Month: October 2009

NBA fines Larry Brown, Lionel Hollins for behavior towards replacement refs

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins and Charlotte Bobcats head coach Larry Brown have each been fined for improper conduct towards game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Hollins has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing game officials following the Grizzlies loss to the Orlando Magic on October 12 at FedEx Forum.

Brown has been fined $35,000 for verbally abusing game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter of Charlotte’s game vs. Atlanta game on October 12 at Philips Arena.  Brown has been fined an additional $25,000 for publicly criticizing the referees following the game.

The Charlotte Bobcats have also been fined $60,000 for Brown’s actions.

Warriors exercise options on Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph

Warriors exercise options on Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph

The Golden State Warriors announced today that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Brandan Wright and the third-year contract option on forward Anthony Randolph, which are both for the 2010-11 NBA season.

Wright, 22, underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on October 9 and will have his shoulder immobilized for up to six (6) weeks, at which point he will be re-evaluated prior to the next phase of rehabilitation.  A 6-10 forward, Wright appeared in 39 games last season, averaging 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per contest.  Overall in two NBA seasons, the University of North Carolina product has appeared in 77 games, averaging 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 13.8 minutes per contest.

Randolph, 20, appeared in 63 games last season, averaging 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.17 blocks in 17.9 minutes during a rookie campaign in which he was the youngest player in the NBA.  The 6-11 forward started 22 games last season, averaging 10.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 25.7 minutes in those assignments.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.  Wright was selected with the eighth overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats and later acquired by Golden State, while Randolph was selected by the Warriors with the 14th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Clippers exercise options on Eric Gordon, Al Thornton

The Los Angeles Clippers today exercised the club’s third-year contract option on guard Eric Gordon and the fourth-year contract option on forward Al Thornton.

Gordon, who was selected by the Clippers as the seventh overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, begins his second NBA season and is now signed through the 2010-11 campaign. Under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Clippers had the right to exercise this contract option.

Gordon turned in a stellar rookie campaign, averaging 16.1 points in 78 games played last season, earning him a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team as well as seeing him finish fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.

Thornton, the 14th overall selection by the Clippers in the 2007 NBA Draft is now also signed through the 2010-11 season, with the Clippers holding the right of first refusal. In two seasons with the Clippers, Thornton has tallied 15.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Taj Gibson having impressive preseason

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports: Taj Gibson is averaging 13.7 points on 53.6 percent shooting and also has matched up against the Jazz’s Carlos Boozer. In his matchup against the Bucks’ Thomas, the veteran forward pump-faked Gibson into an early foul, after which Gibson punched the stanchion in disgust. “You can’t take this job for granted,” Gibson said. “You have to take advantage of every chance you get. That’s why I watch so much film, which is fun for me. “One thing about me is I’m a gym rat. From the time I came, I told (general manager) Gar (Forman) that I love playing basketball. I’m going go to do whatever it takes to be the best player I can be.” Gibson earned Pac-10 defensive player of the year honors at USC, so his ability to consistently sink the midrange jumper has surprised some. Gibson isn’t one of them.

Heat sign Carlos Arroyo

heat sign carlos arroyo

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent guard Carlos Arroyo. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the deal is for one year and is not a guaranteed contract.

Arroyo, 6’2”, 200 pounds, has appeared in 433 regular season NBA games (113 starts) and averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 18.2 minutes while shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the foul line. The seven-year NBA veteran spent last season with Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel), appearing in 28 games averaging 15.3 points, 5.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.29 steals in 31.1 minutes of action. Prior to his stint in Israel, Arroyo spent his NBA career with Toronto, Denver, Utah, Detroit and most recently appeared in 161 games (25 starts) with the Orlando Magic over the course of three seasons from 2005-08. Additionally, he has appeared in 29 postseason NBA games and averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 assists in 8.5 minutes of action.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “Coach Erik Spoelstra said Arroyo was one of several candidates considered. Heat President Pat Riley stressed last week that because of concerns about the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on excessive payroll, the Heat only would offer non-guaranteed, one-year contracts to such candidates. For a player of Arroyo’s experience, that is $1.1 million. Arroyo’s contract would not become fully guaranteed until Jan. 10.”

