in league history to play 1,000 games, and only Scottie Pippen won more of his first 1,000 games than Duncan’s 707. Pippen went 715-285 in that span, all with the Bulls. — San Antonio Express-News

NBA superstar spots UFO, wants answers

San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili wants answers — because dude spotted an unidentified flying object in L.A. earlier this month … and he’s desperately trying to figure out what the hell it was. Manu eyeballed the UFO when he was in town to play the Clippers on December 1 — and he has since launched a serious investigation into the matter … which involved a lot of Googling. Manu posted his findings on his Facebook page yesterday, saying the best answer he could come up with was “a kind of spacecraft which is called X-37B and was supposed to land in the area between December 3 and 6. According to various media, it landed on Dec 3.” — TMZ

Spurs Tony Parker begs Eva Longoria to take him back

It was Spurs guard Tony Parker who persuaded Eva Longoria to break bread with him — something that she was very reluctant to do. “But Eva’s curiosity got the better of her. She did want to hear what Tony had to say and she’s savvy enough to not get herself boxed into saying anything she’d later regret,” said a longtime Longoria associate. Turns out, Parker begged the actress to take him back and attempt a reconciliation. While that could happen, my source — who is very close to Longoria — is doubtful. “Eva is ready to move on with her life. She still does love Tony, but knows the trust is broken — and she doubts it can be restored. — Chicago Sun-Times

NBA stars other woman denies affair

Despite their bitter breakup, “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria and her soon-to-be ex-husband Tony Parker managed to meet up for a civilized lunch in LA to discuss their divorce. Longoria and the San Antonio Spurs star were spotted eating salad and having an intense conversation at a hotel on Wednesday. A source told us, “While the divorce is going ahead, things are reasonably civil between them.” Longoria, 35, filed for divorce on Nov. 17 citing “irreconcilable differences” in the wake of allegations that Parker, 28, had exchanged racy texts with Erin Barry, the estranged wife of his former teammate Brent Barry. Yesterday, Erin broke her silence, writing on her Web site: “I DID NOT HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH TONY PARKER, nor did I ‘pursue’ Tony Parker,” adding that “friendship with Tony Parker had nothing to do with the end of my marriage.” — NY Post

Spurs Tony Parker has lunch with Eva Longoria before terrible game

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria reunited for a lunch date in L.A. on Wednesday — two weeks after she filed to divorce him in Cali … which was followed by Tony’s own filing in Texas. They met on neutral ground … at a hotel in Santa Monica. Tony was in town because his San Antonio Spurs played the Clippers last night — but we’re guessing there was little hoops strategy discussed. No lawyers were present to split the bill. — TMZ

NBA player wins Award of Light

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has received the 2010 Konex Award of Light, one of the highest honors bestowed in his native Argentina. He was selected as athlete of the decade by a panel of 22 past winners of the award, headed by tennis great Gabriela Sabatini. Meanwhile, center Tiago Splitter has earned the title of “Basketball  Player of the Year” by the Brazilian Olympic Committee. The award recognizes the nation’s top player in the 42 Olympic sports. — San Antonio Express-News

NBA stars ex-wife could adopt child from Haiti

Although Britain’s Daily Mail reported on Sunday that Eva Longoria “had her heart set on adopting a child from Haiti” in the wake of her split with hubby Tony Parker, sources close to the “Desperate Housewives” star tell us otherwise. “She’s not focusing on motherhood,” one friend says, adding that Eva is “spending time with her family, lawyers and her special-needs sister,” Elizabeth Judina. “She’s not in the emotional state to become a mother right now. She just filed for divorce.” Longoria is also immersing herself in work. According to Variety, she will co-executive-produce two new shows for ABC and produce a miniseries for the Starz channel. Her spokeswoman declined to comment for this story, but another source close to the 35-year-old actress worries that adoption reports could be hurtful to the soon-to-be divorcee. “Eva’s really fragile right now,” the source says. “She’s being very mature about the breakup, but she’s always wanted a family.” — NY Daily News

Spurs expected to add former Lakers forward

The Spurs are expected to announced today that veteran free-agent forward Ime Udoka, who played for the club in 2007-08 and 2008-09, will be re-joining the team. After waiving second-year guard-forward Danny Green on Tuesday, the Spurs dropped one player under the 13-player minimum mandated by the collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union. Though they had two weeks to sign a 13th, Udoka is expected to join them no later than Friday at home against the Mavericks. A hard-nosed defender capable of guarding small forwards and power forwards, Udoka averaged 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first season with the Spurs. Udoka is expected to sign for the seven-year veteran minimum of $1.146 million. The Spurs’ player payroll after Udoka’s addition will stand at $68.45 million, $1.86 million below the luxury tax ceiling. — San Antonio Express-News

Fun Fact: Udoka played for the Lakers during the 2004 season.

