Month: December 2007

Coaches of Month: Rivers, Popovich

The Boston Celtics’ Doc Rivers and the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in October and November.

Rivers guided the Celtics to a 13-2 (.867) record last month, including eight straight wins to open the season. Boston outscored opponents by a 13.7 ppg margin while holding teams to a .410 field goal percentage. The Celtics recorded a perfect 8-0 mark at TD Banknorth Garden, besting the opposition at home by 21.6 points over that stretch. Owners of the NBA’s top record at month’s end, the Celtics enjoyed the franchise’s best November since 1985-86 when Boston opened 13-1.

Popovich led the Spurs to a 14-3 (.824) record in October and November, tying the franchise record for best start after 17 games, last accomplished in 2005-06. San Antonio, which won five straight from Nov. 16 through Nov. 25, was a perfect 9-0 at AT&T Center. The Spurs committed a league-low 12.0 turnovers per game, including setting a franchise record low with three turnovers in a 128-110 win over Orlando on Nov. 21.

Other nominees for the Coach of the Month were Dallas’ Avery Johnson, Detroit’s Flip Saunders, Houston’s Rick Adelman, Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy, Phoenix’s Mike D’Antoni and Utah’s Jerry Sloan.

Rookies of Month: Durant, Horford

Sonics guard Kevin Durant today was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 30) through November.

Among rookie qualifiers, Durant ranks first in the league in scoring with 20.4 points per game, fifth in rebounding with 4.4, and first in assists with 2.1.  He is also ranked second in the league in free throw percentage with .816 and third in steals. In addition, Durant also posted a pair of career highs in points with 35 and blocks with three on Nov. 30. vs. Indiana.

The Atlanta Hawks’ Al Horford was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 30) through November.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month were Houston’s Luis Scola, Milwaukee’s Yi Jianlian, New Jersey’s Sean Williams, Toronto’s Jamario Moon, and Washington’s Nick Young.

Gabe Pruitt back to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned rookie guard Gabe Pruitt to their NBA Development League affiliate Utah Flash.  Pruitt is the team’s third assignment to the NBA Development League this season and the second time for Pruitt.

Pruitt was averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 assists in 6.0 minutes per game at the time of the assignment.  The 6’4 guard had appeared in one game since his recall from the Flash on November 26, 2007.  Pruitt played in 13 minutes against the New York Knicks on November 29 scoring two points, grabbing one rebound and recording four assists.

Marbury’s father dies

The Associated Press reports: Stephon Marbury played the second half of New York’s loss to Phoenix on Sunday night unaware his father had been taken to a hospital, where he died before the game ended. Don Marbury was taken from Madison Square Garden to St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center during halftime, reportedly because of chest pains, but a family member advised a Knicks official not to inform Stephon Marbury at the time. Stephon Marbury learned of his father’s death from a family friend minutes after the game. “It’s a terrible thing that happened to him and his family last night,” Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said Monday after practice. “For any parent watching their son or daughter perform, and to have something like that happen, anyone who has kids would sympathize with the son and you also sympathize with the family.”

Was Isiah close to being fired?

Was Isiah Thomas close to being fired recently?

The New York Daily News reports: According to a source, before the Knicks’ dramatic comeback victory over Milwaukee, at least two assistant coaches said that if the team suffered another blowout loss they were convinced that Thomas and the coaching staff would be fired. Three hours later, the Knicks overcame a 17-point, second-half deficit and won in the final minute. Garden chairman James Dolan, who has not spoken publicly on Thomas’ job status since last March, was not seated in his customary baseline seats at the Garden for a third straight home game. There is a possibility that Dolan could have watched any one of the last three home games from a luxury suite. Garden president Steve Mills also was conspicuously absent.

Nets need more home fans

The Newark Star-Ledger  reports: Entering the weekend, the Nets were 22nd in home attendance — their average draw being 14,770, which represents an average capacity of 73.9 percent at Izod Center. And as further proof that the Nets are less appreciated by New Jersey basketball enthusiasts than by others around the league, consider this: They are also third in road attendance (average: 18,347), and second-best in the NBA in filling buildings, with an average capacity of 95.5 percent.

Bobcats need new big man

The Charlotte Observer reports: If the Charlotte Bobcats really are intent on contending for the playoffs – and not just going through the motions – they better sign another big man soon. Coach Sam Vincent saw the hole in his roster in September, and things have only grown worse since then. Sean May is out for the season. Othella Harrington?s knee is still at least a month away from strong. Ryan Hollins is day-to-day with a bad shoulder. Primoz Brezec has regressed. Jermareo Davidson is a kid in need of muscle.

The Charlotte Observer reports: And perhaps there really isn’t a free agent good enough to justify a contract, plus cutting a player with a guarantee (Harrington or Derek Anderson?) to open a roster spot. I do know this: The Bobcats have about a $51 million payroll, at the bottom of the NBA, and the lack of depth inside is bordering on the absurd.