Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Ball Don't Lie

Tue May 19, 2009 1:45 pm EDT

Nuggets, WWE in heated battle over arena

By J.E. Skeets


Game 4 of the Western Conference finals is scheduled for next Monday night at the Pepsi Center in Denver, but there's a bit of a problem — WWE chairman Vince McMahon already called "arena shotgun." (Yes, he was outside; it's legit.)

World Wrestling Entertainment said it booked the arena for a Memorial Day "Monday Night Raw" broadcast back in August. But now the Nuggets are scheduled to host the Lakers because the Rockets refused to roll over and die. (Damn you, Luis Scola(notes)!) McMahon says he doesn't believe there was "any malice" on the part of Kroenke Sports, which owns the team and the building, but that didn't stop him from delivering a Ric Flair-like "low blow." Wooooooooo!

"Even though the Denver Nuggets had a strong team this year and were projected to make the playoffs, obviously Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke did not have enough faith in his own team to hold the May 25th date for a potential playoff game," said McMahon.

Dashiell Bennett of Deadspin hilariously wonders whether Kenyon Martin's(notes) mom will team with Edge and Big Show to take on Triple H, Koko B. Ware — not to be confused with Roko B. Ware — and Stone Cold Mark Cuban in a ladder match for the right to Monday night's gate?

Funny, but I'd prefer they flip the script and just assign the WWE superstars to both the Lakers and Nuggets benches. Think about how incredible that second quarter play-by-play action would read ...

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154 Comments

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  1. Ryan G
    1. Posted by Ryan G Tue May 19, 2009 1:58 pm EDT

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    Well played, Skeets, well played.
  2. Russell H
    2. Posted by Russell H Tue May 19, 2009 2:00 pm EDT

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    that's great
  3. GayDrian wojnabaldski
    3. Posted by GayDrian wojnabaldski Tue May 19, 2009 2:11 pm EDT

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    haha i want to watch that
    go thuggets
  4. Paresh K
    4. Posted by Paresh K Tue May 19, 2009 2:13 pm EDT

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    Why is Kane blocking Kobe and then headbutting Carmelo? Whose side is he really on...
  5. GR33N
    5. Posted by GR33N Tue May 19, 2009 2:13 pm EDT

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    LOL, Dahntay Jones is slow to get up....Kobe hits em with the "Sweet Chin Music" HBK:Heart Breaker Kobe
  6. taco102
    6. Posted by taco102 Tue May 19, 2009 2:15 pm EDT

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    ROFL... thats freakin awesome
  7. gaborik10m
    7. Posted by gaborik10m Tue May 19, 2009 2:16 pm EDT

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    Somebody tell Vince McWomhan that, unlike wrestling, the NBA Playoffs matter.
  8. Rise With Us
    8. Posted by Rise With Us Tue May 19, 2009 2:17 pm EDT

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    Nice job Skeets, but if Kobe got clotheslined by Undertaker, I dont think he'd be able to make the pin fall.
    Did anyone see Vince McMahon interview about this topic? He wants to give the Nugget owner a Kobe jersey. It was pretty funny! Knowing how Vince is, this is probalby some marketing thing for the WWE. Vince finds ways to make money on anything and everything!!
  9. J.E. Skeets
    9. Posted by J.E. Skeets Tue May 19, 2009 2:19 pm EDT

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    Paresh — Exactly ...
  10. Rise With Us
    10. Posted by Rise With Us Tue May 19, 2009 2:20 pm EDT

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    #4, havent you ever watched WWE??? They jump sides all the time..... or maybe he thought it was a battle royal. Every man for themselves!!
    LOL, funny stuff Skeets!
  11. jc2004bc
    11. Posted by jc2004bc Tue May 19, 2009 2:24 pm EDT

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    That's one of the best Photoshops of all time.
  12. Last to Know
    12. Posted by Last to Know Tue May 19, 2009 2:29 pm EDT

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    That's what SHE said.
  13. Last to Know
    13. Posted by Last to Know Tue May 19, 2009 2:29 pm EDT

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    Omg wtf lmfao
  14. IDGAD
    14. Posted by IDGAD Tue May 19, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    The rasslers can be rotated in to give fouls. That would add to the entertainment value. It would give new meaning to "action in the paint."
  15. CB
    15. Posted by CB Tue May 19, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    if this was back in the day when The Rock, the most electricfying man is sports entertainment, was still wrestling then i would support the WWE. but now its weak. david stern is probably settling this as we speak
  16. kacsports
    16. Posted by kacsports Tue May 19, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    Game ends with a freak collision that leaves ref Joey Crawford out cold - allowing Andrew Bynum to commit a Flagrant 2 foul on Carmelo. By the time Crawford comes to, the Lakers are going back to LA with a 3-1 series lead...
  17. Krithi
    17. Posted by Krithi Tue May 19, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    awesome!
  18. Shane D
    18. Posted by Shane D Tue May 19, 2009 2:55 pm EDT

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    Nice job... would've been better if you did spell check on your box score, Mr. Skeets.
  19. ty!
    19. Posted by ty! Tue May 19, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    Lets hope xpac isnt on the nuggets.. he trains with aaron brooks. Sting will jump down from the rafters and hit George Karl in the head with a baseball bat.
  20. The Wiz
    20. Posted by The Wiz Tue May 19, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    I believe that the WWE deserves their opportunity to perform for the crowd in Denver. They are just as much athletes performing at utmost high levels to excel in their sport. Not many of us would be able to take a chair to the head and these athletes do it on a regular basis. You notice how most wrestlers go to MMA, its because wrestling is alot tougher than fighting in a cage and some guys just cant hack it in the WWE...I say let the real athletes perform and tell the NBA actors to go play somewhere else...
  21. GiantKiller
    21. Posted by GiantKiller Tue May 19, 2009 2:59 pm EDT

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    How about Vince McMahon vs. Stan Kroenke in a ladder match with the rights to the Pepsi Center suspended above the ring this Friday on Smackdown? I'd be watching.......
  22. Hyphen
    22. Posted by Hyphen Tue May 19, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    I wouldn't be surprised if the arena ends up honoring its contract and the NBA has to find a way to move around the games. Hell this exact same situation happened two weeks ago in Pittsburgh when the Pens and Caps had to play back-to-back nights for a frecking Yanni concert. That's right, people still like Yanni apparently.
    Besides it wouldn't be a shocker if the WWE event got better attendance and ratings than the basketball game sadly.
  23. Rick
    23. Posted by Rick Tue May 19, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    So I wonder what there gonna do. Obviously the NBA will win im guessing but I wanna see what Vince does!
  24. GitMo
    24. Posted by GitMo Tue May 19, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    I hope it's a distraction for the the Nuggets, so L.A. can steel a couple of games on their floor.
  25. The Wiz
    25. Posted by The Wiz Tue May 19, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    Gitmo get real...I hope Denver isnt a distraction for Kobe, who knows if he will have a repeat rendezvous with some waitress in Denver in a court room.

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Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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