NBA stars soon to be ex-wife shopping for skilled tattoo remover

Eva Longoria is but the latest of the celebrities eager to exorcise reminders of once-undying love — tattooed on their bodies when that romance was brand new. The “Desperate Housewives” star has been checking out the best Hollywood tattoo removal experts, who will be able to carefully laser away those inked memories of soon-to-be-ex-husband Tony Parker. In Longoria’s case that includes “erasing” the “Nine” tattoo on the back of her neck (Parker’s number on the San Antonio Spurs) plus the 7/7/07 (in Roman numerals) on the inside of her right wrist — marking the couple’s wedding date. — Chicago Sun-Times

NBA star sent nude picture to teen

According to sources, Tony Parker is starting to look like the next Tiger Woods! He was said to have had a sexting relationship, without anything physical with Erin Barry, but denied that they had sex. Now, a new claim has come forth saying that he was sending out nude photos of himself — I guess that’s not cheating, is it? Reportedly, “A 19-year-old British woman has come forward claiming she was pestered with several texts from the Desperate Housewives star’s husband, including a half naked picture of the basketballer.” The woman, Sophia Egeler, says that she met Tony at an Ultimate Fighting show at the O2 Arena in London. She said, “From the minute he met me he was trying it on. I had no idea he was Eva Longoria’s husband. He would not take no for an answer and was telling me how much he liked me.” — Celeb Dirty Laundry

Spurs Tony Parker upset Eva Longoria wants spousal support

Eva Longoria and Tony Parker are still talking to each other, but the conversations have taken an ugly turn, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned. Parker has avoided saying anything negative publicly about his estranged wife, but privately there have been heated conversations, a source close to the situation told RadarOnline.com. The NBA star is unhappy that Eva asked for spousal support in her divorce papers and angry that she told the world he cheated and exchanged inappropriate texts with a teammate’s wife. — Radar Online

How NBA stars electonic mistake cost his marriage

Eva Longoria’s marriage unraveled when she busted her husband hiding information from her about his relationship with Erin Berry and it’s all because Tony Parker forgot to close an electronic program, RadarOnline.com learned exclusively. Tony Parker is an NBA superstar known for eluding defenses but off the court he was caught by Eva because of his own mistake. “Tony had Erin’s personal information stored in an electronic program that only he could access,” a source familiar with the situation told RadarOnline.com. “But one day he forgot to close the program and that’s when Eva found it. “It was a double shot for her because not only did she find all the information but Eva also realized immediately that Tony had taken steps to hide it from her. “The fact that Tony had been hiding Erin’s information and their correspondence made Eva feel like he had been lying to her for months, and basically he had been.” That’s the moment the marriage blew up, the source said. — Radar Online

Eva Longoria has real evidence Spurs star cheated

Charges are flying back and forth in the increasingly nasty pending divorce of Eva Longoria and Tony Parker. While the San Antonio Spurs’ star swears his “fling” with Erin Barry, the wife of his ex-teammate Brent Barry, was merely via text and e-mails, several close friends and “Desperate Housewives” associates of Longoria say that may not be totally true. “I understand Eva has pretty solid evidence that something more physical did take place,” said a pal of the actress. “Trust me, Eva was upset enough by those racy text messages she discovered, but that wouldn’t have been enough to make her file for divorce. … She’s got the goods on Tony and Erin, that’s for sure.” — Chicago Sun-Times

Spurs Tony Parker performing as top 3 point guard

Spurs guard Tony Parker has paired one of his most tumultuous seasons off the court with one of his best on it. Throughout the Spurs’ 9-1 start, Parker has averaged 18.6 points and a career-high 7.6 assists to go with two steals per game. He is shooting 52.4 percent. Only two other players are averaging as many points, assists and steals as Parker — Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook and Washington rookie John Wall. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tony Parker: I knew Eva was filing for divorce

