CBS Sports (Tony Mejia) reports: Portland continued its unlikely run, winning its ninth consecutive game by rallying from a 7-point fourth quarter deficit against Toronto behind Brandon Roy’s 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Roy is headed towards a third consecutive Western Conference Player of the Week award and has the Blazers in the playoff hunt through the quarter point of the season. “He’s not just having a hot streak,” coach Nate McMillan said. “What we’re seeing out of him is what he is capable of doing.” Given his production and the steady development of LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster, it’s scary to think what the Blazers would be doing if top draft pick Greg Oden were healthy. As it stands now, they’re right in the chase for the top spot in the Northwest Division.
Month: December 2007
Part-owner of Kings arrested
The AP reports: A part-owner of the NBA Sacramento Kings was arrested on a domestic violence charge, but his attorney said Friday there was no physical contact or abuse and no violence. Robert Hernreich, of Edwards, faces two counts of second-degree criminal trespass, harassment and domestic violence, all misdemeanors, the Eagle County sheriff’s office said in a statement. The charges stem from an incident Thursday night. Eagle County sheriff’s did not release additional details or immediately return messages left by The Associated Press.
Heat file protest over Shaq fouling out
The AP reports: As expected, the Miami Heat formally filed a protest with the NBA on Friday over what they contend was a critical scoring error in Wednesday night’s overtime loss at Atlanta. The issue is whether Shaquille O’Neal actually committed six fouls in the game.
Mourning always fought hard
Yahoo (Adrian Wojnarowski) reports: Everyone told Alonzo Mourning to walk away with the Miami Heat’s championship two seasons ago. What else was left? Perhaps the parade down Biscayne Boulevard would’ve been a perfect storybook ending for everyone else, but ’Zo’s journey had been so different, so dramatic, maybe it wasn’t perfect for him. His life, his story, had never been neat and tidy this way. So yes, the disturbing tearing of tendons and muscles on Wednesday night was a horrible scene. Mourning crumpled to the floor clutching his knee, his basketball season, his career, over. And then, there was ’Zo. They wanted to carry him off the court, but he bit his lip, climbed to his feet and declared that he’d be damned if they were going to wheel him out of the gymnasium. He threw his arms around his teammates, and Alonzo Mourning, the last tough guy, limped to the locker room.
Nuggets sign Jelani McCoy, again
The Denver Nuggets have signed F/C Jelani McCoy, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.
McCoy appeared in five games for the Nuggets this season, averaging 3.0 mpg before being waived on Dec. 19.
Morris Almond scores 51 in D-League game
Morris Almond tied the NBA Development League scoring record, pouring in 51 points to lift the Utah Flash to a 118-116 overtime victory over the Austin Toros Friday at the McKay Events Center.
“It all came in the flow of the game.” Almond said of his record-tying offensive performance. “I am just happy to be able to get some minutes and contribute. Everybody contributed to this win.”
The Flash (6-5) complete a six game homestand by hosting the Bakersfield Jam on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The Toros (7-4) return home to face the Tulsa 66ers, after finishing 0-3 on a three-game road trip and dropping from first place in the Southwest Division.
Over 200 coaching changes since Jerry Sloan took over
That’s an amazing stat when John Thompson mentioned it on his interview with Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Inside the NBA. Of course, knowing how my mind works, I wondered about all those changes.
He became the coach on December 9, 1988 and presided over a 97-89 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s nearly impossible to list the exact order of coaching changes but the next best thing would be to do it by team.
Atlanta Hawks – Mike Fratello, Bob Weiss, Lenny Wilkens, Lon Kruger, Terry Stotts, Mike Woodson. (six coaches)
Boston Celtics – Jimmy Rodgers, Chris Ford, ML Carr, Rick Pitino, Jim O’Brien, John Carroll, Doc Rivers (seven)
Charlotte Bobcats – Bernie Bickerstaff, Sam Vincent (two)
Chicago Bulls – Doug Collins, Phil Jackson, Tim Floyd, Bill Berry, Bill Cartwright, Pete Myers, Scott Skiles (seven)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Lenny Wilkens, Mike Fratello, Randy Wittman, John Lucas, Keith Smart, Paul Silas, Brendan Malone, Mike Brown (eight)
Dallas Mavericks – John MacLeod, Richie Adubato, Gar Heard, Quinn Buckner, Dick Motta, Jim Cleamons, Don Nelson, Donn Nelson, Avery Johnson (nine)
Denver Nuggets – Doug Moe, Paul Westhead, Dan Issel, Gene Littles, Bernie Bickerstaff, Dick Motta, Bill Hanzlik, Mike D’Antoni, Dan Issel, Mike Evans, Jeff Bzdelik, Michael Cooper, George Karl (12)
Detroit Pistons – Chuck Daly, Ron Rothstein, Don Chaney, Doug Collins, Alvin Gentry, George Irvine, Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown, Flip Saunders (nine)