Arroyo, a Puerto Rican native, helped lead the Puerto Rican Men’s National Team to a Bronze medal in the Olympic qualifying tournament in 2003 and also led the national team to a sixth place finish in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2001, he became just the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA.

During his colligate career in Miami at Florida International University, Arroyo became just the second player in school history to score at least 1,600 career points. He finished his FIU career setting school records with 459 assists and 177 steals. He also ranked second in school history in three-point field goals made (174), third in field goals made (562) and third in free throws made (302).

Arroyo will wear number 8.

CJ Miles has thumb surgery

Utah Jazz guard/forward C.J. Miles has undergone successful surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today. Following the surgery, which was performed by Dr. Keith Raskins in New York, Miles will be placed in a rigid cast for four weeks. He will then be reevaluated prior to beginning rehabilitation in Salt Lake City.

Miles originally suffered the injury on Monday, October 5 during practice at London’s O2 Arena. Selected by the Jazz in the second round (34th overall) of the 2005 NBA draft, Miles (6-6, 220, Skyline H.S.) has appeared in 192 games (98 starts) with Utah, owning career averages of 5.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. Starting in all 72 games played last season, the Dallas native enjoyed a career year in 2008-09, averaging 9.1 points, 1.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game.

Tim Duncan to wear knee brace all season

San Antonio Spurs forward/center Tim Duncan is getting older and taking care to ensure that his knees stay strong.

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

The brace Tim Duncan has been wearing on his left knee throughout the preseason will remain for the entire season.

Duncan scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in his first preseason action Friday.

“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I’ve gone through four or five braces this summer, trying to find the right one. That’s the one that feels good so far.”

Duncan will turn 35 years old on April 25, which according to the calendar in my head should be during the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Spurs defending without Bowen

Spurs defense without Bowen

The successful San Antonio Spurs have been strong defenders ever since the days of David Robinson playing alongside Tim Duncan, but for years the tradition also continued thanks to the efforts of Bruce Bowen.

Age caught up with the aggressive small forward last season and he quickly fell off the map, eventually being moved to another team, and recently announcing his retirement.

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

The transition to a post-Bowen defense began last season, when the eight-time All-Defensive Team selection’s ability to lock down the league’s great scorers began to erode. Bowen slipped out of the starting lineup. His minutes dwindled to fewer than 19 per game, an all-time low for his eight seasons with the Spurs.

Now, Jefferson will be part of a gang approach to defending players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Wade, who is likely to miss today’s game with a strained rib muscle. So will Manu Ginobili, George Hill, Roger Mason Jr. and Keith Bogans.

“Bruce was the best at making those kinds of guys uncomfortable, but those guys you have to guard as a team,” Ginobili said, “so we’re going to have to play better team defense than the last two years.

“We all have to step up defensively.”

The Spurs have a limited window to win another championship in the Duncan era, and they stocked up on weapons this summer and are going for broke this year. On paper, I consider them the second or third best team in the Western conference.

Brian Wheeler calls 1,000th consecutive Blazers game

Joe Freeman of the Oregonian writes (via blog): The Trail Blazers have featured four coaches, orchestrated 39 trades and endured one NBA lockout since Brian Wheeler’s smooth, soothing voice started belting “Boom-chaka-lakas” out of Portland radios. But during that time, one thing has never occurred — Wheeler has never missed a game. The longtime play-by-play broadcaster called his 1,000th consecutive game on Friday, when the Blazers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. This is Wheeler’s 12th season behind the microphone for the Blazers, and not a scratchy voice, illness nor any other hindrance has forced him to miss an exhibition, regular-season or postseason game along the way. “Luckily, I’ve never really had any trouble with my voice,” Wheeler said. “I don’t know if that’s because of the great training I had in the school choir as a kid, where they taught you to breathe from your diaphragm and not put extra strain on your throat. But whatever it was, I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had any real issues with that.”