NBA bids a fond farewell to Wade and Nowitzki at All-star Game
The NBA bid a fond farewell to two legendary players during Sunday night’s All-star Game at Spectrum Center, honoring the illustrious careers of Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade one last time before they retire at the end of the season.
Both players were presented with framed commemorative All-star jerseys during a ceremony before the start of the fourth quarter. Each took the opportunity to address the crowd.
“Thank you,” said Nowitzki, who scored nine points in four minutes, making all three of his shots from 3-point range for Team Giannis. “Thank you to the commissioner and to the NBA for allowing us to be on this stage again. Much appreciated. We’re very humbled.”
Wade echoed those sentiments as members of both All-star teams moved in to pose for pictures with the two players.
“We’re very thankful for this opportunity,” said Wade, who finished with seven points and four assists for Team Lebron. “The game is in great hands, so it’s easy to walk away right now. These guys are amazing.”
Wade, 37, is a 13-time Allstar who entered the league in 2003 after the Miami Heat selected him with the fifth pick in the NBA draft. Nowitzki, 40, is a 14-time All-star who was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks after the Milwaukee Bucks selected him with the ninth pick in the 1998 draft.
Both players were making their final All-star appearances after NBA commission Adam Silver, acting on an email suggestion from a fan, created roster exceptions to allow the two aging stars to grace the game’s biggest stage one more time.
Wade and Nowitzki swapped jerseys following the Heat’s 112-101 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday in Dallas. After entering the game at the same time with 5:11 to play in the opening period, both players turned back the clock a bit. Wade scored a game-high 22 points. Nowitzki had 12.
They clashed in the NBA Finals twice. Wade helped Miami beat Dallas to win the NBA title in 2006. Nowitzki led the Mavericks to a series victory over the Heat when they met again in 2011.
Bruce Bochy, a three-time World Series champion and the longest-tenured manager in Major League Baseball, announced Monday he plans to retire at the end of the 2019 season.
Bochy’s final season will mark his 13th with the San Francisco Giants and his 25th consecutive as a major league manager. He announced his decision during the Giants’ first team meeting of the spring.
“I managed with my gut, I came up here in 2007 on my gut and it’s a gut feeling that it’s time,” Bochy said. “It’s been an unbelievable ride.”
Players said Bochy opened Monday’s meeting with the announcement regarding his future and became emotional while addressing the club. First baseman Brandon Belt said
SAN JOSE – Charlie Mcavoy scored with 1:03 remaining in overtime, spoiling Joe Thornton’s first hat trick in almost nine years.
Mcavoy clinched a 6-5 win for the Boston Bruins at SAP Center on Monday after his teammate Chris Wagner tied the game at 18:11 of the third, taking the fun out of Thornton’s big night.
Thornton refused to hide his emotions after he completed his first hat trick since Oct. 27, 2010. He raised his arms in joy, laughed and smiled as the hats poured down from the stands at SAP Center.
The Sharks alternate captain scored his third of the night by firing the puck into the top shelf from the high slot off a pass from Joe Pavelski at 13:32 of the third. Thornton scored his first
SHARKS / 10 teammates were shocked at the announcement and are determined to send him out on the right note.
“That’s a lot of knowledge,” Belt said. “He’s been around the game a long time, knows how to win ball games and I think he kind
BOCHY / 10