A nine-year relationship involving Gilbert Arenas and the mother of his three children - with another on the way - has gotten ugly.

The WASHINGTON POST reports that Arenas broke up with the mother of his children, Laura Govan, around Thanksgiving.

More from the WaPo’s Amy Argetsinger:

A representative for Govan - yes, there are reps involved this time - told The Washington Post that Arenas has cut off communication and funds from her and their three children.

Govan, who is four months pregnant with their fourth child, “has not heard from Arenas the whole month of December,” said publicist Laura Wright in an e-mailed statement. “Govan and the children feel like they have been abandoned.”

Wright - who has worked for Govan’s sister Gloria and her fiance, Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes - said that Govan was left at their Great Falls home “with no money to purchase food or Christmas gifts.”

Arenas has yet to comment on the accusation from his former fiancee though he did tell reporters before he was traded from Washington to Orlando that he’d been staying at teammate Nick Young’s home for “about a month.”

After he was traded from the Wizards to the Magic, Arenas told the Washington Post on Dec. 20 that he couldn’t wait to jet - literally - from D.C.:

“I went to the airport and left. I didn’t have a chance to say bye to anybody. I didn’t even say bye to the kids.”

This isn’t the first time Govan has had a highly publicized breakup with Arenas. From the Post: Read more…

John Denton of NBA.com reported this week on the NBA staging an exhibition game between the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets in American border town Hidalgo, Texas, on Tuesday. Hidalgo’s basketball arena is, “less than a mile from the Rio Grande River and the Mexican border.”

(Native Texan Lewis afraid to leave Texas city’s best hotel)

Denton noted that the NBA has often scheduled preseason games in the past in nontraditional pro hoops markets to “spread goodwill” to fans before the regular season opens.

The irony of the trip to Hidalgo is that at least one Magic player refused to leave his hotel room because of concerns about his personal safety.

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Fansnap.com reports from the bleeding edge of insanity ticketing technology that the average ticket price for the Miami Heat home opener against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 29 is $805:

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WEEI midday sports update anchor Chris Villani reports via Twitter today:

WEEI producer called Tim Donaghy & told him who tonight’s Game 6 refs are, Donaghy’s reply “Orlando should dust off their golf clubs.”

The officiating crew for tonight’s Boston-Orlando matchup in Boston is Mike Callahan, Monty McCutchen and Ken Mauer.

Celtics Blog has a scouting report, including statistical tendencies, on each guy. Read more…

In 2004, Boston sports fans enjoyed the greatest playoff comeback in sports history, as the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 ALCS deficit to defeat the Yankees en route to their first World Series Championship since 1918.

It was hard not to root for the Sox back then. But since 2004, knowing Boston sports fans as I do, it’s been hard not to root against Boston and its insufferable, hipster-strewn “nation” of followers.

While I didn’t care enough earlier this month to actively root against the Boston Bruins as they somehow blew a 3-0 playoff series lead after frittering away a 3-0 Game 7 advantage against Philly, I must admit recent developments in the Orlando-Celtics NBA Eastern Conference Finals have me intrigued.

Consider these comparisons between the 2004 Yankees-Red Sox ALCS and the 2010 series between the Magic and Celtics.

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Tuesday night a Magic fan named Franz Hanning was caught on video heckling longtime NBA referee Joe DeRosa at halftime of the Eastern Conference Finals game between Orlando and the Boston Celtics at Orlando’s Amway Arena.

While Hanning was shouting at DeRosa from behind the halfcourt scorer’s table, the referee shocked the fan by tossing him a basketball. Hanning then immediately, softly tossed the ball back to the referee.

After receiving the ball from Hanning, DeRosa signaled arena security to descend on Hanning as the ref went to the locker room for halftime. Hanning was then reportedly “relocated” to another seat. (It’s not known what DeRosa’s intent was in calling for police to handle the situation.)

The incident is a big story in Orlando today, with local media outlets seeking comment from the NBA and Hanning on the situation. While the league this afternoon would only confirm that it is continuing to “review” the situation, Hanning has released a statement about the incident. A statement which might surprise you.

Read more…

Matt Barnes was Orlando’s designated instigator against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers Sunday. Exhibit A.:

(Greatest fake since Lamar Odom’s marriage)

In case you think that’s just the angle the video was shot from, here’s the video. Read more…

Tonight’s bedtime story involves adult film star and former California gubernatorial candidate Mary Carey, the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard, and Chris Kirkpatrick from N*SYNC. One of them takes off their pants, and it isn’t Carey. Also there’s Bible verses.

Oh come on, you weren’t going to sleep tonight anyway.

In an interview with a Sacramento radio station on Tuesday, Carey — who was in town to promote a strip club, natch — told a pretty amazing story about being pursued by Howard, who showed up at Kirkpatrick’s house to see her while Carey was on a date with Kirkpatrick. Look, you’ll just have to hear it from her.

Includes a guest appearance by Mr. Mxyzptlk, as I am going to call this particular Superman body part.

Read more…

Before you watch Dwight Howard’s exceedingly descriptive reaction to a foul call last night in Detroit, here’s what he wrote on his blog about the game:

I was on the floor for 16 minutes and fouled out!!! Let me say that again: 17 minutes and six fouls!!! How can that be, ya’ll? It was crazy. They called me for a charge on a flop, a push off when the defender was on me and two fouls on blocked shots.Man, 16 minutes is a lifetime low for me I think. I haven’t played that little in a game since I was 10 years old in pee-wee ball. It was crazy from the start of the game all the way to when I fouled out with about 4 minutes to play.

What really bothers me is they are letting guys hammer me at one end of the floor, yet I’m being called for everything. All of those hits take a toll on my body after a while.

You wonder if the league will have something to say to Howard about those blog comments.  Especially taken in the context of his on-court display last night on live TV.

There’s shouldn’t be any formal disicipline from the NBA though. Howard didn’t name officials or dispute specific calls. He just vented his frustration to fans by presenting an empirical argument. How can the league argue with that?

And like you, I’m loving Howard’s candor. Fascinating stuff.

Definitely want the headphones on for this one. No matter where you are. Video after the jump. Read more…

It’s not often that injury news takes us completely aback, but that’s absolutely the case over in Pullman tonight. One slightly mentioned aspect of last weekend’s game pitting Washington State against Southern Methodist was WSU’s tailback, James Montgomery, suffering an apparent knee injury. Not that those aren’t serious, but, y’know… they happen.

But one thing that doesn’t usually happen is a potentially fatal injury that nobody recognizes immediately. That’s what apparently befell Montgomery during the game; after the game, he reported increasing discomfort with the knee, and went in for surgery on Sunday morning. It probably saved his life.

Read more…