March 2010 – Page 6 – NBA Blog

Steve Kerr does not see D-League assignment as demotion

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Those who labeled Suns rookie Earl Clark’s three-game assignment to D-League affiliate Iowa as a demotion last week have raised the ire of Suns General Manager Steve Kerr.

“It’s stupid,” Kerr said. “I don’t know why people look at it that way. I’m hopeful that someday, after it’s collectively bargained, you’d be able to send a guy down on an injury stint, like Major League Baseball.”

Players are limited to three D-League trips per season in their first two years. Kerr attended the final two of Clark’s three games with Iowa, for which he averaged 21 points and nine rebounds.

Clark shot decent from mid-range but did not take a 3-pointer. He has tried five 3s, making two, in Suns games. Clark puts in extra shooting after games and before practices but still has work to do with his mechanics.

Chris Paul returns for Hornets

The AP reports:

The New Orleans Hornets enjoyed one of their best nights of the NBA season, routing Dallas 115-99 and welcoming back injured star Chris Paul after a 25-game absence.

Marcus Thornton scored 28 points while David West added 25 points and 10 assists for the Hornets, whose 23-0 run late in the second quarter and early in the third proved decisive against the Southwest division leaders.

Paul started and scored 11 points and added three assists in 21 minutes, but his time was limited by Hornets coach Jeff Bower in his first game back after a left knee injury.

“I was just happy to get out there on the court,” Paul said. “I wasn’t worrying about scoring or anything like that. I just wanted to try to get the feel back and get the win.”

Nets CEO Brett Yormark snaps at bag-wearing fan

New Jersey Nets CEO Brett Yormark has a good reputation. But every once in a while, even the best executives are prone to get emotional, especially during an especially dismal season like this one. Here’s what went down in New Jersey Monday, as the team lost to the Miami Heat.

Julian Garcia of the New York Daily News reports:

With the Nets trailing 79-67 between the third and fourth quarters, Yormark left his courtside seat and passed Chris Lisi of Middletown, N.J., who was sitting in the second row and wearing a paper bag over his head. Yormark then walked back toward Lisi, and in full view of reporters and photographers got into a shouting match with Lisi and a pal.

As Yormark jabbed his finger toward Lisi as he shouted something, Lisi pulled out a pair of tickets and waved them back at the CEO, who then stomped away as security personnel approached.

A Yormark spokesperson said the executive had no comment regarding the incident, but Lisi claimed that Yormark had incited it by asking him why he had the bag over his head. When Lisi sarcastically answered, “Because the Nets are so good,” Yormark snapped at him. Neither Lisi nor his companion, who joined in the shouting match, is a season-ticket holder, and they seemed to be unaware of whom they were arguing with.

It’s probably best to chalk this one up to every human being needing to let some steam off once in a while.

Danilo Gallinari asked to guard best opposing scorer

Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks will play host to the Denver Nuggets. And at the small forward spot, it’s about to be ON!

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports:

Danilo Gallinari asks to guard Carmelo Anthony

How else to describe the decision to have Danilo Gallinari guard Denver’s Carmelo Anthony Tuesday at the Garden? Anthony already has hung 50 points on the Knicks this season – more than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant or any other NBA player.

Here’s the kicker: Not exactly known as a defender, Gallinari asked for the assignment.

“I like to play against the best because that’s the only way to improve,” he said Monday after practice in Greenburgh. “It’s a part of learning. It’s a part of trying to understand where I am and what I have to do get to that level and what they have more than me. I like the challenge.”

Andre Iguodala playing hurt

Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News reports:

Mired in one of the worst shooting slumps in his 6-year career, 76ers forward Andre Iguodala revealed yesterday that he is suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Iguodala is just 28-for-85 (32.9 percent) in his past six games after posting 30 points in a home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has also missed 27 of his last 29 shots from beyond the arc.

“It has been hurting for the past couple of weeks,” said Iguodala, who scored 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting in 37 minutes in last night’s 109-93 loss to the Magic. “It’s not something particular that happened, I just noticed it. It’s bothering, but something I can play through.”