Tony Parker has spoken out about Eva Longoria and revealed he knew his wife was filing for divorce. The NBA star has been accused of cheating on the Desperate Housewives beauty with Erin Barry, the wife of his former San Antonio Spurs team mate Brent Barry. And while he has not addressed the rumors of infidelity, he told People that it was his wife of more than three years who made their break up official. “Eva and I have been discussing our situation privately,” he said. “I was aware that she would be filing for divorce in Los Angeles.”Radar Online

Eva Longoria gets revenge against NBA star

When Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria discovered the relationship and the texts her marriage blew up and she and Tony Parker agreed to divorce. “But Eva was hurt and she wanted a little revenge,” the source revealed. “So she blindsided Tony with the divorce filing. “They were working out the details about who was going to file and when. They didn’t want it to become a messy divorce. Then Eva got a little revenge and didn’t tell Tony she was filing and dropped the papers on him, catching him off balance for the media blitz.” While some reports have said the texts between Tony and Eva were “innocent” that’s absolutely not true, RadarOnline.com learned. The texts were flirtatious and sexual and “crossed the line,” a source close to the situation revealed. — Radar Online

NBA team has history of players affair’s with former teammate’s wife

As for the unsubstantiated claim that Tony Parker had an affair with a former teammate’s wife: That isn’t new to the Spurs, either. In the early 1990s, a backup forward named Sidney Green repeatedly wooed the wife of a Spurs teammate. If the locker-room tension wouldn’t have been intense enough by that alone, Green added to it by what he told her: You might as well, he said. Your husband isn’t being faithful. But that story was mostly kept quiet. — San Antonio Express-News

Erin Barry 101, the woman who took down Eva Longria’s marriage

The Barrys were high school sweethearts, according to E! news, which cites a 2004 interview Erin gave to SpursTalk.com. Erin reportedly graduated from an all-girls Catholic school in the San Francisco Bay Area, while Brent attended the boys’ school across the street. After going to see National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation” together when she was 16, SpursTalk.com reports, they fell in love, ultimately marrying in 1998. The couple has two sons. While in San Antonio, the pair was very involved in charity work fighting child abuse. “We’ve been so blessed to have such good lives,” Erin told the NBA in 2006. “To sit in your nice home, and have your nice job, and ignore the suffering that’s going on around you…you can’t enjoy the things you have if you don’t help those that are less fortunate…For me to be able to use the blessings that I have…it really feels good.” As speculation about the identity of Parker’s affair trickled out, Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush Tweeted, “We spoke to erin barry…Brent Barry’s wife from San Antonio Spurs…she cried and said ‘No comment.’” — NY Daily News

Spurs Parker cheated early in marriage

Eva Longoria Parker, 35, recently discovered that Tony Parker, 28, has exchanged hundreds of text messages with Erin Barry, the estranged wife of former San Antonio Spur Brent Barry. “Tony has no intention of starting a relationship with Erin.,” one of his pals told The Post. “He and Eva are still talking and trying to sort this out as amicably as they can.” Longoria Parker may have been aware of her husband’s alleged hanky-panky for some time, sources said. The 6-foot-2 point guard allegedly had an affair with Barry shortly after he married the 5-foot-2 actress, said an friend of Eva’s. — NY Post

Spurs Tony Parker focuses on hoops after fouling out of marriage

The spotlight was on Tony Parker, and the dissolution of San Antonio’s glamour couple, who married in Paris in 2007. “I’m having great support from my teammates and my coaches,” Parker said before the game. “I’ll focus 100 percent on the Spurs and try to win basketball games.” Addressing the media throng gathered outside the pregame locker room for 50 seconds, Parker — US Weekly’s latest cover boy — acknowledged he and his soon-to-be ex-wife were having “a difficult time.” “Anything else is our private life,” Parker said. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tim Duncan trails only two active players in 15/15 club

Tim Duncan scored 16 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the Spurs’ win over the Bulls. It was the 202nd game of Duncan’s career in which he had at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. Only two active players have more 15/15 games than Duncan: Shaquille O’Neal (235) and Kevin Garnett (204).204. — Elias Sports Bureau

