DeMarre Carroll leads Nets players with 21 points in the loss; Caris LeVert leaves game with concussion

In a game where the lead changed six times, the teams tied three times, and during the fourth quarter, the Houston Rockets led the Brooklyn Nets by as much as 16 points, at 1:22 left in regulation the Nets managed to close in on a six-point differential on an Isaiah Whitehead nine-foot floating shot. Unfortunately, Brooklyn couldn’t sustain the momentum to stop the Rockets and bowed to Houston 123-113 on Tuesday night.

“I think we competed better than we did against Milwaukee,” Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters in his postgame presser. “We never found a solution to stop them, obviously. They made a lot of tough shots. For them, we limited their 3-point attempts. Instead of shooting 50 – what’d they have, 33? – so that was good. We did a decent job keeping them off the free-throw line, but, it’s pick your poison with them so we never really found a solution to stop them.”

In addition to the game loss, Nets guard Caris LeVert suffered a concussion after running into a hard screen set by Houston center Nene Hilario at the end of the third quarter.

“I think it moved all of us,” Atkinson told the media. “I think we’re all affected, but we’re professionals and guys moved on, it’s just we obviously missed Caris the player. He was playing really well, so that was a big blow.”

LeVert, who was only on the court for 12 minutes, left the game with nine points, three assists, and three rebounds.

Although the outcome of this game against the Rockets didn’t go the Nets way, the team’s competitive spirit was on full display.

“…I think we did a great job as a team and making them work,” Nets guard D’Angelo Russell stated. “They’ve got some All-Star caliber guys over there, so making it as tough as we can is the objective.”

At the end of the night, the Nets shot .457 (16-of-35) from 3-point range and recorded their 10th game with 15-plus made threes this season. The Nets’ assist record bested Houston 24-16, and so did Brooklyn’s free-throw record, which was 88.2 percent versus the Rockets 81 percent.

“Oh, we definitely competed,” Nets center Jahlil Okafor expressed. “I think everybody across the roster played extremely hard. The Rockets are an extremely tough team to beat. Their dynamic was a challenge for us but I do think everybody did compete...”

DeMarre Carroll scored a team-high 21 points (7-of-12 FG, 5-of-8 3FG, 2-of-2 FT) with two boards and two steals in 30 minutes. Spencer Dinwiddie tallied 18 points (5-of-7 3FG, 3-of-3 FT) with three rebounds, nine assists, and a career-high-tying three steals in 25 minutes. Nets rookie center Jarrett Allen, recorded 16 points (6-of-11 FG, 4-of-4 FT) with two rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. With his 16 points on Tuesday night, Allen extended his career-best streak of games scoring in double figures to eight games. Okafor had a good night, he posted 15 points (7-of-9 FG, 1-of-3 FT) and six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. (D’Angelo) Russell also scored in double figures for Brooklyn, recording 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench.

When asked about Houston putting up so many points against the Nets, “Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni laughed and said, “It’s all coaching out there – you saw that, right?” But in all seriousness, D’Antoni gave credit where credit was due, “Chris Paul and James Harden, when you have those two guys, it’s either one or the other. It’s unbelievable.”

D’Antoni also tipped his hat to Brooklyn’s effort.

“You have to give it to Brooklyn, they wouldn’t let us put it away,” D’Antoni added. “They kept coming back. They kept hitting hard shots. We would go up seven and Brooklyn would hit a hard three. They played well; they played with a lot of energy. Like I told them, Brooklyn isn’t going to beat themselves, we’ll have to beat them. I think at the end we did. They’re well-coached and they do a good job.”

Harden led all scorers with 36 points and five assists with his effort for Houston. (Chris) Paul scored 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists; and Clint Capela added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Coming off the bench for the Rockets, Gerald Green added 16 points, and Eric Gordon chipped in 13 points.

