milkyway21
02-21-2007, 10:43 PM
Parker, Duncan say NBA can work in Las Vegas
Web Posted: 02/18/2007 11:11 PM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News
LAS VEGAS — The All-Star Game arrived without an off-court incident involving league personnel, a surprise to those who recalled the 2004 game in Atlanta, where several players were involved in fights at parties that always surround the game.
With Las Vegas poised to make a presentation to commissioner David Stern next month to advance its efforts to land an NBA franchise, the issue of the town's celebrated distractions has been a hot topic.
Spurs All-Stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker weighed in on the possible difficulties of road trips to Las Vegas.
"I think it would be a great town if you're an away team coming in for a night," Duncan said, "but it would be a tough team to be on if you lived here."
Parker said other NBA cities present similar distractions and predicted Las Vegas would be no more difficult to adjust to than a city like Miami.
"If you're on a team here, you've got to be a professional and not go out all the time," Parker said. "But you can go out all night in New York or Los Angeles, too. Same thing."
West All-Star coach Mike D'Antoni, who spent the better part of a month in Las Vegas as an assistant coach for Team USA, which trained here last summer, called Las Vegas night life and gaming "a non-issue."
"If guys are going to go out, they're going to go out," D'Antoni said. "I don't care where they are. If they're serious about their profession then they're serious about it.
"I can't stress enough that it's a non-issue. If the city is ready for an NBA team, we'll be ready. If the NBA is ready to put one here, they're ready. That's not my decision, and they'll make a great decision, but I don't think it has anything to do with betting and the nightlife, or anything like that."
And if D'Antoni coached in Vegas? How would he make sure his players didn't encounter problems?
"I think it's easy," he said. "Just get good guys:angel . You can't tell me that in New York you can't find the same kind of sin you can find here, or whatever you want to call it. You can get in trouble in any town. It doesn't matter if you've got good guys. This would be a great, exciting town to live in. People do raise families here and love it. It's really a non-issue, I really think that."
Parker said if Las Vegas eventually does get an NBA team, he is certain of one thing: "I think we should not put Gregg Popovich as the coach here. I think that would be crazy." :lol
i find it interesting esp Duncan who seems to want to stay out of limelight and all that glitters.
you think discipline on a team based in Vegas could be more of a problem than a team in a city like San Antonio or Sacramento? You think Las Vegas night life and gaming is non-issue?
Web Posted: 02/18/2007 11:11 PM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News
LAS VEGAS — The All-Star Game arrived without an off-court incident involving league personnel, a surprise to those who recalled the 2004 game in Atlanta, where several players were involved in fights at parties that always surround the game.
With Las Vegas poised to make a presentation to commissioner David Stern next month to advance its efforts to land an NBA franchise, the issue of the town's celebrated distractions has been a hot topic.
Spurs All-Stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker weighed in on the possible difficulties of road trips to Las Vegas.
"I think it would be a great town if you're an away team coming in for a night," Duncan said, "but it would be a tough team to be on if you lived here."
Parker said other NBA cities present similar distractions and predicted Las Vegas would be no more difficult to adjust to than a city like Miami.
"If you're on a team here, you've got to be a professional and not go out all the time," Parker said. "But you can go out all night in New York or Los Angeles, too. Same thing."
West All-Star coach Mike D'Antoni, who spent the better part of a month in Las Vegas as an assistant coach for Team USA, which trained here last summer, called Las Vegas night life and gaming "a non-issue."
"If guys are going to go out, they're going to go out," D'Antoni said. "I don't care where they are. If they're serious about their profession then they're serious about it.
"I can't stress enough that it's a non-issue. If the city is ready for an NBA team, we'll be ready. If the NBA is ready to put one here, they're ready. That's not my decision, and they'll make a great decision, but I don't think it has anything to do with betting and the nightlife, or anything like that."
And if D'Antoni coached in Vegas? How would he make sure his players didn't encounter problems?
"I think it's easy," he said. "Just get good guys:angel . You can't tell me that in New York you can't find the same kind of sin you can find here, or whatever you want to call it. You can get in trouble in any town. It doesn't matter if you've got good guys. This would be a great, exciting town to live in. People do raise families here and love it. It's really a non-issue, I really think that."
Parker said if Las Vegas eventually does get an NBA team, he is certain of one thing: "I think we should not put Gregg Popovich as the coach here. I think that would be crazy." :lol
i find it interesting esp Duncan who seems to want to stay out of limelight and all that glitters.
you think discipline on a team based in Vegas could be more of a problem than a team in a city like San Antonio or Sacramento? You think Las Vegas night life and gaming is non-issue?