The AP reports: J.R. Smith and Nene scored 19 points each, Chauncey Billups had 14 points and 10 assists and Denver extended their winning streak to three with a 121-96 win over the Nets… Vince Carter scored 32 points for the Nets, who went 0-4 on the Western Conference portion of their five-game road trip. New Jersey plays at the New York Knicks on Wednesday… Nuggets F Kenyon Martin returned after missing two games and five of the last six with a strained lower back. He scored eight points in 15 minutes and didn’t play in the second half.
Month: March 2009
Aldridge scores 22, Blazers beat Grizzlies 103-92
The AP reports: LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and eight rebounds and Brandon Roy finished with 20 points and nine assists to lead the Portland to a 103-92 victory over the Grizzlies on Monday night… Travis Outlaw added 18 points and Joel Przybilla had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who are trying to reach the Western Conference playoffs for the first time since 2003… O.J. Mayo scored 21 points and handed out six assists to lead Memphis, which lost its 13th game in the last 15. Mike Conley had 20 points, and Rudy Gay scored 17 and grabbed 11 rebounds. Hakim Warrick finished with 15 points on 7-of-10 from the floor.
Rockets defend well, beat Hornets 95-84
The AP reports: Ron Artest could not have started any worse or finished much better. Houston’s veteran leader scored all of his 18 points in the second half, and the Rockets overcame the absence of center Yao Ming in a 95-84 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night… Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks each scored 14 points, and Scola had 12 rebounds to help the Rockets end New Orleans’ five-game home winning streak. Chris Paul had 29 points and 11 assists, while David West had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who’ve lost two straight… Carl Landry and Von Wafer each scored 12 points and Shane Battier 11 as the Rockets, holding on to the third seed in the Western Conference, prevented the Hornets from passing them in the standings.
Thunder spoil Popovich’s 1,000th, beat Spurs 78-76
The AP reports: Gregg Popovich didn’t coach 1,000 games in the NBA without having a few leads slip away on him. Courtesy of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he can add another to that list. Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Thabo Sefolosha added 12 and the Thunder spoiled Popovich’s 1,000th game as San Antonio’s coach by overcoming an early 17-point deficit to beat the Spurs 78-76 on Monday night… Tony Parker scored 28 points to lead San Antonio, and Tim Duncan had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Matt Bonner added 10 points.
Wallace scores 25, Bobcats beat Raptors 112-86
The AP reports: Gerald Wallace scored 25 points and the Bobcats began an important week for their postseason aspirations by beating the Raptors 112-86 on Monday to snap a three-game losing streak. D.J. Augustin added 15 points for the Bobcats, who moved within one game of idle Milwaukee and Chicago in the crowded and jumbled race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference… Chris Bosh had 18 points and 14 rebounds against the Bobcats, but the Raptors trailed by 14 at halftime and 19 in the third quarter before the reserves took over… Andrea Bargnani, who scored 27 points for the Raptors on Sunday, was just 2-for-7 from the field in the first half and finished with 13 points.
Sean Williams arrested after incident mall near Denver
The Newark Star-Ledger (Dave D’Alessandro) reports: Nets forward Sean Williams was arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief yesterday after an altercation with a clerk at a cell phone store in a shopping mall 20 miles south of Denver. The 22-year-old Williams was also charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, according to Detective Sergeant Ron Pinson of the Lone Tree, Colo., Police Dept. The incident occurred at 2 p.m. yesterday at the AT&T Mobility store inside the Park Meadows Mall. According to police, Williams had a verbal altercation with the clerk, and picked up a computer monitor and threw it. The monitor and other equipment were broken, causing damages estimated to be about $1,200 to $1,300.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Seriously, how hard is it to just stop getting in legal trouble for a while? Williams has pro-level athletic ability, but amateur-level skill development. Combine that with constant legal issues and he’s playing his way out of the league.
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Stephen Jackson suspended one game for technical fouls
The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Jackson has received a one-game suspension without pay after receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2008-09 season, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
A player or coach receives an automatic one-game suspension after receiving his 16th technical foul. Every other technical foul beyond 16 (18, 20, 22, etc.) will also result in a one-game suspension without pay.
Jackson received his most recent technical foul with 3:54 remaining in the third period of Golden State’s 154-130 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, March 15 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. Jackson will serve his suspension on Tuesday, March 17 when the Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers at ORACLE Arena.
Lakers recall Sun Yue from D-League
The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled guard Sun Yue from the NBA Development League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders, it was announced today.
Sun, who became the 25th NBA player assigned to a D-League affiliate this season on March 6, played 4 games (4 starts) with the D-Fenders, averaging 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.25 blocks in 36.0 minutes.
Originally selected by the Lakers in the second round (40th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Sun signed with the Lakers the following summer (August 25, 2008) shortly after representing China as a member of the Men’s Olympic Basketball Team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Making his NBA debut on December 7 versus Milwaukee with four points on 2-of-3 shooting in five minutes, Sun has appeared in 10 games with the Lakers this season, totaling six points, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot in 28 minutes.
LeBron James is a Nate Robinson fan
New York Newsday (Alan Hahn) reports: Count LeBron James among the many stars in the NBA who admire Nate Robinson and what he brings to a game. “Love him,” James said before Robinson and the Knicks faced LeBron’s Cavaliers last night at Quicken Loans Arena. “One thing about Nate, there are certain players in this league that you know what you’re going to get out of them every night,” James said of Robinson’s boundless energy. “We have one like that in Anderson [Varejao]. Every night, you know you’re going to get high energy and they’re going to compete every night. “They’re going to make mistakes, but they play hard and they give it their all every night and you can live with that,” James added. “You can live with those type of players, and Nate is one of those players.”
Novak’s 3 gives Clippers 107-105 win over Nets
The AP reports: Steve Novak’s seventh 3-pointer beat the buzzer and helped the Clippers snap a seven-game losing streak with a 107-105 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night… Vince Carter had a season-high 41 points along with seven rebounds and six assists for the Nets, whose postseason hopes may have been severely damaged when point guard and leading scorer Devin Harris left with 8:53 remaining in the third quarter because of a sprained left shoulder… Novak finished with 21 points, and Baron Davis and Al Thornton each scored 20 for Los Angeles.