Hopefully, both teams will have enough energy to go up against their next opponents. Houston plays the Miami Heat on Wednesday in Miami, and Brooklyn goes up against the Detroit Pistons with the newly-acquired Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers also on Wednesday.

The Brooklyn Nets next home game at the Barclays Center is on Saturday, February 10, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. against the New Orleans Pelicans.

VIDEO DISCUSSION: NBA Free Agency 2017 took NBA fans on a wild ride with expected and unexpected changes

Yes, NBA free agency was in full effect this past week. There were changes that most of us expected and some that very few people saw coming. Let’s talk about the winners and those who didn't win too much.

Winners

Houston Rockets landing Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers, which seemed to come out of nowhere. But rumor has it that the relationship between Chris Paul and Doc Rivers had soured somewhat because of perceived favoritism towards Austin Rivers who is Doc Rivers’ son. The challenge will be how Chris Paul and James Harden will be able to play together.

Other winners include the Boston Celtics landing Gordon Hayward; OKC obtaining the services of Paul George; Minnesota for adding Jimmy Butler to its roster, the Golden State Warriors because Kevin Durant took a pay cut in order to keep the team intact, and the NBA for continuing to make headlines in mid-July.

Biggest Losers

The Chicago Bulls with the trade of Jimmy Butler to Minnesota Timberwolves by many accounts is the biggest loser in the 2017 NBA Free Agency. 

Also, the Indiana Pacers losing Paul George to OKC, and the Utah Jazz losing Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics. Indiana and Utah are both small market teams who are losing their draw and possibly revenue.

VIDEO: Jimmy Butler and Timberwolves are big winners in NBA Free Agency; Paul George lands in OKC, Brooklyn Nets, Knicks, focusing on young players

Before we get to our discussions of the top sports stories, here a couple of quick bites:

• The NBA fined Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for foul language after he released a video on Instagram where he said, "F- LaVar Ball"
• Lakers small forward Brandon Ingram will miss the remainder of summer league due to cramping in his right leg
• The Miami Heat officially waived Chris Bosh and plan to retire his jersey. Bosh has since cleared waivers and is now a free agent.
• James Harden landed the biggest NBA extension contract in history. The deal, reportedly worth $228 M, would start trickling in 2019-20 at a salary of $37.8M, $40.8M, $43.8M and $46.8M.

NBA Free Agency

NBA free agency was in full effect this past week. And, Keisha and Mike are talking about the winners and those who did not do as well.

Paul George Goes to OKC

Indiana Pacers guard Paul George has left the building and has landed in OKC to play with NBA MVP, Russell Westbrook, and the rest of the Oklahoma City Thunder team. Has OKC positioned itself to be in better contention to take over the West? Did the Los Angeles Lakers miss the boat on not trading for him?

Lonzo Ball NBA Summer League Outing

As his father, LaVar Ball predicted, NBA Draft stand-out, Lonzo Ball is now in the NBA and playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Lonzo had a rough Game 1, but he managed to right his ship and played clicking on all cylinders for Game 2. Will Lonzo bring “show time” back to the Lakers?

What’s The 411Sports’ Photo of the Week

Our photo of the week is a photo of Markelle Fultz, the 2017 NBA Draft’s #1 pick overall, being helped off the court by his teammates because of an injured left ankle.

What’s The 411Sports’ New York Sports Report

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Jarrett Allen in the 2017 NBA Draft at No. 22, and just before the draft, the Nets acquired guard D’Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Brook Lopez and a Nets first round draft pick. Russell attended NBA Summer League and like a good teammate, he cheered on the Nets. However, when the game was over, Russell stayed to watch the Lakers play.

Should D’Angelo Russell have stayed to watch the Lakers summer league game? Will the Nets development culture be able to assimilate D’Angelo Russell?

New York Knicks

Phil Jackson is out as the NY Knicks president and the Knicks inked a four-year deal to bring Tim Hardaway Jr. back after Jackson’s exit. New York Knick fans are crowing about Hardaway’s $71 million four-year deal. Meanwhile, David Griffin, former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager, has turned down the job of general manager of the New York Knicks.

