The AP reports: A day after the ankle prevented him from playing against Detroit, Vince Carter returned to the lineup and scored 32 points to lead the Nets to a 99-90 victory over the struggling Toronto Raptors on Saturday night… Richard Jefferson added 28 points and Devin Harris had 12 points and seven assists as the Nets won for only the fourth time in 11 games… Rasho Nesterovic had 22 points and 14 rebounds to lead the playoff-bound Raptors, who lost their third straight and 11th in 15 games. Chris Bosh added 18 points for Toronto, which had all five starters score in double figures. The bench contributed 13 points on 6-of-22 shooting… Carter, who also added seven rebounds and five assists, then took over.
Month: April 2008
Apr. 5: Celtics 101, Bobcats 78
The AP reports: Doc Rivers accomplished it all Saturday night: resting his stars and continuing the Boston Celtics’ record-breaking return to prominence. Leon Powe had 22 points and nine rebounds, leading a makeshift lineup of Celtics who were never threatened in a 101-78 win over the Charlotte Bobcats that not only clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, but set the NBA record for biggest single-season turnaround… Powe dominated the inside and James Posey added a season-high 19 points for the Celtics, who improved to 61-15… Emeka Okafor had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Bobcats, who had won in Boston and lost at home to the Celtics on Ray Allen’s buzzer-beater.
Apr. 5: Hawks 92, Sixers 85
The AP reports: Joe Johnson scored 22 points, Josh Smith added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Hawks built a big lead and held off the Philadelphia 76ers 92-85 on Saturday night. Marvin Williams contributed 18 points, Al Horford had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Mike Bibby had 10 points for the Hawks (36-41), who responded after losing to the Sixers 109-104 on Friday in Atlanta… Andre Iguodala scored 25 points for Philadelphia, which had clinched a playoff berth for the first time in three years with Friday’s win. Andre Miller added 18, Lou Williams and Rodney Carney had 13 apiece and Samuel Dalembert had 10 rebounds for the 76ers (39-38), who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Still, they have won 21 of their last 29 games.
Apr. 5: Magic 101, Cavs 86
The AP reports: Hedo Turkoglu scored 23 points, Rashard Lewis added 21 and the Magic, one of this season’s biggest surprises, locked up the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed Saturday with a 101-86 win over the staggering Cleveland Cavaliers. The Magic, who have sat behind Boston and Detroit in the standings for much of the season, won despite getting only four points on 1-of-8 shooting from All-Star center Dwight Howard—17 below his average. Orlando’s defense, though, was the difference… Howard had 12 rebounds, Jameer Nelson had 16 points and 9 assists and reserve Pat Garrity had 13 points for the Magic (48-28), who won 40 games last season and are now two victories from their first 50-win season since 1995-96— when they lost in the conference finals… Delonte West scored 19 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 18 for Cleveland, which has dropped five of seven and is staggering toward the regular-season finish line.
Iguodala unleashes mock-anger at Lou Williams
After the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Nets in New Jersey on Tuesday, April 1, Sixers star Andre Iguodala put on a brief show for the media by clowning around and pretending to be mad at Lou Williams.
In the Sixers (visiting team) locker room, Iguodala loudly and angrily yelled “Switch, man I told you to switch!” at Williams from across the room, with about a dozen or two reporters easily hearing it.
After pretending to be annoyed with Williams, Iguodala busted out a big grin, laughing, “Ahhh, I got you all!” to the media. Then he looked at Williams and laughed: “They were looking!”
The Sixers are having fun, and headed to the playoffs.
– Jeff
Lakers assign Coby Karl to D-League
The Los Angeles Lakers have re-assigned guard Coby Karl to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Karl, who became the 11th NBA player assigned to a D-League affiliate earlier this season on November 28, was re-assigned to the D-Fenders February 14.
During his first assignment, Karl played in 10 games with the D-Fenders from November 29 – December 22, averaging 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 38.4 minutes while shooting .435 from three-point range and .492 from the field.
In three games during his second stint with the D-Fenders from February 14 – February 19, Karl averaged 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 37.2 minutes.
In 13 total games with the D-Fenders this season, Karl is averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 38.1 minutes.
Earlier this season on February 19, Karl joined Lakers’ second-year guard Jordan Famar as the only other player in league history to see action in same-day D-League and NBA games, recording 15 points, five rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes during the D-Fenders’ 2:30 pm contest versus Tulsa. In the Lakers’ 7:30 pm game versus Atlanta, Karl posted five points and an assist in six minutes of action, marking the fourth D-League/NBA individual double-header in league history behind Farmar’s three during the 2006-07 season (April 1st, 3rd and 12th).
Signed by the Lakers as an undrafted rookie free agent on July 30, 2007, Karl has appeared in 17 games this season, averaging 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 4.2 minutes.
Last season, the 6’5” guard averaged 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior at Boise State and was named First Team All-WAC. Karl, who left Boise State as the all-time leader in games played (127) and three-point field goals made (266), ranks third on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,698 career points.
Nuggets assign Taurean Green to D-League
The Denver Nuggets have assigned G Taurean Green to the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.
Green, 6-0, 177, has averaged 1.6 ppg in 17 games with the Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers this season.
This marks the 50th player assignment to the NBA Development League this season with 31 different players having been assigned, including Green earlier in the year. While with Portland, Green was assigned to the Idaho Stampede and averaged 19.3 ppg, 9.8 apg and 5.3 rpg in four appearances.
Green was acquired by the Nuggets from Portland in exchange for Von Wafer on February 21.
Woman fights Jordan harassment suit
The AP reports: A woman who claims Michael Jordan fathered her child wants the former NBA star to submit to a third paternity test. Lisa Miceli also is asking a judge to lift a temporary restraining order imposed after Jordan filed a harassment suit against her. Miceli, 35, claims Jordan fathered her four-year-old son, but Jordan’s lawsuit says two 2005 paternity tests rule him out as the boy’s father.
Yao Ming visiting China this week
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: Seeking a break in his rehabilitation routine, Rockets center Yao Ming is visiting China this week with plans to return to Houston in time for the playoffs. “He’s done a stretch of his rehab,” John Huizinga, Yao’s NBA agent, said. “He has a long stretch of rehab coming up. This is a window of time. It’s an opportunity to take a break and get a change of scenery. He wants to be back to be with his Rockets teammates once he is off his crutches for the playoffs, and when that happens he will step up treatment too.”
Apr. 4: Lakers 112, Mavs 108
The AP reports: Lamar Odom scored a season-high 31 points against a subpar Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant added 25 points and 10 rebounds, and the Pacific Division-leading Lakers put a crimp in the Dallas Mavericks’ postseason push with a 112-108 victory on Friday night… Pau Gasol had 25 points and seven assists for Los Angeles, and Odom grabbed 10 rebounds. It was the sixth time this season that the Lakers have had three players with 20 or more points—all victories… Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs with 27 points, Jason Terry scored 25 and Josh Howard added 23. Jason Kidd had 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. This was the Mavericks’ 10th loss that was decided by four points or less.