November 2009 – Page 12 – NBA Blog

Oleksiy Pecherov shining for Wolves

Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via blog):

Timberwolves forward Oleksiy Pecherov has become the team’s most improved player, and he’s done it in the past three games. When Pecherov, as Wolves coach Kurt Rambis puts it, “learns how to compete in this league and gets a better understanding of our offense and defense,” the Wolves might get quality production out of a player they weren’t sure about.

The 7-foot Pecherov, a three-year veteran from Ukraine, came to the Wolves from the Washington Wizards in June in the draft-day trade that shipped out Mike Miller and Randy Foye. Pecherov was a relative unknown, but that could change.

Rambis has started Percherov the past four games, and his career-high 24 points against Boston Wednesday night will keep him in the starting lineup.

No penalty on Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul

The AP reports: The NBA will not penalize Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo for an incident between them after a recent game in Boston. Paul pursued Rondo toward the Celtics’ locker room and was blocked by Boston assistant coaches after the Celtics’ 97-87 victory over New Orleans on Sunday night.

The Boston Globe reports (via blog): After egging each other on for much of Sunday’s game, Rondo and Paul got into a mixup as the teams were shaking hands and had to be separated by Paul Pierce among others. The details from that point are all over the place, with Chris Paul seen going back and forth with Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau and reports that Ray Allen went into the Hornets locker room to apologize to Paul (which Allen explained as him simply going to Paul for autographs).

Andres Nocioni arrested for suspicion of DUI

KCRA reports: Sacramento Kings player Andres Nocioni has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, police said. Police Sgt. Norm Leong said Nocioni was stopped while driving in the downtown area at about 2 a.m. Thursday.

CBS 13 reports: Just hours after the Sacramento Kings lost to the Atlanta Hawks at ARCO Wednesday night, Kings forward Andrés Nocioni was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Sacramento Police arrested Nocioni at 3:36am this morning. Charges indicate he had a blood alcohol level of .08 or more. Nocioni started his career as an international player, played in the Athens Olympics, back in 2007 he was playing for the Chicago Bulls.

AFTERNOON UPDATE

GEOFF PETRIE: “The Sacramento Kings are extremely disappointed in the poor judgment which led to the driving under the influence arrest of Andres. He has apologized to the organization and his teammates. We will wait for the outcome of the judicial process and the NBA’s decision on potential fines and or suspension. This experience now becomes a life lesson learned the hard way.”

ANDRES NOCIONI: “I want to apologize to the Kings’ organization, my teammates, my coaches, the fans, the city of Sacramento and my family. Drinking and driving is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. I made a mistake and I’m very sorry for my lapse in judgment.”

Mike Miller out 7-10 days

The AP reports:

Washington Wizards guard Mike Miller sprained his left shoulder in the fourth quarter of the Wizards’ game against Miami on Wednesday night and is expected to miss seven to 10 days.

Miller first hurt the shoulder in the third quarter in a collision with the Heat’s Mario Chalmers. He immediately clutched his shoulder and was taken to the locker room.

“It felt like it came out of place, went numb,” Miller said. “That scared me more than anything.”

Nancy Lieberman to coach Frisco D-League team

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

The incoming NBA Development League franchise in suburban Dallas, co-owned by Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and scheduled to begin play in the 2010-11 season, has made a bold choice for its first head coach: Nancy Lieberman.

Lieberman, an ESPN television analyst, is poised to become the first woman to be a head coach the D-League, which sent 20 players to the NBA last season and is widely regarded as the most scouted league in the world outside of the NBA.

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com Nelson’s ownership group has secured approval from the NBA to hire Lieberman to coach the yet-to-be-named team based in Frisco, Texas, which will serve as the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate next season. A formal announcement of her hiring is expected this week, possibly as soon as Wednesday.

Kings sign Ime Udoka

The Sacramento Kings today signed guard-forward Ime Udoka to a contract, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. InsideHoops.com hears it’s a non-guaranteed deal.

“We’re excited about the addition of Ime to the Kings,” Petrie said. “He is experienced, a tough defender and has the ability to help space the floor at the offensive end.”