Is this a good move to bring Hardaway back to the Knicks? Who made this decision? Would the Hardaway acquisition have happened if Phil Jackson was still with the Knicks?

The New York Yankees

New York Yankees were in a huge tailspin heading into the MLB All-Star Break.

Will the Yankees turn this ship around and sail into smoother waters?

New York Giants

New York Giant wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr landed on the number 8 spot on the list of Top 100 NFL Players of 2017 as determined by his peers.

Off Topic

LaVar Ball Gets Real

LaVar Ball’s camera-ready persona has reportedly landed the Ball family a reality-show deal. Deadline is reporting that the Ball family will be the focus of a yet-to-be-named docu-series as part of Facebook's push for original video content.

A Woman Uber Driver Gets First-Day Surprise

It was a woman’s first day as a Uber driver and she picked up Golden State Warriors center JaVale McGee. How cool is that?

VIDEO: Where did the MVP candidate go when it counted most?

We are into the Conference Finals round of the NBA Playoffs, and before we discuss where we are right now, I just want to step back a minute and ask what happened to Houston Rockets guard James Harden?

The MVP candidate gave an atrocious effort in Game 6 and an elimination game against the Spurs.

Are we being too hard on Harden or is all of the criticism warranted?

New York Yankees’ retires Derek Jeter’s No. 2 in style, James Harden and the Houston Rockets exit the NBA Playoffs, Jeremy racism experiences in basketball

NBA Playoffs Update

What happened to James Harden?

We are into the Conference Finals round of the NBA Playoffs, and before we talk about where we are right now, let's step back a minute and ask what happened to Houston Rockets guard James Harden. The MVP candidate gave an atrocious effort in Game 6 and an elimination game against the Spurs. Are we being too hard on Harden or is all of the criticism warranted?

NBA Playoffs Final Four

The NBA playoffs are now down to four teams. What can we expect in the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals?

Big Ballin’

The three shoe giants, Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour, did not offer a shoe deal to NBA prospect Lonzo Ball. Ball's father, LaVar Ball, vowed to have a Lonzo Ball sneaker made. He succeeded and the ZO2 Primer hit the open market to the tune of $495. While some balked at the price, LaVar tweeted “If you can’t afford the ZO2s, you’re NOT a BIG BALLER!”

Will the shoe be a flop? Will people be on the LaVar train if his son Lonzo Ball turns out to be a “Bog Baller” in the NBA?

Rapper Future’s Fans Start a Mother’s Day Squabble

This past week was Mother’s Day and Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, posted a sweet Mother’s Day note on Instagram to his wife, Ciara, and rapper Future’s fans came for Wilson’s head and fans of Wilson and Ciara clapped back. Here’s what the note said:

“Nothing better than spending time with you. You are an amazing mom & I'm so grateful I get to spend the rest of my life with you & raising our kids. I love you! #HappyMothersDay Weekend my love. @Ciara

People objected to Wilson saying “our kids.” Should Wilson have not said, “our”? Are those who objected to Wilson stating “our kids” out of line?

Volkswagen at the New York International Auto Show

Nikolai Jackson from our social media team delivered another new car video from the New York International Auto Show and this time it’s from Volkswagen.

New York Sports Report

New York Yankees

The Yankees retired future Baseball Hall of Famer shortstop Derek Jeter’s No. 2.

New York Mets

The Matt Harvey apology tour was in full effect this past week.

As if things couldn't get any worse for the NY Mets' pitching staff, the club announced that closer Jeurys Familia would be out of the lineup due to an anterior blood clot in his right shoulder.

Doctors say that Familia should be able to throw again in six weeks with a return to competition in about 3-4 months.

Brooklyn Nets' Jeremy Lin on Racism in Basketball

Jeremy Lin, the Nets guard, made some headlines recently when he mentioned that the racial slurs he heard in college were much worse than what he has had to deal with while playing in the NBA.

