Morning Wrap: MSG Security Ejects One-Legged Nets Superfan

((ht: deadspin.com))

This is just plain weird and seemingly hard to explain.

Jeffrey Gamblero, a self-proclaimed Brooklyn Nets super fan was ejected from Tuesday nights Nets vs. NY Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

In fact, MSG Security was seen carrying Gamblero, who has a prosthetic leg from the facility.

The reasons for it remain unclear. Security says Gamblero took off his leg and was swinging it wildly at people around him.

Thought people seated around him and who saw the incident say nothing of the sort happened.

According to various accounts, Gamblero, who was featured in the New York Times in November, has been adopted by Nets owner Mikhaim Prohorov who apparently flew him to the teams game in London in 2013.

Witnesses say Gamblero was cheering for his Nets loudly and sometimes demonstrably. Not a punishable offense in most arenas. But he caught the attention of security and either they or someone in the stands complained and a confrontation ensued.

Words were exchanged and Gamblero began cheering for the Knicks for a brief time before security returned, carrying him out of the stands.

Instagram Video of the ejection:

crazy ejection of nets fan with prosthetic leg at #msg @nyknicks

A video posted by jeigs (@jeigs) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:23pm PST

Local Brooklyn blog "The Brooklyngame" has more on the issue. They spoke to a man named Max who sat right behind Gamblero and said he was loud, but family friendly and having a good time.

Read more from thebrooklyngame.com RIGHT HERE

Okay, so he was having fun and Knicks fans, who apparently didn't like their team losing yet gain (Brooklyn won) and complained about it.

The Knicks confirmed the ejection to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post:

A Knicks spokesperson said that Nets fan Jeffrey Gamblero was ejected tonight after MSG received multiple complaints from fans in the area.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 3, 2014

They also said Gamblero was warned multiple times before being ejected, and that he won't be allowed to come back to Madison Square Garden.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 3, 2014

The whole thing is just weird and sad.

No Kidding. Jason Kidd Is Power Hungry. May Bolt Brooklyn For Milwaukee For It.

Will Jason Kidd run the basketball operations for the Milwaukee Bucks?

It's looking like current Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd is not happy with just coaching the team, he wants to run it too or he will take his ball and head to Milwaukee.

According to the New York Post, Kidd approached Nets ownership with a list of demands including running the basketball operations.

Nets Ownership denied Kidd's request.  According to a NY Post source the franchise did not feel Kidd was ready for that kind of responsibility.

Apparently the Milwaukee Bucks do.  The Nets recently received permission to talk to Kidd about the prospect of hiring him.

On the surface their doesn't seem to be any job openings in Milwaukee.  Head coach Larry Drew has two years remaining on his contract and general manager John Hammond was hired last summer.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel new Bucks owners Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry are interested in adding a president of basketball operations title.

Sounds like that would be perfect position for Kidd, whio appears to be salivating to run his own basketball team.

It appears power plays are nothing new to Jason Kidd. Those examples are displayed in this brilliant column by Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.

What's making this even more bizarre is that Bucks officials apparently weren't aware of this as reported by CBS Sports.com.

Can this get any more awkward.

Raptors G.M Says !#%& Brooklyn Before Raptors-Nets Game (Video)

Okay, this is being a bit trivial and isn't something nobody's ever said about an opponent before.

But this time it's a General Manager...and unfortunately for Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri, he uttered a profane statement towards the Brooklyn Nets at a pep rally in front of a fired up crowd of Raptors fans prior to the start of their 1st Round Eastern Conference NBA Game.

And yes, Ujiri used the "F-Word" a word some people use quite frequently. But not often as an executive while performing in their role as an executive.

((Side Note--We wouldn't recommend talking TOO much smack to Brooklyn-ites...just sayin'))

In the grand scheme of things, no this probably isn't a big deal, rather it just illustrates the "Be Careful What You Say" in public rule that most high profile people need to think about.

**Note** At halftime of Saturday's game, Ujiri apologized saying "You know how I feel, I don't like them, but I apologize"

Here's Instagram Video of Ujiri (NSFW) from steve_classic

This Is What Made Boston Cry Last Night...

((HT: Basketball Insiders/CSNNE))

A lot of people wondered why the return of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett meant so much to the people of Boston...


He didn't leave on his own...he helped bring a title to a team that he had been with in lean years...

And, in Adrian Wojnarowski's piece on Yahoo!Sports, we find out that he treated everyone equally in the Celtics organization:

He fought for the lowest of assistants and basketball staff to get playoff bonuses, and he used to give the team's traveling party $1,000 each to spend on the annual trip to the Nike employee store outside of Portland. Inside and outside the organization, Pierce was generous with commitments of time and resources, relentlessly championing children's causes and charities.

And Garnett wanted to know everything about every aspect of Celtics history...

The fact that the Brooklyn won 85-79 was lost on everyone for a Celtics team that was 15-30 going in...

The recap after the fact was a reinforcement of what the two meant...

BUZZER BEATER: Sixers Evan Turner Ends Philly's Losing Ways For Now In Overtime

Philadelphia 76er fans have not had a lot to cheer about this season and coming into Friday night's game against the Brooklyn Nets had lost seven games in a row.

Evan Turner put an end to that losing streak with a buzzer beating layup that you swear tried not to go in the basket.  Lady luck was on the Sixers side.

