The AP reports: Michael Redd scored 27 points and Andrew Bogut had 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead Milwaukee. Charlie Villanueva added 26 points, 24 in the first half, to equal a season high and help the Bucks snap a three-game losing streak. Jefferson had 20 points, 10 in the fourth quarter. T.J. Ford had a season-high 27 points for Indiana… Rookie Brandon Rush, the 13th pick in the draft out of Kansas, had 16 off the bench for the Pacers. Danny Granger, coming off a career-high 42 points in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, added 14.
Month: December 2008
Dec 13: Sixers 104, Wizards 89
The AP reports: It had been 18 years since Tony DiLeo paced the sideline as a coach—and that came in another country. Though he couldn’t revel in the circumstances of his elevation to coach of the Philadelphia 76ers because of his close relationship with Maurice Cheeks, the experience didn’t seem any different. Elton Brand scored a season-high 27 points, leading Philadelphia to a 104-89 victory over the struggling Washington Wizards on Saturday night in DiLeo’s coaching debut with the 76ers… Lou Williams added 15 points, Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala each had 14, and Willie Green scored 13 for the Sixers, who snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 10-14… The Sixers had lost their previous five home games. Samuel Dalembert pulled down 17 rebounds and Andre Miller had a season-high 12 assists.
Dec 13: Hawks 97, Cavs 92
The AP reports: Mike Bibby scored 24 points, Marvin Williams hit the clinching free throws, and Atlanta snapped the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 11-game winning streak with a 97-92 victory Saturday night. LeBron James had 33 points and nine assists for the Cavs, who overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to take a 70-68 lead early in the fourth on Mo Williams’ layup… Cleveland was playing its second straight game without injured starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Anderson Varejao’s 11 points and eight rebounds weren’t enough to compensate on the front line with Ben Wallace going scoreless on just two shots from the field.
Dec 13: Pistons 90, Bobcats 86
The AP reports: Allen Iverson and the rest of the Detroit Pistons starters retreated to the end of the bench to start the fourth quarter. Taking advantage of the ragged debut by Charlotte Bobcats newcomers Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, the Pistons led by 22 points and the regulars were certain their night was over… Hamilton added 18 points, and Rodney Stuckey had 13 points and 10 assists in his third straight start at point guard for the Pistons, who won their second straight game with their new, smaller lineup despite being outscored 30-12 in the final period… Gerald Wallace had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats in his return after missing three games following the death of his grandmother. Wallace’s father also died on Thursday, and he may miss another game next week.
Bonzi Wells signs in China
Xinhau reports: Former Houston Rockets’ guard Bonzi Wells arrived China on Friday afternoon to join Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association league, the club confirmed on Friday. The 32-year-old agreed a one-year contract with the club and the details of the contract were not disclosed. The club manager Zhang Beihai denied a rumour of 80,000 U.S.-dollar salary for the former teammate of Yao Ming, the most famous Chinese basketball player in the NBA, saying Well’s salary is around half of the amount.
Sixers fire coach Mo Cheeks
The AP reports: Maurice Cheeks was fired Saturday as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, who are slumping at 9-14 a year after making the playoffs. Assistant general manager Tony DiLeo was appointed interim coach. The moves were confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an announcement had not been made. The team scheduled an afternoon news conference with general manager Ed Stefanski Cheeks was one of more the popular players in 76ers history and was starting his fourth season as coach. Stefanski had given Cheeks two contract extensions in the past season, but the slow start was enough to cost him his job.
Update: Full official firing announcement here.
InsideHoops.com editor says: It’s wild how so many of the league’s coaches who just 1-3 seasons ago got pretty nice attention for overachieving and taking their squads to a better than expected record have gotten the axe. Cheeks didn’t work any miracles in Philadelphia, but last season’s Sixers did win a few games more than expected. Anyway, more on this in the next hour or so. Reload this page later in an hour or two, and also check our front page.
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Grizzlies sign Darius Miles
The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that they have signed free agent forward Darius Miles. Terms of the deal were not disclosed per team policy.
“Darius has been an active, productive player in the past,” said Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace. “He did a good job with the Celtics in preseason and we look forward to working with him.”
The third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, Miles played six NBA seasons (2000-06) with Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers. The 6-9, 235-pound forward averaged 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in 27.7 minutes in 412 career games (190 starts).
Miles, 27, missed all of 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons while recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee, but recently attempted a comeback with the Boston Celtics. After signing a free-agent contract with Boston on Aug. 22, 2008, he appeared in six preseason contests, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.4 minutes. He was waived by the Celtics on Oct. 20.
The Bellville, Illinois native became the first player in league history drafted straight out of high school (East St. Louis High School) to earn All-Rookie honors when he averaged 9.4 points and 1.54 blocks per game for the Clippers in 2000-01. In his last NBA season in 2005-06, Miles posted career highs in points (14.0) and minutes played (32.2) per game with the Trail Blazers.
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Dec 12: Lakers 112, Kings 103
The AP reports: The Lakers didn’t look like world beaters, but were good enough to beat the Kings this time. Avenging their loss at Sacramento three days earlier, Los Angeles survived a late charge to hold off the Kings 112-103 on Friday night. “We did better playing against them tonight,” said Kobe Bryant, who led the Lakers with 32 points… Pau Gasol had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who built sizable leads several times only to have defensive lapses that let Sacramento back into the game… John Salmons, who led Sacramento with 26 points, expected Bryant to be determined in the rematch.
Dec 12: Rockets 119, Warriors 108
The AP reports: Tracy McGrady tested his sore left knee during a recent practice, pronounced himself fit and then produced one of his best offensive nights of the season. McGrady just missed a triple-double in his return to the court, Yao Ming had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors 119-108 Friday night… McGrady, who missed the last seven games with soreness in his left knee, had 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Rockets improved to 15-8, their best record after 23 games since the 1996-97 team started 21-2. Luis Scola had 19 points and Carl Landry scored 18… Andris Biedrins had 18 points and 12 rebounds in his ninth double-double in 10 home games for the Warriors, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Anthony Randolph had his first career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. C.J. Watson added 17 points.
Dec 12: Clippers 120, Blazers 112 2OT
The AP reports: Zach Randolph doesn’t harbor any bad feelings toward his former team. He just doesn’t want to lose to the Trail Blazers. Randolph scored a season-high 38 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 120-112 double-overtime victory over the Blazers on Friday night. Randolph, who was booed at times by the Portland crowd, also had 11 rebounds… The Clippers (5-17), with the second-worst record in the Western Conference, sure did. Baron Davis contributed 27 points and made a 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime. Brandon Roy scored a career-high 38 points, but the Blazers (15-10) dropped their third straight game. Rookie Greg Oden had 15 points and 15 rebounds.