On The Bench

In view of the Brooklyn Nets guard, Jeremy Lin’s, story about the racism that he encountered in college, I am putting the NCAA and the NCAA's referees on the bench for allowing known racism to persist on the court and within the association.

When referees and coaches know that someone is being racially profiled, they have a responsibility to quash the activity.

Jeremy Lin reflects on his growth since being traded from the New York Knicks to the Houston Rockets

"That's the sign of our growth as a team," Jeremy Lin said responding to a reporter's question after the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 106-96. "We probably wouldn't have done that earlier in the season. We probably would have folded and fell and given away the game. We regrouped, took their hit, then counter-punched, and we were able to get the win."

Jeremy sees that maturity was a factor in the team's ability to get the win over the Brooklyn Nets tonight.

"We got some stops when we needed to, but we made it tough, we made it tough for them."

Jeremy sees that he is blending in and believes that the team is really blending.

"The past couple of weeks, we've shown flashes of in my mind, of being a really, really good team whether it's a game against OKC or Golden State or games like that," he said. "Today was an uglier one. We turned the ball over; we didn't play as well as we normally did, but we were able to get the win so we're thankful for that."

And, it's always good when you can get a win on the road.

"Any win on the road is a great win for us," he responded. "We want to keep pushing and try to build a winning streak; we have a favorable schedule coming up."

What has been Jeremy Lin's biggest adjustment coming from the New York Knicks to the Houston Rockets?

"I think it's just different, because it's a different system and I'm in a different role; being able play alongside a huge and elite playmaker in James Harden and learning to mesh with him and we're getting there and I'm really happy with where we're at right now and I'm happy with where our team is in terms of how we're playing."

So what does Jeremy Lin miss about New York City?

"I miss the fans, just like how crazy the Garden (Madison Square Garden) would get last year, how loud and awesome the experience was, yeah, that's what I miss most."

Has Jeremy Lin experienced the level of excitement in other NBA arenas like the Linsanity at Madison Square Garden in New York City?

"Here and there, here and there," he said. "Sometimes it will get crazy and stuff. I think our last home game against OKC back home that was insane; we had the Toyota Center rocking, so, it was cool."

So is it less pressure on him being in a smaller market.

"Less pressure, less spotlight, so it usually means less pressure," Jeremy said.

What will be the point of success for this team in making the playoff and going forward?

"I think consistency and I think it's attention to detail on the defensive end," he responded. "I think offensively we're okay. Offensively we'll struggle here and there but, I think we've shown we're an explosive offensive team and I think our biggest improvements can come on the defensive end.

Has Jeremy got over the trades?

"I just hate to see anybody leave, but in terms of the trade in and of itself, it's not for me to really, really comment, it kind of management's job," he responded. "It was tough for me to see my teammates leave, but we have new guys coming in, I just met a few of them, it's definitely time to turn the page and move on."

Trevor Booker high scorer for the Nets; Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin were both inactive; Atkinson left no stone left unturned, but still could not contain the Rockets

Last night, the Brooklyn Nets celebrated Taiwanese Heritage and its most celebrated player, Jeremy Lin, who is Taiwanese, still, could not play because of a left hamstring injury. Also on the Nets inactive list was Brook Lopez, not because he was injured, but to allow Lopez to rest.

Despite the lopsided final score, the Nets were competitive up until the fourth quarter. At the end of the first stanza, the Rockets led by one 37-36. The end of the half, saw the Nets trailing by eight (74-66), and at the close of the third, 104-90. The fourth quarter, the Rocket kicked it into high gear to close out the game 137-112.

“We just could never stop them,” said Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson. “I don’t think we stopped them the whole night. I think we tried a lot of different things, tried changing coverages and couldn’t find a solution. Potent, powerful, offensive team that we couldn’t find the defensive switch.”

