BA Finals record with 27 made 3-pointers last yea

ATLANTA -- The mayor has already heard from plenty of potential buyers for the Atlanta Hawks. And the city is ready to kick in a hefty sum to make the deal happen. Flanked by Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and other city leaders, Mayor Kasim Reed said Tuesday he expects the sale of the team to move briskly after racially charged comments by owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry. "I have had conversations with no less than six prospective buyers," Reed said during a City Hall news conference. "All six of those prospective buyers will have to go through a process to be vetted by the NBA. That process is going to occur very quickly." The Hawks have been under fire since it was revealed Levenson sent an email two years ago theorizing that many suburban whites would not attend NBA games because of the teams African-American fans. He agreed to sell his share of the team, but it also emerged that Ferry had disparaged then-free agent Luol Deng on a conference call with team owners this past summer, saying he "has a little African in him." Ferry has taken an indefinite leave of absence. The NBA, meanwhile, is left to deal with another embarrassing case after stripping the Los Angeles Clippers from longtime owner Donald Sterling. He was forced out for telling his girlfriend on a secretly recorded audio not to bring black fans to his games. Reed said he plans to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Sept. 26 in New York to discuss the sale of the Hawks. According to the mayor, the league is already lining up an investment bank to look into the finances of any potential buyer. "I think were going to end up in a superior position, based on everything we know today, than we were before," Reed said. He didnt identify the prospective buyers, but whoever steps in would apparently have majority ownership. Levenson owns 24 per cent of the team, and his Washington partner, Ed Peskowitz, has also agreed to sell his share, meaning that 50.1 per cent of the team is now available, Reed said. In addition, Reed said the city will likely be willing to offer concessions to any new owner to ensure the Hawks commit to remaining in Atlanta for another 30 years. He said there could be as much as $150 million available after the city sells Turner Field, the current home of the Braves, though the mayor said that process has been held up by the baseball teams refusal to negotiate terms for its departure. The Braves are planning to move to a new stadium in suburban Cobb County in 2017. Team spokeswoman Beth Marshall said the Braves arent required to notify the stadium authority of its plans until Dec. 31, 2015, but added, "It is our hope to be able to work with them, the city of Atlanta and Fulton County, on negotiating an exit so they can best prepare for the future of the Turner Field site." In the meantime, Reed said the city would be heavily involved in efforts to find new ownership for the Hawks, since it is responsible for the debt on 15-year-old Philips Arena. Wilkins, a former Hawks star who now serves as a team vice-president and television commentator, said he would "absolutely" be interested in taking on a greater role with the franchise. The city already plans to honour him with a statue outside Philips Arena before a March 6 game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Reed said city leaders would look favourably on Wilkins involvement with any new ownership group, especially if it gives the team more diversity in the front office. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has refused calls to fire Ferry, saying he believes the general manager can learn from the experience. Ferry met privately Monday with civil rights leaders, hoping to mend fences within the city, and has said he will undergo sensitivity training during his leave. But Ferrys future is still very much in doubt, with the start of training camp only two weeks away. Wilkins would neither endorse Ferry nor call for him to be ousted, knowing that any decision about the general manager will likely rest with the new owner. "Thats not a choice I can make," Wilkins said. "The only thing I can say is whatever pieces are put in place are going to be the right pieces to help our franchise heal from what weve been through." http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-kai-forbath-gold-jersey/ . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-junior-galette-gold-jersey/ . - Jesse Shynkaruk scored a hat trick as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action on Saturday. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline. ... ld-jersey/. -- The Chicago Bears agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with defensive lineman Israel Idonije and are bringing him back for a second stint. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-shayne-graham-gold-jersey/ . Tensions rose in the first period when Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik hit Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with what appeared to be a clean hit. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-terron-armstead-gold-jersey/ . Watch all the action unfold live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. You can also watch the game live with the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey on TSN.ca and chat throughout the game with TSN.The NBA Finals will resume tonight in a presumably much more comfortable AT&T Center when the San Antonio Spurs welcome the Miami Heat. You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO or listen to the action on TSN Radio 1050 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Spurs grabbed a 1-0 series lead Thursday night in the sweltering heat of a late spring San Antonio night. Of course, it didnt help that the AT&T Centers air conditioner malfunctioned and didnt work through the course of the game. As temperatures soared into the mid-90s, the Spurs emerged with a 110-95 victory, but the busted AC unit played a major role. LeBron James was forced to leave the game midway through the fourth quarter due to cramping. James has faced cramping issues in the past and the four-time MVP was unable to move Thursday following a layup to get the game within two. "My ....... just shut down, basically my ....... said, okay, enough jumping for you for the night. Youve had enough," James said after practice on Friday. "Nothing I could do about it." That didnt stop social media from exploding, questioning James toughness. "I really dont care what people say about me," noted James. The two-time Finals MVP, the Heat, the Spurs and frankly anyone in attendance Sunday night should feel relieved. The AT&T Center staff fixed the problem and it should be very comfortable for Game 2. "It will be fine. Weve been assured of that," said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. The extreme conditions played a role in Game 1, but were the same for both squads. When James had to be carried back to the bench, the Spurs finished the game on a 31-9 run witth six minutes to go.dddddddddddd Danny Green, who set an NBA Finals record with 27 made 3-pointers last year, caught fire late in Game 1. He drained three long balls during the decisive run and finished with 13 points. Tim Duncan contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds, Tony Parker poured in 19 points and handed out eight assists, and Manu Ginobili totaled 16 points and 11 assists for the Spurs, who shot a scorching 14-of-16 from the floor in the fourth, including a perfect 6-of-6 mark from long distance. Tiago Splitter added 14 points and Boris Diaw pulled down 10 rebounds. The Spurs shot 59 percent for the game and 52 percent from long range. "Were not as good as we used to be defensively. So if thats going to diminish, you need to do something at the other end of the floor to make up for it," explained coach Gregg Popovich. "We changed our pace, and the way we approach things at the other end of the floor to make up for what were going to lose defensively. Thats the bottom line." James paced the Heat with 25 points and six assists, while Wade and Bosh supplied 19 and 18 points, respectively, in the setback. "We have to finish the game better, no matter who is on the floor," Wade said, referring to the absence of James. Ray Allen provided a spark off the bench with 16 points, while another veteran, Rashard Lewis, scored 10. The Heat have won 12 straight following a loss in the postseason and theres no reason to panic. Miami lost the first game in each of the last two Finals and went on to win the series. The series shifts to South Beach for Game 3 Tuesday night. China Jerseys ' ' '