The AP reports: Close finishes are becoming the norm for the Indiana Pacers. Danny Granger had 27 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, and the Pacers held off a late rally by the Charlotte Bobcats for a 98-93 victory Sunday night… T.J. Ford and Dunleavy each scored 13, and Troy Murphy added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who won a season-high fifth consecutive home game. Raja Bell and Boris Diaw had 18 points apiece, and Emeka Okafor finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte (18-26). The Bobcats had won five of six.
Month: January 2009
Yao-less Rockets beat slumping Pistons 108-105
The AP reports: The Houston Rockets figured out a way to win without Yao Ming. The Detroit Pistons only wish they could do the same with Allen Iverson and Richard Hamilton. Ron Artest scored three of his 24 points at the line in the final 14 seconds, helping the Houston hold off Detroit for a 108-105 win Sunday night… Allen Iverson, who had 17 points and eight assists, acknowledged he’s frustrated… Tracy McGrady scored 15, Shane Battier and Rafer Alston both added 14, and Von Wafer scored 10… Richard Hamilton scored 27, Wallace had 22 points and Rodney Stuckey had 14 points and eight assists.
Bosh scores 31 points as Raptors beat Kings
The AP reports: Chris Bosh scored 31 points, Andrea Bargnani added 24 and the Toronto Raptors beat Sacramento 113-97 on Sunday, handing the Kings their fifth straight loss… Jose Calderon had 16 points and eight assists as Toronto won its second straight following a season-high seven-game losing streak. Jermaine O’Neal had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Anthony Parker scored 11 points for the Raptors. John Salmons scored 21 points for the Kings, who are 0-18 against Eastern Conference opponents this season and have not beaten an East team since a 106-100 home win over Toronto on March 16, 2008. Francisco Garcia added 18 points and Brad Miller had 15 for Sacramento, which has lost 15 of its past 16 road games and is 3-20 overall away from home.
Stoudemire scores 23 as Suns edge Hawks
The AP reports: Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points, and Shaquille O’Neal had 19 points with 11 rebounds, helping Phoenix snap a three-game losing streak with a 104-99 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. Nash, who finished with 14 points and 13 assists, was pleased that owner Robert Sarver flew to Atlanta for Saturday’s practice and joined general manager Steve Kerr in a team meeting… Reserve guard Leandro Barbosa had 20 points for the Suns, who had lost five of six and were coming off a season-worst 22-point loss at Charlotte… Marvin Williams’ 17 points were a team high for Atlanta, which had won four of five. The Hawks’ backcourt of Mike Bibby and Johnson went a combined 7-for-33 from the field, including a 2-for-13 performance beyond the arc.
Lakers breeze to 99-85 victory over Spurs
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored 22 points before sitting out the fourth quarter, Pau Gasol added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, and the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-85 in a matchup of the Western Conference’s best teams that turned out to be a mismatch… Backup point guard Jordan Farmar returned after missing 18 games because of an injured left knee, and scored 14 points. Luke Walton played in his third game after missing nine with an injured foot, and Lamar Odom (knee) and Sasha Vujacic (back spasms) were also sidelined for brief periods… Tony Parker had 19 points and six assists and Tim Duncan added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs (29-14), who lost for just the fourth time in 18 games. Neither played in the fourth quarter.
Celtics blow out Mavericks 124-100
The AP reports: Paul Pierce reached over and gave Kevin Garnett a hearty slap on the back as they laughed off the suggestion that now, with virtually everything going right, would be a good time to buy a lottery ticket. “I’ve got a lottery ticket already,” Pierce said after watching Garnett score 23 points and help shut down Dirk Nowitzki to lead Boston to its eighth straight win, 124-100 over the Dallas Mavericks… Reserve Eddie House also scored 23—including seven 3-pointers—and Ray Allen scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half as the Celtics opened a 27-point lead and coasted to their sixth straight double-digit victory… Jason Terry scored 27 for the Mavericks, who have won just three of their last nine games. Nowitzki had 18, but the Dallas 7-footer shot 4-for-17 from the field and had the ignominy of having his shot blocked by the 6-foot-1 House in the second quarter… Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 14 assists for the Celtics.
Former Eddy Curry girlfriend found murdered
The New York Daily News reports: Knicks center Eddy Curry’s 3-year-old son witnessed his mother and baby-sister’s murders in their Chicago apartment Saturday, according to a source close to Curry. Nova Henry, 24, a former girlfriend of Curry’s, and her 9-month-old daughter, Ava, were found shot dead by Henry’s mother around 6 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Curry’s son was found unharmed inside the South Side apartment, but his father was still described as “despondent” Saturday night. The killer is a “known acquaintance,” said Chicago Police Officer Amina Greer.
The AP reports: Police believe the killings near the city’s South Side were the result of a domestic dispute, Bond said. She would not elaborate. Rob Bryant, who said he was Nova Henry’s uncle, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Henry had a restraining order against her boyfriend.