With every active Nets player seeing action at some point during the night, Atkinson tried every combination he thought made sense to get a stop, but to no avail.

“We started Justin (Hamilton) at the five, and I think they scored pretty good against that group,” Atkinson stated.

Justin Hamilton, in for Lopez, scored 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

“Then we went small to match their (lineup) and switch, do a lot of switching and try to keep them in front of us,” Atkinson continued. “But when you switch they have good one-on-one players, and I felt like when we switch we weren’t containing them off the dribble and they hit some threes. Eric Gordon again came off the bench and really good, he was excellent. Again, they dominated us and there is just no way around it. We can talk all night.”

In the win, Gordon came off the bench for the Rockets and led all scorers with 24 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Trevor Ariza had 23 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. James Harden contributed 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in 31:31 minutes.

Nets forward Trevor Booker led the Nets in scoring with 18 points and five rebounds in 26:28 minutes. The next two high scorers came off the bench: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with 14 points and seven rebounds; and guard Randy Foye contributed 13 points. The entire Nets bench contributed 63 points.

Up next for the Brooklyn Nets is another tough team, the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday at the Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m.

Joe Johnson gets fired up on bobble-head night in his honor

After a stunning loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, on Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets found a way to beat the Houston Rockets 110-105.

With this win, the Nets sweep the season series for the first time in 14 years.

The Nets scored 31 points in the first quarter and 57 in the half, giving them an 11-point lead by the end of the half. A lead that they would need down the stretch because Houston won the 3rd and 4th quarters by three points each.

Brook Lopez scored 24 points and Joe Johnson had 22 points, which ties his season-high points on a night that was the promotional Joe Johnson bobble-head night. Thaddeus Young finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets. Bojan Bogdanovic, in for the injured Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, scored 19 points. Jarrett Jack rounding out the the starting line-up, chipped in 10 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Additionally, Brooklyn set season highs for assists (27) and field goal percentage (55.6).

It was a good night for Johnson. He had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the fourth quarter.

"That's what Joe does," Lopez said. "There's a reason his bobble-head looks the way it does. We know we can go to him time and time again in the crunch time. He's going to deliver."

Too bad it wasn’t Joe Johnson bobble-head night when the Golden State Warriors were in town. Although Johnson had five rebounds and three assists against Golden State, he only registered nine points for the evening.

Houston guard James Harden, who was in contention for an MVP last season, was 2 for 9 for 10 points, and also finished with nine assists and seven turnovers. Howard, who had 22 points and 18 rebounds Saturday in a victory over Sacramento, took just five shots and finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

"We should've come out with a better effort. We didn't and we paid the price for it," Howard said. "Our effort was better in the third and fourth quarter, but we can't hand teams good leads and expect to come back."

What’s next for the Nets?

Brooklyn (6-15) will host the Philadelphia 76ers (1-21) at the Barclays Center, tomorrow, Thursday.

New York Rangers to Meet Tampa Bay Lightning; Phil Jackson May Be Unhappy With Isiah Thomas’ Presence at MSG; and lots more!

Watch the video of What's The 411Sports Episode 34:

Featuring What's The 411Sports hosts Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alcala; and special guest panelist, Jason E. Schott, Reporter/Assignment Editor at BrooklynFans.com.

What’s Poppin’

Congratulations to the owner of American Pharoah; jockey, Victor Espinosa; and of course American Pharoah for winning the Preakness on the heels of winning the Kentucky Derby. Triple Crown madness is starting already!

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The New York Rangers needed extra time to beat the Washington Capitals, 2-1, in game 7 of the 2nd of the NHL playoffs. The Rangers have advanced to play the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Eastern Conference Championship. How good are the Rangers chances to advance to the Stanley Cup Championship round?

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According to The New York Daily News, New York Knicks president, Phil Jackson, is not happy with Isiah Thomas being named president of the New York Liberty and given a stake in the women’s professional basketball team.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has decided to hear New England Patriots QB-Tom Brady’s appeal regarding his four-game suspension associated with deflating footballs during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the NFL Players Association says no way to Goodell’s reigning over the arbitration proceedings. What does this mean for Brady?

