Like a professional wrestling heel, Alaska rookie forward Calvin Abueva has drawn boos from opposing fans of popular teams, especially in the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

But while supporters of San Mig Coffee and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel have painted Abueva as a villain, he is nothing short of a hero for the energized group of Alaska fans.

According to coach Luigi Trillo, Abueva has energized the team’s fan base.

(Reuters) - Carmelo Anthony's scoring prowess has powered the New York Knicks all season but he may need someone to fill the role of sidekick in order to stave off playoff elimination against the Indiana Pacers.

With defensive-minded Indiana focused on stopping Anthony, a potent second option could swing the balance as the Knicks seek a win on Saturday that would extend the Eastern Conference semi-finals to a decisive seventh game on Monday in New York.

J.R. Smith filled the role most of the season, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in the process, but he has been ice cold since a one-game suspension for throwing an elbow during the opening-round series against the Boston Celtics.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson announced to screaming throngs of Kings fans Friday that the deal to sell the NBA franchise to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

The announcement at a City Hall rally brings to an end nearly five months of maneuvering by Johnson to secure a new ownership group, convince the council to commit to building a new downtown arena, and to show the NBA that the capitol city of the most populous state in the nation has the fan base to make the venture successful.

"This was one heck of a comeback," Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, said on a stage shared with two dozen investors, fans and politicians who had worked to keep the franchise in the city.

Veteran Alaska guard Dondon Hontiveros had been getting chippy with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel center Billy Mamaril during Game Two of the Commissioner’s Cup finals Friday night.

So when Hontiveros drew a charging foul on Mamaril early in the fourth quarter, he couldn’t help but clap in the face of the Gin Kings big man, earning him a reprimand from people on the Ginebra bench for his taunting.

Later, Mamaril was seen exchanging heated words with Hontiveros from the Ginebra bench.

Despite both the San Miguel Beermen and the Westports Malaysia Dragons already ensured spots for the playoffs, tonight’s game will go down in league history as the first triple overtime thriller in the ABL. After three hours of back-forth action and exciting basketball, the Beermen head into the playoffs on a 16-game streak after a grueling 107-104 win at MABA Stadium, Malaysia.

Brian Williams had a big game with 22 points and 23 rebounds while Leo Avenido also contributed 22 points. Paulo Hubalde chipped in 18 points for the Beermen who are the number one seed in the playoffs with a record of 19-3.

The scoreline was neck and neck from the start. Following a tight first quarter, Marcus Hubbard threw down a thunderous slam that capped off a 14-5 run which gave the Dragons a 38-33 lead with four minutes left. However the Beermen responded with their own 11-2 run, started by a two handed slam from B. Williams. JR Cawaling sank two free throws to end the run and the Beermen had a 44-40 lead heading into the locker room.

San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will not participate in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain qualifiers according to Team Argentina head coach Julio Lamas (via elpatagonico.net).

 What we do known in advance, is that neither Emanuel Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs, NBA) and Andres Nocioni (Labor Kutxa, Spain) and Leonardo Gutierrez (Peñarol de Mar del Plata) will not be in Venezuela between August 30 and September 11 for the 2014 World Cup in Spain.

Ginobili playing during the offseason has always brought mixed feelings from Spurs fans. Some feel he shouldn't play during the summer and rest for the next NBA season while others have no issues with him playing with Team Argentina seeing his desire to represent his home country as something to admire.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Alaska Aces stuck to the same tactics they used to win the Commissioner’s Cup finals opener against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and were rewarded with another victory in Friday’s Game Two at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

With a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, Alaska moved one win away from winning the 14th PBA championship in franchise history.

Phil Jackson always has been hesitant to compare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Until now.

In his new book, co-written with Hugh Delehanty and entitled "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success," Jackson breaks down what separated Jordan from Bryant, the biggest stars and personalities that he coached during his Hall of Fame career.

The Los Angeles Times, which received an advance copy of the 339-page book, provided some details of Jackson's Jordan and Bryant comparison.

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel whittled down a 24-point lead to 10 late in the fourth quarter, before buckets from Rob Dozier and Sonny Thoss secured a 104-90 win for the Alaska Aces, in game two of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals series, Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Alaska had taken game one in a rout, before settling for a final score of 87-70, Wednesday.

Aces center Sonny Thoss was the best player of the game with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Jerry Sloan does not want to coach the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a report by USA Today Sports, which had reported the team's interest in the Hall of Famer.

"The bottom line is, Jerry doesn't really feel it's the right fit for him right now," agent Keith Glass said Thursday, according to USA Today. "He's interested [in coaching again]. He's in Chicago now watching the pre-draft. And his name keeps popping up with every job, and he hasn't applied for anything. He had a real nice meeting with them. They came to see him on his farm [in downstate Illinois]. They had a great meeting just in terms of liking each other. [Bucks general manager] John Hammond said, 'I wish I could have stayed and watched the game with him.' It's just not the right fit for Jerry, from Jerry's point of view. That's not a negative thing; that's just the reality."

The newspaper reported that the 71-year-old Sloan, who has not coached since his abrupt resignation from the Utah Jazz in February 2011 after 23 seasons, met with the Bucks. Milwaukee has also spoken to former Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, Rockets assistant coaches Kelvin Sampson and J.B. Bickerstaff and Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford, according to USA Today.