76ers hope Elton Brand fits in
NBA.com (John Schuhmann) reports: With Andre Iguodala’s numbers and the standings as Exhibits A and B, the Sixers have been better without their high-priced power forward than they’ve been with him. Saturday was Elton Brand’s first game action since dislocating his shoulder 5 1/2 weeks ago. Before he went down, the Sixers were 11-14 and fired head coach Maurice Cheeks just 23 games into the season. While Brand was injured, the Sixers were 10-7 and a much better offensive team. The simple conclusion is that Brand’s post game is not a good match for his teammates who play more aggressive when there’s not a big man taking up space in the paint. And 42 games into the season, it’s hard to argue otherwise. The Sixers led 34-22 when Brand entered the game Saturday, having connected on 15 of their first 23 field goal attempts. Now, they weren’t going to keep up that pace whether Brand played or not, but their offense did get noticeably stagnant with Brand on the floor. There was less penetration and less ball movement. Defense was even more of an issue, but that could be chalked up to the Knicks just getting hot from downtown.
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Michael Redd out for season with torn left knee
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that guard Michael Redd will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during the third period of the Bucks win over Sacramento on Saturday, January 24.
Redd, 29, underwent an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) exam this morning. After evaluation and further testing by Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr. Mike Gordon, M.D., it was determined that Redd will miss the remainder of the season. Surgery to repair the injury will be scheduled at a date to be determined.
“I’m deeply disappointed but everything in life happens for a reason and this is God’s plan for me,” said Redd. “I have faith in my teammates and coaches to continue to work together to make our fans proud. I will be supporting them wholeheartedly from the sidelines and working equally hard to return to the court in the best condition possible for next season.
“A special thank you to all our fans for their great support this season – my 9th as a Milwaukee Buck. Our team still has work to do and I know with our collective support we can cheer them on to a special season.”
In 33 games this season (32 starts), Redd averaged a team-high 21.2 points with 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steal in 36.5 minutes.
Saturday’s game was Redd’s 550th in a Bucks uniform – 8th in Milwaukee history. This season, he moved into 5th on the Bucks all-time scoring list, passing the 11,000 point mark at Charlotte on January 3; 5th in minutes played and 8th in field goals made. He stands 184 points behind Bob Dandridge for 4th all-time in franchise scoring (11,478); 31 field goals made behind Sidney Moncrief for 7th all-time (4,000); 34 free throws behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 2nd all-time (2,374); and 19 games behind Glenn Robinson for 7th all-time (568).
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Memphis Grizzlies name Lionel Hollins head coach
Memphis Grizzlies General Manager and Basketball Operations Chris Wallace today named Lionel Hollins the new head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies.
For Hollins, it will mark his third head coaching stint with the Grizzlies, where he was a staple in the team’s coaching ranks from 1995-07. The 20-year NBA coaching veteran has worked with current Grizzlies Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick and Kyle Lowry as an assistant under former Grizzlies Head Coaches’ Mike Fratello and Tony Barone. Hollins, who still maintains a residence in Bluff City with his family, recently spent the first half of the 2008-09 season as an assistant coach under Scott Skiles with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“We are pleased today to introduce Lionel Hollins as the next head coach of the Grizzlies. Lionel brings an impressive resume of NBA experience both as a coach and player,” Wallace said. “He has worked under some of the most successful head coaches in the history of the NBA, and he’s a former NBA champion as a player.
“He also brings extensive experience with our organization and a commitment to the city of Memphis. Lionel kept his permanent residence in Memphis while he was working with the Milwaukee Bucks. I was also very impressed with the commitment he displayed working with the young people at the Grizzlies Academy during his year off in the NBA (2007-08).”
An original member of the franchise’s inaugural 1995-96 season in Vancouver as the lead assistant, Hollins served as the club’s head coach on an interim basis on two separate occasions. Hollins guided Vancouver to an 18-42 finish in 1999-00 (.300) after the team started the season 4-18 and again took the reins for four games in 2004-05 following the resignation of Hubie Brown. Hollins, 55, owns an all-time record of 18-46 (.281) as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach.
Prior to joining the Grizzlies, the Arizona State graduate spent seven years with the Phoenix Suns (1988-95) as an assistant coach under Cotton Fitzsimmons and later Paul Westphal. During that time, Phoenix compiled an overall record of 394-180 (.686) and never won fewer than 53 games in a single season. The Suns won franchise-record 62 games in the 1992-93 season and represented the Western Conference in the 1993 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls.
The Arkansas City, Kansas native has served under three NBA Coaches of the Year, including Brown (1977, 2005), Fitzsimmons (1978, 1989) and Fratello (1986) and was on the coaching staff when Brown and Fitzsimmons were honored with the award a second time. In addition, as a 10-year NBA veteran (1975-85), Hollins was led by several notable head coaches, including Lenny Wilkens, Jack Ramsay, Billy Cunningham, Bill Fitch, Chuck Daly and Paul Silas.
Selected sixth overall in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, Hollins earned a spot on the 1976 All-Rookie First Team and won an NBA Championship as a starter for the Trail Blazers in 1977, where he was a teammate of current Grizzlies Assistant Coach Johnny Davis. A year later, he was an NBA All-Star while also being named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team. Hollins averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 assists and 1.56 steals over 673 career games with Portland, Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.
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