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NY Mets Manager Terry Collins speaks out. After suffering a four-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs, the Mets received a passionate speech by manager Terry Collins revolving around the issues the ball-club’s struggles as of late.

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Jason, as a reporter for www.Brooklynfans.com, you know that soccer is drawing huge crowds in New York, but like hockey, it is not a media darling. Give us a synopsis of the soccer picture in New York and what will it take for soccer to be a breakout star?

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The WNBA suspended Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and her wife, Tulsa Shock Forward Glory Johnson for seven games for their roles in a domestic dispute last month. WNBA president Laurel J. Richie said in a statement on the league’s website:

"WITH CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS MATTER, WE ARE SUSPENDING BRITTNEY GRINER AND GLORY JOHNSON EACH WITHOUT PAY FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN REGULAR-SEASON GAMES. BRITTNEY AND GLORY'S CONDUCT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE WNBA AND VIOLATES APPLICABLE LAW."

Under The Radar

The Cleveland Cavaliers won game 6 against the Chicago Bulls to advance to the eastern conference finals round and J.R. Smith took to Instagram to take a jab at the New York Knicks. Smith posted side-by-side pics of him and Iman Shumpert in both Knicks and Cavs gear stating:

“ONE MAN’S TRASH…..IS ANOTHER MANS TREASURE”

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The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee announced that it would recommend shortening the shot clock from 35 seconds to 30, increase the restricted area arc in front of the basket from three feet to four feet, and three other changes aimed at reducing timeouts.

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File this one under sports meets pop culture. While the Washington Wizards John Wall was sitting on the sideline during Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, J.R. Smith, who won the NBA fashion show during the NBA All-Star Week, took to twitter to comment on John Wall’s suit.

#JWall your suit tho! #Turrrbile #WorstThenCrCharlesDraftSuit

John Wall retorted according to Adam Mcginnis from truth about it:

"I LOVED MY OUTFIT IN GAME 4," WALL TOLD MCGINNIS. "I DON’T CARE WHAT DECISION NOBODY MAKES, I AM GOING TO BE ME. I AM GOING TO WEAR WHAT JOHN WALL IS COMFORTABLE WITH. THE ONLY SOMEBODY WHO SAID SOMETHING BECAUSE HE WON A FASHION CONTEST, ONCE."

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Springfield Gardens High School, the high school that the late New York Knicks player Anthony Mason attended, named its gymnasium “MASE COURT”, in his honor.

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And in memoriam, just two days after the death of pro golfer Calvin Peete, winner of the 1985 Players Champion, we have lost yet another pioneering African-American golfer.

African-American Golfer's Digest reports that Pete Brown, first black golfer to win on PGA tour, died on May 1st at 80-years old.

Brown was among those who blazed the trail for Calvin Peete and Tiger Woods.

In the Dog House

Greg Alcala stated: I picked the Cleveland Cavaliers to beat the Chicago Bulls in round 2 of the NBA playoffs, but I am putting the Chicago Bulls in the Dog House for not showing up in Game 6.

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Glenn Gilliam stated that he is putting the NFL in the Dog House. According To NJ.com, The National Guard has made deals with 14 NFL teams to honor the veterans of this country from 2011 To 2014.

According to federal contracts from the Department of Defense, the National Guard spent over $5 million to teams during that time span.

U.S. Senator Jeff Flake ripped the entire practice carried out by the National Guard.

“THOSE OF US GO TO SPORTING EVENTS AND SEE THEM HONORING THE HEROES,” SAID FLAKE. “YOU GET A GOOD FEELING IN YOUR HEART. THEN TO FIND OUT THEY’RE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY’RE COMPENSATED FOR IT, IT LEAVES YOU UNDERWHELMED. IT SEEMS A LITTLE UNSEEMLY…IT JUST LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH.”