NBA star accused of cheating on Hollywood wife

Eva Longoria Parker and Tony Parker have split after three years of marriage, Us Weekly reveals in its newest issue, on stands Wednesday. Multiple sources tell Us Weekly that Longoria Parker, 35, recently discovered that her husband, 28, has been exchanging personal texts with a mutual female friend for nearly a year — hundreds in just one month. She plans to file for divorce soon, sources tell Us. “Eva is heartbroken by the betrayal,” says one insider, adding that her husband confessed to the inappropriateness – which took place for nearly a year – after she confronted him. Adds another friend, “Once the trust was lost, the marriage was over.” — Us Weekly

NBA players can be fined for mismatched shoes

Spurs center Matt Bonner sat at his locker before a recent game at the AT&T Center, deep in thought and staring at his feet, as if contemplating some key piece of preparation for the night ahead. Which, in a way, he was. “Which pair of shoes should I wear?” Bonner finally asked, holding aloft a pair of Converse and a pair of New Balance. Someone proposed he don one of each, a suggestion Bonner considered a few seconds before an eavesdropping teammate shattered the dream. A mismatched shoe selection would violate the NBA’s uniform dress code, Manu Ginobili interjected, and could cost Bonner $25,000 in fines. “Just think of how many sandwiches that is,” Ginobili said, referring to Bonner’s famously favorite form of sustenance. And so, for the next 10 minutes, the Spurs’ starting guard and backup center set out to quantify exactly that. Estimating (conservatively, he says) 700 sandwiches per year at $5 a pop, Bonner ? concludes it would cost seven years’ worth of hoagies to flout the NBA’s uniform rules for one night. “The punishment doesn’t fit the crime,” he sighed, as the rest of the room disintegrated into laughter. — San Antonio Express-News

NBA star rookie: Euroleague allows more physical play

Accustomed to officiating that allows more rugged interior play in Europe, Spurs rookie Tiago Splitter is trying to find a balance between physicality and finesse. “In the NBA, there’s more calls than in Euroleague,” he said. “Over there, you can bang a little more with the body, and it’s not a foul.” Teammate Manu Ginobili, who went through his own adaptation after a standout European career, warned Splitter of the differences. “He’s new,” Ginobili said. “The refs have to know him. He’s got to know the refs, too. So it’s a process.” Splitter has proven a quick learner. After being called for three defensive three-second violations in his first four games, he has avoided another such call. There is no such rule in Europe. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tony Parker playing like All-Star again

Guard Tony Parker’s pass-happy ways are one reason Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson are off to sizzling scoring starts. The Spurs’ leading scorer at 21.9 points per game, Ginobili has recorded more 20-point outings through seven games (five) than he did the first three months of last season. Jefferson, meanwhile, has seen his average leap 6.3 points to 18.9 per game. Perhaps it’s a chicken-and-egg thing. Maybe Jefferson and Ginobili deserve credit for Parker’s increased assist numbers. “I just do my job and run the team,” Parker said, “and everybody’s making shots.” 22 of Parker’s 59 assists have gone to Jefferson or Ginobili. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tony Parker doesn’t get trade kicker

Details of the four-year contract extension Tony Parker signed last week have trickled out and a couple of the particulars are interesting. For one thing, the deal calls for a non-escalating salary. Parker is to get $12.5 million for the 2011-12 season, and in each of the three succeeding seasons. This would seem an obvious nod to the uncertainty of the increases that may, or may not, be allowed under a new collective bargaining agreement. Even more interesting: Only $3.5 million is fully guaranteed in the final season, 2014-15, when the erstwhile All-NBA point guard will be 32 years old. Finally, the deal includes no trade kicker, that would have increased Parker’s salary in the event of a trade. — San Antonio Express-News

Spurs Tim Duncan still chasing Iceman

With 25 points against the Suns, Duncan passed former Spur George Gervin for 32nd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. With 81 more, he will pass another former Spurs player, David Robinson, for 31st. Whether that will truly make Duncan the Spurs’ franchise scoring leader is a subject for debate. The total the NBA recognizes for Gervin — 20,708 points — does not include his ABA numbers. That means it doesn’t include the 4,219 points Gervin logged for the Spurs between 1973-74 and 1975-76, after which the franchise joined the NBA. Technically, Gervin scored 23,620 points while wearing a Spurs uniform. Duncan has scored 20,710. – San Antonio Express-News