The 6-5, 220-pound guard-forward amassed career averages of 6.0 points (42.8 FG%, 37.4 3FG%, 70.4 FT%), 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game through 227 games in five seasons with the Lakers (2003-04), New York (2005-06), Portland (2006-07), and San Antonio (2007-08 – 2008-09). Undrafted after finishing his college career at Portland State, Udoka was signed as a free agent by the Lakers (8/13/03). Before joining the Kings, Udoka was with Portland during the 2009 preseason. His best year, statistically, occurred during 2006-07 when he averaged 8.4 points (46.1 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 74.2 FT%), 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game starting all 75 contests he played in with the Trail Blazers.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Dwight Howard frustrated by foul night

Tuesday night in Detroit, the Pistons hosted the Orlando Magic and behind 20+ point games from three players managed to come away with a home victory. Magic star Dwight Howard played just under 17 minutes, yet fouled out with six fouls and finished with just 8 points, 5 rebounds, no assists (3 turnovers) and 3 blocks.

Today, on his own website (DwightHoward.com), Dwight wrote:

Yo, what up, world??? Not sure how many of you guys saw the game last night in Detroit, but let me tell you that was one to forget. We lost for the first time all season, the first time since the Finals, I guess. But it was how we lost that frustrated me the most.

I was on the floor for 16 minutes and fouled out!!! Let me say that again: 17 minutes and six fouls!!! How can that be, ya’ll? It was crazy. They called me for a charge on a flop, a push off when the defender was on me and two fouls on blocked shots.

Man, 16 minutes is a lifetime low for me I think. I haven’t played that little in a game since I was 10 years old in pee-wee ball. It was crazy from the start of the game all the way to when I fouled out with about 4 minutes to play.

What really bothers me is they are letting guys hammer me at one end of the floor, yet I’m being called for everything. All of those hits take a toll on my body after a while.

The Magic were 3-0 to start the season. The loss was their first in 2009-10. Wednesday night they head to Phoenix to battle the 4-0 Suns.

Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy released from jail

The AP reports:

Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was a free man Wednesday after serving most of a 15-month sentence in a gambling scandal.

Pat Berdan, a consultant working with Donaghy, said he was released from Hernando County Jail in Florida, where he had been held since August after officials said he violated travel restrictions while living at a halfway house in the Tampa area.

A New York judge sentenced the ex-referee in July 2008 after Donaghy said he took thousands of dollars from a professional gambler in exchange for inside tips on games – including games he worked.

InsideHoops.com says: He’s a jerk.

Clippers add Spanish radio broadcasts

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that the team has entered into a broadcast agreement with KWKW AM 1330. KWKW will broadcast 31 home games and 17 road games in Spanish during the 2009-10 season beginning with the Clippers’ home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, November 7th. Calling the games for KWKW will be Celso Gaspar.

KWKW is Los Angeles’ first Spanish Radio Station and has been under continuous ownership by the Kalmenson family controlled Lotus Communications since 1962. KWKW is the flagship station of the ESPN Deportes Radio Network.

Delonte West indicted on six weapons offenses

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West was caught a while back more or less dressed up like Rambo. The latest developments on that situation are worse than expected.

Ruben Castaneda of the Washington Post reports:

A Prince George’s County grand jury indicted Delonte West, a Washington area native who plays for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, on six weapons offenses Tuesday in a September incident in which he was arrested on the Capital Beltway with three loaded guns and an 8 1/2-inch bowie knife, authorities said.

In addition to the weapons offenses — each of which is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of three years in prison — the grand jury also indicted West, 26, on one count each of reckless driving and negligent driving.

Prince George’s prosecutors routinely seek jail time for people convicted of weapons charges, even first-time offenders. State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said West’s case will be handled no differently than any other.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Prince George’s County (Md.) State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey announced today that West was indicted by a grand jury on a wide array of weapons counts, more expansive than the two-gun possession charges police applied when he was arrested following a traffic stop Sept. 17 outside of Washington, D.C.

West has been indicted on two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of carrying a handgun, two counts of transporting a handgun, and one count of reckless driving and one count of negligent driving. If convicted, West could face up to three years for each of the six gun charges and a $2,500 fine per offense.

The AP reports:

West was indicted on two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of carrying a handgun, two counts of transporting a handgun, and one count each of reckless driving and negligent driving. The charges are all misdemeanors. Each of the weapons counts carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.

West was initially charged with just two counts of carrying a handgun and with driving in excess of reasonable and prudent speed.

Well, this all sounds fantastic.

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