Pipeline:

Come cheer on KEISHER “FIRE” MCLEOD-WELLS AKA KEISHER THE BOXING DIVA, as she goes for her second professional title championship belt on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Resorts World Casino in Queens brought to you by New Legend Promotions.

Tickets can be purchased through www.KeisherMcleodWells.com or call Gleason's Gym AT (718) 797-2872 or (646) 537-5059

The French Open, held in Paris, France, IS May 24-June 7, so if you’re not booked already, it may be too late!

The 2015 NBA Draft is on June 25th.

Curry tops James Harden and LeBron James and becomes 2nd Warriors season MVP since the late great Wilt Chamberlain

"Be Humble".

Those were the words of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who on Monday night was awarded the 2015 NBA MVP award. Curry finished with 100 first-place votes, followed by Houston Rockets own, James Harden with 25 and Lebron James with 5.

It honestly could have gone either way, but being the best player on the best team, posting a regular season stat line of: 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists, could not be ignored, and both James and Harden have better scoring averages of 25.3 and 27.4 respectively.

Curry becomes the second Warriors season MVP since the late great Wilt Chamberlain, who won the award in 1960. And with this award you could just imagine how saddened all of the New York Knicks fans, around the world are feeling, right about now.

Curry has never done anything to us (despite lighting up the garden for a career high 54 points, Feb. 27th, 2013), the city of New York, but he was one pick away from donning the orange and blue. In that 2009 NBA Draft, Curry was selected one slot ahead of the Knicks, going seventh overall to the Warriors while the Knicks had to settle for the likes of Jordan Hill, who suits up for the Los Angeles Lakers. And there's no comparison.

At this rate, Hill is destined to be a NBA journey-man who can help a winning team, while Curry is on pace to one day look up at his jersey in the rafters when it’s all said and done. We should have seen this coming. The word humble is important because, it defined Curry's MVP award acceptance speech in addition to how he's conducted himself on and off the court and it all started with his upbringing.

Curry is the son of Dell Curry, a respected former NBA sniper. Curry followed in his father's footsteps, pursuing a career in basketball. He wasn't heavily recruited coming out of Charlotte Christian high school, rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals, and chose to play his collegiate basketball in-state, at the small college of Davidson.

There, Curry became a star.

He averaged 25.3 points during his 3-year stay, leaving Davidson as the All-time Davidson leader in points with 2,635 and the rest is history and it seems like only yesterday, James was attending Davidson games just to see what Curry would do next.

Since his arrival in Golden State, Curry has performed. He's started from day one, and six years in, Curry is one of the many faces of the NBA. He's a 2-time NBA All-star in counting, with two Olympic Gold Medals and it just seems as though the awards will continue to over-flow Curry's shelves into the immediate future.

Like this one. It's the highest individual award in sports, and upon receiving it, Curry paid homage to his teammates, his family and most importantly, his old man.

Curry gave insight into what it was like being the son of an NBA player, saying that it wasn't easy, but he was proud of what he was able to do in his career and that following in his footsteps meant a lot to him.

In his honor, Curry wears No. 30; the number his dad wore during his career.

The word humble is important here because, with his achievements, Curry hasn't taken anything for granted and unlike pre-collegiate career, people are finally taking notice of, without a doubt the best shooter in the NBA.

He's a spokesperson for degree.

He's got his own shoe with Under Armour and he's the other half of the "Splash Brothers", along with teammate, Klay Thompson.

There's no more denying Curry's greatness and the best is yet to come for the former Wildcat who is expected to lead his team to the NBA Finals this year.

In closing his speech, Curry left the crowd with words that resonate.

"Make sure you live in the moment, and work your butt off every single day. I hope I inspire people all around the world to just be themselves, be humble and be grateful for all the blessings in your life, and I'm truly honored to be your MVP this year, thank you very much."