December 2009 – Page 3 – NBA Blog

Joel Przybilla out for season

Portland Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla underwent successful surgery today to repair a ruptured right patella tendon and will be out for the remainder of the 2009-10 season, it was announced by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

The two-hour surgery was performed by Dr. Don Roberts at Southwest Washington Surgery Center in Vancouver, Wash. Przybilla is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the Trail Blazers Fall Training Camp.

“Joel has been a pillar of our team and he is now on the road to recovery,” said Pritchard. “We believe very strongly in Joel and look forward to his return next season.

“We are also grateful and appreciative, especially here during the holidays, that we have such talented and caring doctors associated with our team. Dr. Roberts and Dr. Tom Reis have done an impeccable job of caring for our team during these challenging times.”

The injury occurred at the 3:12 mark of the first quarter in Tuesday’s 85-81 win at Dallas.

Przybilla, 30, averaged 4.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.43 blocked shots in 30 games (nine starts) this season. He ranks among NBA leaders in rebounds and blocked shots per game, and places second on the team in both categories. Przybilla recently put together a stretch of six straight games with 10-plus rebounds from Dec. 11-20.

He ranks sixth all-time in Trail Blazers history with 593 blocked shots.

Celtics re-assign Lester Hudson to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that guard Lester Hudson has been reassigned to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. This is Hudson’s second assignment to the Red Claws this season.

Hudson, a 6’3” guard, appeared in three games for the Red Claws earlier in the season and averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 34.0 minutes per game.

Ron Artest injured at home

Lakers Forward Ron Artest was injured last night at his home when he tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs, suffering an injury to his head and left elbow.

Artest received treatment at the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center, where he was released after undergoing a series of tests, including a CT scan. He received stitches to the back of his head and to his elbow.

Artest did not accompany the team to Sacramento this morning and is not expected to play in tonight’s game against the Kings. Artest will be examined today in Los Angeles by a neurologist and after that examination, an update will be given with an estimate as to when Artest will be able to rejoin the team.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Artest should try to stay away from dangerous places like home and stick to the safety of a basketball court.

Update: Ron Artest was examined today in Los Angeles by a neurologist. Diagnosis from his examination showed that Artest did suffer a concussion in last night’s fall. Artest’s condition has improved since last night; however, he will continue to see a neurologist on a daily basis until he is cleared to return. He is definitely out for tonight’s game against the Kings at Sacramento and his status beyond that will be considered day-to-day.

Leandro Barboa returns

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Leandro Barbosa still might have been sore, but the Suns did not hurt for having him back.

The guard returned to action from an ankle sprain after missing nearly four weeks, recording 12 points and four assists in 21 minutes during the Suns’ 124-93 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at US Airways Center.

Barbosa helped stretch a four-point lead to eight during his first nine minutes of action in the second quarter, when he scored six points by penetrating on the baseline, off a curl and on an isolation drive. It was a one-on-one speed element that the Suns had missed.

“I was feeling comfortable out there,” Barbosa said.

Yi Jianlian good in return

Jonathan Lehman of the New York Post reports:

In the span of 30 minutes Wednesday night, forward Yi Jianlian might have played his way into the starting lineup. At 2-27, the moribund Nets have little to lose — except their ninth straight game.

Yi showed little rust in his return from a seven-week absence because of knee and lip injuries, scoring 22 points in the 103-99 home loss to the (almost) equally woeful Timberwolves. He hit 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 7 of 12 shots overall, giving the Nets — who shoot a league-worst 41.6 percent and 27.9 on threes — a sorely needed perimeter threat.

“He stretches the floor for us,” point guard Devin Harris said. “He came out ready to play and it shows how hard he’s been working. His stroke we’ll definitely need for the rest of the season.”

Gilbert Arenas had unloaded guns in locker

The AP reports:

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas stored unloaded firearms in a container in his locker, according to the team, and the NBA is looking into the situation.

The Wizards issued a statement Thursday night saying there was no ammunition in the locked container, and Arenas and the team have notified authorities and the league.

Mike Jones of the Washington Times reports:

In a phone interview with The Washington Times, Arenas said he had guns at his home, but following the Dec. 9 birth of his third child, daughter Hamiley Penny, he decided he didn’t want the weapons anywhere his children could get to them. So on Dec. 10, Arenas brought them to Verizon Center, where he stored them in his lockbox until he could figure out what to do with them. A week later, he turned the guns over to team security and asked that they be turned over to the D.C. police.