Golden State Warriors – Don Nelson, Bob Lanier, Rick Adelman, PJ Carlesimo, Garry St Jean, Dave Cowens, Brian Winters, Eric Musselman, Mike Montgomery, Don Nelson (nine)
Houston Rockets – Don Chaney, Rudy Tomjanovich, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Adelman (four)
Indiana Pacers – George Irvine, Dick Versace, Bob Hill, Larry Brown, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Rick Carlisle, Jim O’Brien (eight)
Los Angeles Clippers – Gene Shue, Don Casey, Mike Schuler, Larry Brown, Bob Weiss, Bill Fitch, Chris Ford, Jim Todd, Alvin Gentry, Dennis Johnson, Mike Dunleavy (11)
Los Angeles Lakers – Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy, Randy Pfund, Magic Johnson, Del Harris, Bill Bertka, Kurt Rambis, Phil Jackson, Rudy Tomjanovich, Frank Hamblen, Phil Jackson (10)
Memphis Grizzlies – Brian Winters, Stu Jackson, Brian Hill, Lionel Hollins, Sidney Lowe, Hubie Brown, Lionel Hollins, Mike Fratello, Tony Barone, Marc Iavaroni (nine)
Miami Heat – Ron Rothstein, Kevin Loughery, Alvin Gentry, Pat Riley, Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley (five)
Milwaukee Bucks – Del Harris, Frank Hamblen, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Ford, George Karl, Terry Porter, Terry Stotts, Larry Krystowiak (eight)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Bill Musselman, Jimmy Rodgers, Sidney Lowe, Bill Blair, Flip Saunders, Kevin McHale, Dwane Casey, Randy Wittman (eight)
New Jersey Nets – Willis Reed, Bill Fitch, Chuck Daly, Butch Beard, John Calipari, Don Casey, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank (eight)
New Orleans Hornets – Dick Harter, Gene Littles, Allan Bristow, Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, Tim Floyd, Byron Scott (seven)
New York Knicks – Rick Pitino, Stu Jackson, John McLeod, Pat Riley, Don Nelson, Jeff Van Gundy, Don Chaney, Herb Williams, Lenny Wilkens, Herb Williams, Larry Brown, Isiah Thomas (11)
Orlando Magic – Matt Guokas, Brian Hill, Richie Adubato, Chuck Daly, Doc Rivers, Johnny Davis, Chris Jent, Brian Hill, Stan Van Gundy (eight)
Philadelphia 76ers – Jim Lynam, Doug Moe, Fred Carter, John Lucas, Johnny Davis, Larry Brown, Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O’Brien, Maurice Cheeks (10)
Phoenix Suns – Cotton Fitzsimmons, Paul Westphal, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Danny Ainge, Scott Skiles, Frank Johnson, Mike D’Antoni (six)
Portland TrailBlazers – Mike Schuler, Rick Adelman, PJ Carlesimo, Mike Dunleavy, Maurice Cheeks, Kevin Pritchard, Nate McMillian (seven)
Sacramento Kings – Jerry Reynolds, Dick Motta, Rex Hughes, Garry St. Jean, Eddie Jordan, Rick Adelman, Eric Musselman, Reggie Theus (eight)
San Antonio Spurs – Larry Brown, Bob Bass, Jerry Tarkanian, John Lucas, Rex Hughes, Bob Hill, Gregg Popovich (seven)
Seattle Supersonics – Bernie Bickerstaff, Tom Newell, Bob Kloppenburg, Bernie Bickerstaff, KC Jones, Bob Kloppenburg, George Karl, Paul Westphal, Nate McMillian, Bob Weiss, Bob Hill, PJ Carlesimo (10)
Toronto Raptors – Brendan Malone, Darrell Walker, Butch Carter, Lenny Wilkens, Kevin O’Neill, Sam Mitchell (six)
Washington Wizards – Wes Unseld, Jim Lynam, Bernie Bickerstaff, Jim Brovelli, Darrell Walker, Gar Heard, Leonard Hamilton, Doug Collins, Eddie Jordan (nine)
Pistons recall Cheikh Samb from D-League
The Detroit Pistons announced today that they have recalled Cheikh Samb from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.
In two games (both starts), Samb averaged 13.5 points, 9.5 assists and 4.0 blocks in 31.5 minutes with the Mad Ants.
Samb was acquired by the Pistons on draft day from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Maurice Evans on June 28, 2006. Drafted by the Lakers with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, Samb spent the 2006-07 season playing overseas with WTC Cornella in the Spanish LEB2 League.
The 7-foot-1, 215-pound center made his NBA debut with the Pistons at the L.A. Lakers on November 16, scoring two points with four rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes. In two NBA games this season, Samb is averaging 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 10.5 minutes per game.
Desmond Mason out 6-8 weeks
Milwaukee Bucks forward Desmond Mason will undergo surgery tomorrow to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb that he injured in Wednesday night’s game against Sacramento, General Manager Larry Harris announced today.
Mason is expected to be out of action for six-to-eight weeks.
Spurs re-assign Darius Washington to D-League
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have re-assigned guard Darius Washington to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League (D-League).
The 6-2, 195-pound Washington was signed by the Spurs on October 1. He has appeared in 18 games with the Silver and Black, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting .438 from the field.
Washington was originally assigned to the Toros on 11/29. He was recalled by San Antonio on 12/13.
Washington started all four games he appeared in with the Toros, averaging a team-best 28.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals in 38.5 minutes of action. The 6-2 guard recorded his first professional triple-double when he finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists vs. Tulsa on December 8.