Day: December 22, 2008

Thunder sign Nenad Krstic to offer sheet

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has signed center Nenad Krstic to an offer sheet.

Under terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement the New Jersey Nets, who retained Krstic’s rights when he signed with Triumph Lyubertsy of Russia’s Superleague A, now have seven days to match the multi-year offer. Per team policy the terms of the offer sheet were not disclosed.

An InsideHoops.com source associated with the Nets says that the team is leaning towards not matching the offer.

Krstic (7-0, 213), the 24th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Nets, is averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1 block in 21 minutes per game for Triumph in Superleague play. The Serbian national holds NBA averages of 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in four seasons with New Jersey.

Coach: Refs frustrate D.Howard

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy is sticking up for Dwight Howard in regard to the officiating. The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: “I think (Howard) is very frustrated they way the game is being called right now,” Van Gundy said. “It’s different in this league. The real good perimeter players seemed to really get the benefit of every call, any touch. The real good big guys, it seems it’s just the opposite.
“That they let people do more in there. I think it’s part of the an ongoing thing — they won’t say that — but I think the league is trying to do everything it can to make it a perimeter league and not a post-up league.”

Jordan Farmar needs surgery

Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, who suffered an injury to his left knee in Friday night’s game at Miami, was examined by Lakers’  team doctor Steve Lombardo today in Los Angeles.  In seeking an additional opinion, Farmar also was examined by Dr. Byron Patterson.

Both doctors concurred with the original diagnosis of a torn lateral meniscus, and have recommended surgery.

Farmar is currently weighing his options, and the Lakers will issue an update when he has made a decision.

Players of Week: Nelson, Paul

The Orlando Magic’s Jameer Nelson and the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 15, through Sunday, Dec. 21.

Nelson helped the Magic to a 3-0 week, including wins over the Spurs and Lakers. The fifth-year guard led or tied for the team lead in scoring in each game, including a career-high-tying 32-point effort in Orlando’s 109-98 win at Golden State. Shooting a blistering .593 from the field and .556 from three-point range, Nelson, who also added 5.3 apg and 4.0 rpg, has keyed Orlando’s recent success – the Magic has won eight of nine.

Paul led the Hornets to a 3-0 week, averaging 23.7 points, 10.0 assists, 5.3 steals and 4.3 rebounds. The fourth-year guard set an NBA record for consecutive games with a steal (107 and counting), surpassing the 105-game mark set by Alvin Robertson. Paul recorded eight swipes in a 99-90 win over the Kings on Dec. 20.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo, Charlotte’s Boris Diaw, Cleveland’s LeBron James and Delonte West, Golden State’s Jamal Crawford, Houston’s Tracy McGrady, Miami’s Dwyane Wade, Phoenix’s Amar’e Stoudemire and Portland’s Brandon Roy.

Carmelo Anthony out two games

Denver Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony will not play tonight or tomorrow night vs. Portland in order to rest his right elbow contusion.

For the season, Anthony is shooting 42.0% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range for 20.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals per game.

With 17 wins and 10 losses, the Nuggets are tied for first in the Northwest division with the Portland Trail Blazers.

If the playoffs began today, Denver would be the 4th seed in the Western conference.

Euroleague December MVP: Lior Eliyahu

Euroleague.net reports: It was an unpredictable situation for one of the dominant teams in Euroleague history. Five years had passed since the last time Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv faced a losing record halfway through a Euroleague regular season. Entering this month, however, the team sat next-to-last in Group A with a 2-3 record and only five more regular season games left. Three weeks later, to the delight of Maccabi’s fans, predictability has returned. Maccabi not only is qualified early for the Top 16, but also ready to challenge for first place. Plenty thanks for that turnaround go to forward Lior Eliyahu, Euroleague Basketball’s choice as December MVP. Just when Maccabi needed a go-to guy, Eliyahu became just that, posting three consecutive double-doubles to lead Maccabi to a trio of huge wins. Eliyahu started the month by pulling off the highest performance index rating all season in a victory over then co-leader Cibona. He followed that with almost identical double-doubles in points and rebounds to spark Maccabi’s first road wins of the season, at Air Avellino and Le Mans. In the process, Eliyahu vaulted to top-ten status among all Euroleague players in index rating, scoring and rebounding. Most importantly, however, Eliyahu helped put Maccabi back in its accustomed place as a Euroleague contender, and in so doing made himself a more-than-deserving choice as MVP of December.

Euroleague Week 8 MVP: Sani Becirovic

Euroleague.net reports: Lottomatica Roma not only advanced to the Top 16 with a tense overtime victory on Thursday, but its star guard also became the Week 8 MVP. No sooner did Sani Becirovic receive his trophy as November MVP in an on-court ceremony before the game than he went out and started earning the weekly honor, too… Pat Burke of Asseco Prokom also posted monster numbers in Week 8. Burke had 18 points and 20 rebounds in his team’s road loss against Zalgiris. Burke finished the game with a 33 index rating and became just the eighth player to pull down at least 20 boards in a Euroleague game. Felipe Reyes of Real Madrid and Paulius Jankunas each had index ratings of 28.

Spurs sign Malik Hairston

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard/forward Malik Hairston.  Per team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 6-6, 215-pound Hairston has spent the season with the Austin Toros, the Spurs affiliate in the NBA Development League. In 11 games with the Toros, Hairston averaged 19.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists.  He was named this week’s D-League Performer of the Week after averaging 24.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in three Toros wins.

The former Oregon Duck spent training camp with San Antonio where he averaged 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in six preseason games.  He was waived by the Spurs on 10/26.  Hairston was selected by Phoenix Suns with the 48th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.  He was acquired by San Antonio in exchange for the draft rights to Goran Dragic.

Celtics win 18 straight games

The Boston Herald (Mark Murphy) reports: The Celtics defeated the Knicks, 124-105, to tie a franchise record originally set by the 1981-82 team with 18 straight wins. Now 26-2, they also pulled even with the 1969-70 Knicks and 1966-67 76ers for the league’s best start through 28 games. This historic run, however, doesn’t mean there aren’t imperfections. It doesn’t mean that the C’s occasionally take their eyes off the ball. “We have things that we’re talking about all the time – the bench playing better, cutting down on turnovers, a long list of things,” coach Doc Rivers said before the game. “Because you’re winning games, people think you’re throwing stuff out there when you talk like this. But it’s true.”

Jeff Green needs to rebound

The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports: Thunder coach Scott Brooks has harped for weeks that Jeff Green needs to improve his 5.5 rebounding average. He’s even sent Green text messages on game days. Green responded with a 10-rebound performance Sunday night. “I was guarding one of the best rebounds in this league in Ben Wallace,” Green said. “I tried my best to keep him off the boards. When the ball went up, I tried my best to go get boards, and they were dropping right in my hands. And Nick (Collison) and Kevin did a good job blocking their man out.”