J.R. Smith Takes His Talents and Tattoos to China

NBA player and tattoo fan, J.R. Smith today agreed to play basketball this season in China.  Citing a source, Yahoo said Smith signed a one-year deal with Zhejiang Wanma of the China Basketball Association.

Smith and Nuggets free-agent forward Wilson Chandler are now the two highest-paid players in the Chinese league, according to Yahoo. Neither player can return to play in the NBA until the end of the Chinese season, which lasts through March.

This news came on a day the start of the NBA season was thrown into doubt after players and owners remained divided over the salary cap structure at a key labor meeting. Union leaders and payers met today in Las Vegas and all reports say the union is united.  For now.

I wonder if he has any roon left to get some Chinese symbols tattooed on him.

Mavs Earn NBA Championship, Nowitzky Stars

Dirk Nowitzki finally nabbed his first NBA championship. Not surprisingly, he was also named the MVP of the NBA finals for his heroic efforts that gifted Dallas Mavericks their first ever championship. Of the 21 points he scored in the final against Heat, most of them came at crucial times.

''Just the feeling to be on the best team of the world is just undescribable'' said a beaming Nowitzki after the final. Although Nowitzki had been named the MVP of the 2007 edition of the league as well, this one is undoubtedly the most special for him.

"If you're in this league for 13 years of just battling and playoffs the last 10 years, 11 years, and always coming up a little short, that's why this is extra special." Nowitzki's own words.

On Sunday, things did not begin as pretty as expected for the 7-foot player though. After the match, Nowitzki admitted that he felt it ''wierd'' to miss 15 of the first 19 shots that he would normally make on any other day. Naturally, he had come under the hammer for his performance in the first three quarters.

Maverick fans had to wait till the fourth quarter to witness him unleashing his prowess that defined the true champion that he is. He left behind the psychological burden of his disappointing performance in the early quarters, and came up trumps by scoring 10 of his 21 points in the final 12 minutes.

After the victory, Nowitzki rushed to embrace a comrade - Jason Terry. Five years back in 2006, Terry standing besides Nowitzki on the Mavericks' home turf after Heat defeated them, was a picture of dejection.

On Sunday, that image metamorphosed into a poster for vindication, if not sheer jubilation. It was befitting that Terry said after the match ''Tonight, we got vindication''.

Nowitzki was all praise for his teammate. ''Man, he kept coming all night long. He was phenominal''. Terry, who reportedly instilled fire in Nowitzki during the fourth quarter by reminding him of their 2006 downfall kept him going till the end. Terry had actually took it on himself after seeing a feverish Nowitzki uncharacteristically struggle during the first three quarters.

Great players usually rise to the occasion in big games, LeBron, where were you?

Rubio to Finally Join T-Wolves

The much talked about Ricky Rubio is going to be the Minnesota Timberwolves point guard next season.

Rubio, the 20-year-old Spanish phenom point guard drafted by the Timberwolves two years ago, has reached a deal to play in the NBA. That means he and Minnesota will pay a $1.2 million buyout of his deal with Barcelona (the Timberwolves can only pay $500,000 of that).

Because of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, Rubio will take a pay cut to come to the NBA and is locked into that scale for years.  The Wolves sure could use a point guard and some young talent.  It reamins to be seen if Rubio will provide the boost the team needs.

Seinfeld's "Uncle Leo" Passes Away

Jerry Seinfeld's favorite uncle, or at least the actor who played "Uncle Leo" on Seinfeld passed away this week.

Len Lesser, the actor who played Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, died Wednesday at the age of 88. Lesser appeared in just 15 Seinfeld episodes but was one of its most popular characters. He began acting in the 1950s, appearing opposite Steve McQueen in Papillon and Clint Eastwood in Kelly’s Heroes and The Outlaw Josey Wales. His last TV appearance was for 2009’s Castle.