Anthony Randolph blocks 8 shots in start

Marcus Thompson II of the Oakland Tribune reports:

In just his second start of the season, second-year man Anthony Randolph gave the Warriors an immediate defensive presence inside.

Randolph started at center and finished with a career-high eight blocks in the Warriors’ 108-102 loss Wednesday to the New Orleans Hornets. It was the most blocks by a Warrior since Adonal Foyle had nine against New York on Feb. 21, 2003.

Randolph’s six first-quarter blocks were two off the team record for a quarter.

“I feel the (previous) couple games I did poorly on defense,” said Randolph, whose previous career-high was five blocks in a game against San Antonio in March. “I kind of took it upon myself to come out here and try to control the paint and help my teammates out as much as I can when they got beat.”

JR Smith hits 10 three-pointers

Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith went bonkers in a win over the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday.

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:

JR Smith hits 10 three-pointers, finishes with 41 points

The game ceased being a game — like, you know, with five-on-five competition — and it became one man’s crowd-rising, hair-raising exhibition (think Evel Knievel with a jumper).

In the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 124-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, J.R. Smith would collect a pass and the Pepsi Center fans would pop out of their seats, their “aaahs!” increasing until Smith’s release — for then they became capital-A “AAAhs!”

The Denver guard sank four fourth-quarter 3-pointers and was 10-for-17 on the night from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 41 points, five short of his career high.

“It’s like throwing rocks into the ocean,” said Smith, who became the first player in NBA history to tally multiple games with 10 or more 3s in his career. “I really established that (rhythm) early. They started doubling off me and going on (Carmelo Anthony). Everything else was like throwing darts.”

On Wednesday, Smith shot 15-for-25 from the field but 1-for-6 from the foul line, where he has struggled all season.

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Lakers sign Pau Gasol to contract extension

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward/center Pau Gasol to a multi-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “Gasol officially signed a three-year extension worth up to $64.7 million, depending on the NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.”

According to ESPN.com, “The year-by-year breakdown of the extension: $18,714,150 in 2011-12, $19,000,000 in 2012-13 and $19,285,850 in 2013-14.”

Since being acquired by the Lakers on February 1, 2008 as part of a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, Gasol has helped Los Angeles to a 101-23 (.815) regular season record in games he has appeared in. In the postseason, the Lakers have posted a 30-14 (.682) record with Gasol, winning the Western Conference in both trips to the playoffs since he joined the team as well as the franchise’s 15th NBA Championship in 2009.

Gasol, currently a reigning NBA Champion, FIBA World Champion (Tournament MVP) and European Champion (Tournament MVP), earned a silver medal with Spain at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, falling just shy of the gold against the United States. Named the 2008 European Player of the Year, he earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2009 as well as his second trip to the NBA All-Star game (2006, 2009).

“Over the past year and a half, Pau has quickly developed into one of the best all-around players in the NBA,” said Kupchak. “The impact he has had on and off the court for the Lakers is significant, and we look forward to watching Pau continue as one of the best players in the league for years to come.”

“Coming to terms on an extension for Pau is another step for the organization in its goal of trying to keep the core of this team together for the foreseeable future,” continued Kupchak. “The Buss family recognizes this opportunity and will continue to do whatever is possible to put the organization in position to contend for NBA championships.”

The fourth player in NBA history to go straight from Europe to the NBA and score 10,000 career points, Gasol concluded the 2008-09 season ranked among league leaders in points (25th/18.9), rebounds (8th/9.6), field goal percentage (5th/.567) and blocks (27th/1.00) while appearing in 81 games.

In 16 games this season, Gasol is averaging 17.0 points on .543 shooting from the field, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.75 blocked shots in 36.1 minutes.

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Tyson Chandler out at least one week

The Charlotte Bobcats announced today that center Tyson Chandler will miss a minimum of one week due to a stress reaction in the fourth metatarsal of his left foot. Chandler suffered the injury, which was initially diagnosed as a left forefoot sprain, in the third quarter of Tuesday’s 88-76 win over Detroit. X-rays taken at the arena came back negative, but Chandler underwent a precautionary MRI on Wednesday morning performed by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry, who concluded that Chandler had a stress reaction.

The Charlotte Bobcats, who became the NBA’s 30th franchise when they joined the league in 2004-05, return to action Saturday when they travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder at 8:00pm ET. The game can be seen on SportSouth and heard on WFNZ 610 AM.

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