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D.J. Augustin wasn’t going to get excited about supposed progress made over the past 48 hours for a new NBA labor deal — at least until he saw something real.
Wrapping up the "Hoops for Troops" USO tour to Hawaii in style was the current reality for the Charlotte Bobcats point guard.
National media hailed today as a make-or-break day to save an 82-game regular season from a lockout. Augustin expressed skepticism.
"You can’t believe what you hear all the time," Augustin said in a measured tone on Thursday night at Schofield Barracks. "You just gotta get ready for the season and see what happens."
Thousands of miles away from the latest negotiations in New York, Augustin and seven NBA cohorts — led by Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose — went full speed ahead on their tour and thrilled a packed house of military personnel and their families at Schofield’s Martinez Fitness Center.
Led by 23 points from Miami Heat forward Mike Miller and 17 from Rose, the Red squad won 105-95 over the White squad led by Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans.
Before tipoff, the 2,100-seat capacity gym was at overflow status for a rare look at current NBA stars in Hawaii. In true All-Star Game style, competition heated up after halftime.
Rose, the league’s reigning MVP, drew the loudest cheers despite a slow start. He brought the fans to their feet in the third quarter with a double-clutch reverse dunk on a fast break. Miller kept the crowd love going with some 3-pointers from 30 feet.
After the defense intensified on both sides, Rose hit a streaking JaVale McGee with a fast-break alley-oop to put it away in the final minute.
A team of Schofield intramural players was selected and split up to join the NBA stars. Just as in a similar game at Hickam’s Bloch Arena on Tuesday, servicemen got the chance to guard and be guarded by the pros.
Army Specialist Randall James called it "a dream come true" to play alongside his favorite player, Rose. James, who scored three baskets for the Red team, said he’ll be deployed overseas in June.
"It was everything that I wished," James said. "The backwards double-pump that D-Rose did (was my favorite). That really ignited the crowd."
Entertaining the local Army branch capped off a five-day tour in which the players also met with soldiers from the Navy, Air Force and Marines.
The players were to head back to the mainland today.
Augustin, who at 6 feet was about the same size as many of the soldiers, said he learned plenty during his island stay.
"I learned that what you see in TV in the movies is not really what it’s like," he said. "These guys are just like us. They’re normal people. … We owe them a lot."
Evans had 24 points to lead the White team. He was joined by Augustin and the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin, of the New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns. Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks rounded out the Red team’s NBA players.
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