David Stern, John Thompson reached out to Allen Iverson

ESPN The Magazine reports:

NBA commissioner David Stern and legendary former Georgetown coach John Thompson recently reached out to troubled ex-76ers guard Allen Iverson, according to Iverson’s longtime business manager, Gary Moore.

Stern telephoned Moore Monday and asked how Iverson was coping with the myriad of problems that have come his way. Moore said the two spoke for about 10 minutes and he assured the commissioner Iverson is doing fine.

“David was genuinely concerned for Allen,” Moore said. “He asked about his daughter and his wife. He said that if Allen needed him he knows how to get him.”

Moore said Stern also asked about a recent Philadelphia Inquirer report that said Iverson was battling alcohol and gambling problems.

Stern confirmed the conversation through an NBA spokesman but refused to comment. No future meeting or discussion between Stern and Iverson was set up.

Leon Powe comeback trail

George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal reports:

They’ve rebuilt him — or at least his knee — and it’s paying off for the Cavs during the playoff run.

Coach Mike Brown will have some tough decisions when it comes to his playoff rotation and Leon Powe, who sparkled in the postseason during his career with the Boston Celtics, isn’t making it easier.

Powe had his best game (16 points, seven rebounds) against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

”I’ve worked hard on my leg to try and get back to this point,” Powe said, ”but it’s moving a little bit faster than I thought, which is a sign of my dedication to [rehab] and that is a tribute to me.”

He still isn’t very fast. He doesn’t jump very high, but somehow he was able to even get a dunk in against the Pistons.

”My family keeps asking me to get them a dunk,” he said, ”but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it. When I saw the opportunity, I went and tried it and I dunked it. I was happy about it.”

Warriors keep Reggie Williams, waive Raja Bell

The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Reggie Williams for the remainder of the season, the team announced today.

Williams, 23, has appeared in 11 games with Golden State, averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 24.1 minutes per contest, while shooting 53.0% (53-100 FG) from the field, 48.6% (17-35 3FG) from long range and 90.0% (18-20 FT) from the line. He registered a career-high 28 points in 34 minutes at New Orleans on March 8, and scored 18 fourth quarter points – including 4-of-5 three-pointers – en route to a 22-point performance in the Warriors victory over New Orleans on March 17. A 6-6, 210-pound forward, Williams signed his first 10-day with the Warriors on March 2 as a free agent call-up from the NBA Development League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, and signed a second 10-day on March 12.

In a related move, the Warriors have waived guard Raja Bell. The Warriors roster now stands at 15 players.

Wolves waive Alando Tucker

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived forward Alando Tucker. The Timberwolves acquired Tucker from Phoenix on Dec. 29, 2009 along with a conditional second-round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for Jason Hart.

A 6-6 forward, Tucker appeared in four games for the Wolves this season, averaging 2.0 points in 6.3 minutes per game. The 29th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Suns, Tucker owns career averages of 4.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 51 appearances.

Golden State Warriors are for sale

The Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) have retained Galatioto Sports Partners (“GSP”) to conduct a sale of the team, it was announced today. GSP, acting as the Club’s exclusive financial advisor, will manage all aspects of the sales process. As such, all related inquiries should be made directly to GSP.

Neither the Warriors nor GSP anticipate making any further public comments regarding the sales process until and unless a definitive agreement on a transaction is reached.

The Warriors, currently majority-owned by Christopher Cohan, are an NBA franchise located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the fifth-largest market in the NBA. The team plays its home games in Oakland, California, at Oracle Arena.

Galatioto Sports Partners, the leading sports advisory and finance firm, specializes in providing investment banking and innovative financing solutions to the global professional sports market. GSP was established in early 2005 by Salvatore Galatioto. The principals of the GSP have acted in a variety of capacities on more than 70 transactions in the major North American and European sports leagues.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The Golden State Warriors need a new owner, new GM, new coach and new players. Otherwise, they’re good.

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