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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Thursday / December 19.
  • NEW YORK — Rihanna might be coming after J.R. Smith on Instagram, but he’s not taking the bait.

    “I’m not worried about Instagram, I’m worried about the playoffs,” Smith said after going 4-for-11 for 13 points in the Knicks’ 85-75 win in Game 5 that kept their season alive for at least one more game.

    Rihanna took to Instagram to say that Smith’s hard-partying ways were the reason he has struggled mightly since Game 5 in Boston.

    She wrote that Smith is struggling because “his a** be hungover from clubbing every night during playoffs.”

    NEW YORK — Jim Boeheim has watched almost every Knicks game this year, and the Syracuse coach said the Knicks need to make some changes next year regardless of how this season ends.

    “I think they’re gonna have to do something  down the road to change the roster,” Boeheim told SNY.tv Thursday hours before the Knicks faced the Pacers in Game 5 at MSG. “I’m sure there will be a lot of changes for next year.”

    Still, the Knicks are hamstrung by the salary cap and contract obligations.

    Jason Kidd, who is scoreless in his last eight playoff games, is 40 and is signed for two more years, as is 39-year-old Marcus Camby.

    Beginning the 2014-15 season, Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones plan to suit up at the same college.

    Which school that will be remains unclear, but a handful of big-time programs are in the mix for both 2014 stars.

    “Everyone knows that we are gonna play together in college,” Okafor, a 6-foot-10 junior at Whitney Young (Chicago), wrote in his USA Today blog.

    Among the schools in the mix for both players are Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, Michigan State and Ohio State.

    Okafor said he’s heard from several of them recently.

    By CHIP MILLER & ADAM ZAGORIA

    FRISCO, Texas — After nearly committing to North Carolina during a recent visit, Rashad Vaughn says he remains open in his recruitment.

    “I went down there with my family and my coaches,” Vaughn told SNY.tv at the Nike EYBL stop here, reiterating comments he first made to Scout.com. “I liked the atmosphere of the Duke game and I have a good relationship with all the coaches. But I got back home and me and my parents talked about it, and we decided to just wait.”

    Rutgers officially announced the signings of guard Nkereuwem “Kerwin” Okoro of The Bronx and forward Junior Etou of Maryland (pictured).

    “We are very excited to add these talented young men to our program,” said head coach Eddie Jordan. “Kerwin is a competitive playmaker who brings toughness to the floor. Junior is a skilled and team-oriented player who rebounds and defends with tenacity. Both love to play the game.”

    Okoro, who signed a scholarship agreement, will transfer to Rutgers after spending this past season as a freshman at Iowa State under head coach Fred Hoiberg. He played in

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqL6ZHg4suA&w=560&h=315]

    For the second time this week, a Canadian small forward has made his college decision.

    MiKyle McIntosh, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound guard/forward at Jackson (Ky.) 22 Feet Academy, pledged to Illinois State on Thursday.

    His commitment wasn’t nearly the event that the Andrew Wiggins Decision was, but McIntosh, like Wiggins, is a Canuck.

    “I have decided to further my education and make a significant impact at the next level by joining the University of Illinois State next year,” he Tweeted.

    Maybe Jim Boeheim won’t have to eat at Denny’s after all.

    According to ESPN.com sources, the ACC is “thoroughly investigating” moving their tournament to Madison Square Garden sometime after the current deal in Greensboro, N.C., expires in 2015.

    Perhaps no school would benefit more than Syracuse from such a move.

    The Garden is Syracuse’s second home and fills up with Orange fans every year for the Big East Tournament.

    “I think it would be good for the league,” Boeheim told SNY.tv Thursday. “It’s a great venue. It’s all up in the air. Obviously, there’s contracts in place and all that stuff so I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.”

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