Thanks CSN Philly



"It felt like it bounced 150 times, man. It was up there" Turner said.  "I was just thinking about my reaction if it didn’t go in and who I was going to punch, you know?"

Turner led the Sixers with 29 points and added 10 rebounds.

Philadelphia was determined to go to the basket aggressively during the game in that tactic payed off in the end with Turner's game winner.

That may also help the 76ers psychologically.

"We needed to get that win for the sanity of the group." Sixers head coach Brett Brown said.


It was an insane ending last night for Philly.

CupGate: Did J-Kidd Spill On Purpose...???

((HT: NBA on ESPN))

With 8.3 seconds left in Wednesday's game against the Lakers, Tyshawn Taylor knocked into his head coach, Jason Kidd, and spilled his drink on the floor of the Lakers home court...

Not completely unheard of, you say...???

Completely innocent... you say...???

The Nets were out of time outs and it gave the Nets a chance to draw up a play to try and go for the icing...

Look for yourself...
((HT: YES))


"Cup slipped out of my hand while I was getting Ty," Kidd said. "Sweaty palms. I was never good with the ball.

"In the heat of the battle, you're trying to get guys in and out of the game, and the cup fell out of my hand."

Video replays appeared to show Kidd saying "Hit me."

Kidd, obviously, denies it as does Taylor...

"No [Kidd didn't say that]. I wasn't paying attention. I just kind of bumped him," Taylor said postgame. "I didn't even know he was holding [anything]. [But] coach was drinking a soda on the sideline. I was like, 'What's he doing?'

"It could ice a free throw shooter and be a timeout when you don't have one, but that wasn't the thought process. I was just coming out, and he was in my way. 'Coach, get out of my way, bro.' "

Nets Mascot Airballs A Dunk

((HT: NBA))

There is no explanation for this...
Just watch...


The HQ wonders if this is some kind of precursor for doom this year or not...

ICYMI: New Nets Coach Kidd Suspended 2 Games To Start Season

So....if you are suspended 2 games for a DUI arrest, does that mean those 2 games don't count on your coaching record?

No, really, for the sake of Jason Kidd, we were wondering....

The new coach of the Brooklyn Nets will not make his 2013 coaching debut until game 3. The NBA announced the former all-star will sit out the opener Oct 30th at Cleveland and the home debut vs. Orlando Magic 3 days later.

You'll recall Kidd was charged with DUI during a July 2012 incident where his vehicle ended up wrapped around a tree. He pled guilty to the charges stemming from that this past July.

In another bit of irony, former Nets head coach and now Nets assistant coach Lawrence Frank will run the team in Kidd's absence.

So Much For Avery Johnson's Employment

And for the patience of Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov in his new building...

14-14 doesn't guarantee New Year's work for the Brooklynets...

Avery Johnson...


Or... how 'bout this way...???


You get the idea...

Johnson's Nets have lost 10 of 13 games after starting out a lot differently...

"We don't have the same fire now than we did when we were 11-4," general manager Billy King said at a news conference in East Rutherford. "I tried to talk to Avery about it and we just can't figure it out. The same pattern kept on happening."

Assistant P.J. Carlesimo will coach the Nets on an interim basis... and, presumably, not get the gig full-time next season...

There was no comment from King about an idea that Phil Jackson has been contacted or that the Nets have interest in bringing him in to Brooklyn...

ICYMI: Ref tries blocking Kris Humphries free throw

Oh, there are so many jokes that could work here.

Possibly the weeks best video highlight happened last night in the Brooklyn Nets/Toronto Raptors game.

That's when Nets forward, and former Mr. Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries was about to attempt a free-throw. But, referee Courtney Kirkland had waived in a player waiting to check in at the scorers table. And according to the rules, Humphries had to wait for his shot.

So Kirkland, seeing Humphries about to shoot, pounced, rejecting the shot and making him wait. And yeah, as you can imagine, the Kardashian jokes have been flying ever since.

Here is your video from last night:

ICYMI: Rondo vs. Humphries: Basketbrawl (UPDATED)

You know, basketball players don't fight much better than baseball players and we are about to link to some video that will show you why.

Wednesday night in the New Jersey vs. Boston game, things got a bit--Chippy-- when Nets forward Kris Humphries (yes, Mr. Kardashian) pushed Celtics center Kevin Garnett down. As soon as that happened 6-1 point guard Rajon Rondo jumped in to defend Garnett's honor.

And the melee ensued.

There really isn't much else to say other than Nets guard Gerald Wallace got involved too. All three primary participants got multiple technical fouls and were asked to leave the game. And we are pretty sure there will be some significant fines involved too, but they haven't been levied yet.

In the meantime, enjoy your Basketbrawl:



PM UPDATE: From the NBA its own self...

Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics has been suspended two games without pay for fighting with Brooklyn’s Kris Humphries during the second quarter of the Nets’ 95-83 victory over the Celtics at TD Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Additionally, Brooklyn's Gerald Wallace has been fined $35,000 and Boston’s Kevin Garnett has been fined $25,000 for escalating the altercation. The penalties were announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Rondo will serve his suspension on Friday, Nov. 30 when the Celtics host the Portland Trail Blazers and Saturday, Dec. 1 when the Celtics play the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center.