David Robinson took the spotlight one last time for the San Antonio Spurs.
After the Spurs' 87-78 victory over Utah on Monday night, Robinson's No. 50 jersey was hung from the rafters of the SBC Center.
PHOTO: AP
"This is a moment you always dream of, but never think will come," he said. "It's overwhelming. It's awesome."
The 38-year-old Robinson was credited early in his career with keeping the franchise in San Antonio. He helped the Spurs win their second NBA title last season in his final game.
"This is my final farewell," he said. "This has been a wonderful journey."
When the black shroud was lifted from the white jersey, the fans cheered and began to chant Robinson's name.
The Spurs have retired only three other numbers in their 30 years of existence -- James Silas' No. 13, George Gervin's No. 44 and Johnny Moore's No. 00.
In his 14-year pro career, all with the Spurs, Robinson averaged 21.1 points and 10.6 rebounds. He holds team records for games (987), points (20,790), rebounds (10,497), blocked shots (2,954) and steals (1,388).
He was the NBA's MVP in 1995 and voted among the league's top 50 all-time players.
Reverend Max Lucado, pastor at Robinson's church, said Robinson is inspiring in his ministry, and he brings a little extra something to the congregation.
"He's going to help out our basketball team quite a bit," he said.
Cavaliers 94, Knicks 80
LeBron James scored 17 points -- all on jumpers -- and Chris Mihm had 19, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 94-80 win over the listless New York Knicks.
The one rap on James was that he couldn't shoot from the outside, but the rookie star showed nice range in draining seven perimeter shots Monday, including all three of his 3-point attempts.
"Every day in practice I go into the gym and I hear those voices that say I can't shoot," said James, who came in just 2-for-12 on 3-pointers. "I just keep working at it. I know they're going to fall for me, and tonight they did.''
James made his first four jumpers as the Cavaliers bolted to a 13-0 lead and built a 22-point lead in the first half.
Ricky Davis added 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in just three quarters for the Cavaliers, who have won two straight following an 0-5 start.
Carlos Boozer had 15 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 13 for Cleveland, which only won two straight once all last season when it went an NBA-worst 17-65.
Grizzlies 105, Lakers 95
In Memphis, Tennessee, Shane Battier's four-point play with 1:58 left ended the Lakers' last comeback attempt, helping the Grizzlies beat turnover-prone Los Angeles.
The Lakers were uncommonly sloppy, committing turnovers on eight consecutive possessions early in the third quarter to let the game get away from them.
Kobe Bryant scored nine straight fourth-quarter points as the Lakers pulled to 97-89, but Battier -- who had just checked in after James Posey fouled out -- hit a 3-pointer from the corner and was fouled by Bryant.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
RSS