The AP reports: Even without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio Spurs were too much for the New York Knicks. Tim Duncan had 23 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to lead San Antonio to a 92-80 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in the Spurs’ first game without Parker… “They’re a tough team regardless,” said Knicks guard Jamal Crawford, who led New York with 28 points… San Antonio held New York to just 38 percent shooting and outrebounded the Knicks 60-48… Rookie George Hill started in place of Parker and scored a season-high 12 points.
Month: November 2008
Nov 11: Hawks 113, Bulls 108
The AP reports: On a night when leading scorer Joe Johnson had trouble with his shot, Al Horford scored a career-high 27 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked six shots to lead a 113-108 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night… Mike Bibby added 22 points, hitting three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to fend off a Bulls rally. The Hawks had six players in double figures, including Johnson, who finished with 17—eight below his average. He shot 4-for-16. Atlanta got a lift off the bench from Maurice Evans, who scored 17 points including two late 3-pointers in the final quarter… Rookie Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 26 points to match his career high and had a career-best 10 rebounds and stayed in the game, despite pulling a muscle in his back in the first quarter. Andres Nocioni chipped in 20 points.
Nov 11: Nuggets 88, Bobcats 80
The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half, while Billups directed a steady offense and had a key three-point play late in the Nuggets’ 88-80 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night that left Denver 3-0 with their new guard in the lineup… Billups had 16 points and five assists, and provided the veteran leadership down the stretch that helped squash Charlotte’s comeback… Jason Richardson scored 23 points and Adam Morrison added 16, but the Bobcats settled for 27 3-point attempts as they struggled to get it inside despite Denver’s depleted front line… Sean May started the fourth quarter and missed a jumper 13 seconds later. He went to the bench with no points or rebounds two minutes later and didn’t return.
Nov 11: Jazz 93, Sixers 80
The AP reports: Deron Williams played for the first time this season to lead the Utah Jazz past the Philadelphia 76ers 93-80 on Tuesday night. He had seven points and nine assists after missing the first six games because of a sprained left ankle he suffered in a preseason game Oct. 18 against Chicago… Carlos Boozer led Utah with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer added 16 points apiece for the Jazz, who improved to 6-1 and lead the Northwest Division. Brewer scored all of his point in the fourth quarter after missing his first nine shots… Andre Miller scored 25 points, Andre Iguodala had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Elton Brand added 13 for the reeling Sixers, who lost their third in a row and fell to 2-5… Samuel Dalembert and Thaddeus Young each added 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who shot just 38 percent from the field.
Nov 11: Cavs 99, Bucks 93
The AP reports: LeBron James supplied the Cleveland Cavaliers with a double dose of 40. James matched a season-high with 41 points in a season-best 43 minutes and Mo Willams scored 16 against his former team, leading the Cavaliers to their fifth straight win, 99-93 over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night… Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 15 points and Anderson Varejao had 13—8 on 4-of-4 shooting in the fourth quarter—with 10 rebounds for Cleveland, which didn’t put Milwaukee away until the final four minutes… Richard Jefferson scored 19 and Luke Ridnour 17—14 in the third—to pace the Bucks, who were again without leading scorer Michael Redd. He missed his fourth straight game with a sprained right ankle.
2009 All-Star ballot here
As always, voting for All-Stars starts way too early in the season. But it’s just as much a popularity contest as it is a measure of who is actually playing like a genuine all-star, so we don’t argue too loudly about it.
Revealed today is the official 2008-09 NBA All-Star ballot.
Warriors hire Larry Harris
The Golden State Warriors have hired Larry Harris as an assistant coach, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Harris, 45, joins Head Coach Don Nelson’s staff after spending the last 19 seasons in the Milwaukee Bucks organization. After originally joining the Bucks staff as a scout/video coordinator under his father, then-Milwaukee Head Coach Del Harris, in 1990, he also served stints as the team’s director of player personnel, director of scouting, assistant general manager and general manager.
Deron Williams back tonight
The Deseret News (Tim Buckley) reports: Point guard Deron Williams informed the Jazz this morning that he will try to make his 2008-09 NBA season debut tonight, when Utah visits Philadelphia in its second outing of a five-game road trip. “He told me he’s gonna play,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said after the team’s morning shootaround at Wachovia Center here. “We’ll probably play him sparingly. “You know how he is,” Sloan added. “He might want to get out there five minutes and say he feels great. But we’re gonna try to watch him pretty close.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: Obvious guess is, if D-Will does play he’ll probably play limited minutes. He might as well ease into the season over the next few games. Great that he’s finally back.
Tayshaun Prince to be point forward
The Detroit News (Chris McCosky) reports: As the Pistons try to reinvent themselves with Allen Iverson and without a true point guard, the guy they might turn to for stability, once again, is Tayshaun Prince. Among the modifications coach Michael Curry is making to his offense is using Prince in the role of a point forward, initiating the offense, while Iverson and Richard Hamilton work on the wings. “Tay is going to facilitate some of our offense,” Curry said after the Pistons’ two-hour practice at Arco Arena Monday. “He will get into it with Allen handing it off to Tay. And there are other sets that Tay will start himself.” Curry worries, though, about tampering at all with Prince’s role. He has averaged 23 points the last three games.
Sixers still adjusting to Elton Brand
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Kate Fagan) reports: The Sixers are going back to basics: working on their spacing around power forward Elton Brand. Yesterday was the last of three days of practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine before tonight’s 7 o’clock game against the Utah Jazz (5-1). The Sixers (2-4) haven’t played since a Thursday night loss at the Orlando Magic. “With Elton, we need to read and react,” coach Maurice Cheeks said. “Certainly, the last few days we’ve been practicing that.” “It’s different playing with a post player who commands attention,” said swingman Andre Iguodala, whose scoring average has dipped to 11.0 points per game, down from last season’s 19.9 average. “It’s everyone who is adjusting, not just me.”