The Los Angeles Daily News (Ramona Shelburne) reports: New Clipper Baron Davis, disappointed after the team’s season-opening 117-79 loss to the Lakers on Oct. 29, tried to keep things in perspective during postgame interviews. The Clippers, after all, were playing together for basically the first time that night, against one of the best teams in the league. “Did I expect to lose like that? No. Do I expect us to go 0-7? No,” Davis said… “A win would help,” Davis said. “A win would defintely help lift our spirits. We need to figure out what a win feels like as a unit. “We’re a work in progress, so it’s going to take some patience. No one is in panic mode yet.” True, but there is a sense of urgency. Davis himself felt that Monday night against Utah, when he decided to play on his badly bruised hip about five minutes before tipoff.
Month: November 2008
Stockton and Sloan eligible for Hall
The Salt Lake Tribune (Ross Siler) reports: The next election of concern for the Utah Jazz comes this winter, when the committees which screen nominees for possible induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame go to work. The Jazz could be well-represented when finalists are selected during All-Star Weekend in February and when the Class of 2009 is announced during the Final Four in April. John Stockton – the NBA’s all-time assists and steals leader, who retired in 2003 – is eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time. Jerry Sloan, on the threshold of becoming the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games with the same franchise, is also Hall-of-Fame eligible. The Jazz have submitted the paperwork necessary to start the nomination process for Stockton and Sloan, and they will certainly do the same next year, when Karl Malone becomes eligible for the first time.
Pacers team notes
Danny Granger’s 33 points at Detroit on Wednesday, October 29, were the most by a Pacers’ player in the season’s first game since Jalen Rose hit for 43 points at New Jersey, October 30, 2001.
Since scoring nine points at Detroit in February, Granger has scored in double figures in a career-high 29 straight regular season games.
Boston’s 79 points in the Pacers’ home opener were the fewest ever allowed by Indiana in its NBA home opener.
With its sellout crowd of 18,165 in the home opener vs. Boston, November 1, the Pacers’ matched their total of sellouts in 2007-08.
The win over the Celtics was Indiana’s fifth in a game in which it did not score 100 points since Jim O’Brien became head coach in 2007. In that span, the Pacers are 5-26 when not reaching the century mark.
Marquis Daniels’ team-high 10 rebounds vs. Boston were his most ever in a Pacers’ uniform and tied his overall career-best.
Troy Murphy registered the Pacers’ first double-double of the 2008-09 season with 13 points and a game-high 15 boards at Detroit, October 29. His 14 defensive rebounds in that game matched his most ever with the Pacers.
Murphy had a game-high five assists in the win over Boston and he has led the team in assists 10 times in its last 58 regular season games.
Last season, the Pacers were ninth in the NBA with an average of just over five blocked shots a game (5.02 bpg). Thus far in 2008-09, the Pacers have averaged a league-leading 8.0 bpg.
Nov 4: Celtics 103, Rockets 99
The AP reports: Ray Allen scored 29 points, Kevin Garnett added 14 points and 11 rebounds and the Celtics shut down Ron Artest and Yao Ming to hand Houston its first loss of the season. Tracy McGrady scored 26 points, but couldn’t rally the Rockets down the stretch… Paul Pierce added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics. Yao went 4-for-14 from the field and scored eight points for Houston. “Probably one of my worst games of all time,” Yao said… Aaron Brooks scored 12 for the Rockets, but starting point guard Rafer Alston had an off night, going 1-for-6 from the field and scoring four points.
Nov 4: Mavs 98, Spurs 81
The AP reports: Jason Terry scored 29 points, Dirk Nowitzki added 30 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat San Antonio 98-81 on Tuesday night to send the Spurs to their first 0-3 record in 35 years… Dallas (2-2) also got 14 points from Josh Howard and 10 assists from Jason Kidd. The Mavericks shot 53 percent from the floor compared to 42 for San Antonio. Dallas outrebounded San Antonio 48-38… Tony Parker led San Antonio with 22 points and Tim Duncan scored 19 as the Spurs continue to play without Manu Ginobili. He’s not expected back until December after surgery to repair his left ankle. “Uncharted territory for us,” Duncan said of the 0-3 start.
Nov 4: Suns 114, Nets 86
The AP reports: Raja Bell hit all six of his 3-pointers and scored 22 points, and the Phoenix Suns shot 63 percent from the field in beating the 114-86 on Tuesday night… Nash added 12 points and 11 assists, O’Neal had 18 points and six rebounds, and Stoudemire added 14 points as the Suns won for the third time in four games… Vince Carter had 19 points and Yi Jianlian added 15 and eight rebounds for the Nets, who lost their second straight game… For the game, the Suns were 43-of-68 from the field, and 12-of-18 from 3-point range. The Nets shot 34 percent, hitting 28 of 83 shots.
Obama played basketball on election day
The AP reports: Barack Obama unwound with a couple hours of basketball Tuesday as he awaited Election Day results that he hoped would give him not only the White House, but by a margin that would help to unite red and blue America… Later, Obama spent two hours at the Attack Athletic Center on the city’s west side to play basketball with friends and staff. He made the game a voting-day ritual early in the primary campaign after he won in Iowa and South Carolina on days when he’d played basketball. He’d lost in New Hampshire and Nevada, on days when he didn’t play. As Obama played basketball, a crowd of about 75 people gathered in a park across the street in hopes of catching a glimpse when he emerged.
Thunder sign Steven Hill
Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has signed center Steven Hill.
Hill (7-0, 245) saw action in three preseason games with the Portland Trailblazers, recording averages of 1.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.67 blocks and 9.0 minutes.
The Missouri native played four seasons at the University of Arkansas where he averaged 4.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.11 blocks as a senior. Hill was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.
The Thunder roster now stands at 15.
Nov 3: Jazz 89, Clippers 73
The AP reports: Paul Millsap scored 15 of his 24 points during a decisive 17-3 run in the fourth quarter, and the unbeaten Utah Jazz beat the winless Los Angeles Clippers 89-73 Monday night. A 3-pointer by Cuttino Mobley trimmed Utah’s lead to 67-64 before Millsap began his tear by making a pair of foul shots with 8:47 remaining. He finished it with a dunk with 4:37 left, giving the Jazz an 84-67 advantage. Mehmet Okur scored 16 points, Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz (3-0). Millsap also had nine rebounds, leading the Jazz to a 44-38 advantage in that department… Chris Kaman led the Clippers (0-4) with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Baron Davis, returning to action after missing two games because of a sore left hip, had 14 points and nine assists. He shot just 5-of-15, including 1-of-8 in the first half. Marcus Camby had five points and nine rebounds in his debut with the Clippers.
Nov 3: Cavs 100, Mavs 81
The AP reports: LeBron James was only 8-of-20, but scored 29 points and took over when his team needed it. Cleveland let a 16-point lead fritter into a tie at 63, then Daniel Gibson missed a jumper from the corner, only to see James zoom in, grab the rebound and bank it in, all in one motion. He followed with a three-point play and a pair of free throws… Dirk Nowitzki was held to eight points on 3-of-11 shooting as the Mavericks fell to 0-2 at home. Their only lead was 2-0, on a jumper by Nowitzki. He missed his next seven shots, failing to hit another until late in the third quarter. Josh Howard led the Mavs with 18 points. Antoine Wright and Gerald Green were the only other players to hit double figures, each scoring 10… Zydrunas Ilgausakas had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Williams and Delonte West added 14 points, and Wally Szczerbiak had 10. Ben Wallace didn’t score, but had 13 rebounds.