Month: March 2010

Chris Bosh drops 36 on Nets

The AP reports:

Chris Bosh drops 36 on Nets

With the Toronto Raptors in the midst of a slump, Chris Bosh got a little pep talk from Jarrett Jack(notes), Antoine Wright and Marcus Banks before their game with the woeful New Jersey Nets.

The message was simple. Play some basketball, have some fun and score 30 points.

Bosh did that and more, scoring 23 of his 36 points in the second half and the Raptors kept the Nets on the road to an NBA single-season record for losses with a 100-90 victory Saturday night.

“They were just on me about playing basketball and that made it fun,” Bosh said after the Raptors won for only the third time in 13 games.

“They were telling me what they wanted to see from me and what they wanted me to do, and anytime that happens, I see that as a challenge, and you know you don’t feel like you are out there by yourself.”

Playing in his 500th game as a Raptor, Bosh hit 16 of 27 shots from the field in helping the Toronto rally from a seven-point deficit early in the third quarter.

Jerry Sloan makes contact with ref

Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:

Jerry Sloan makes contact with ref

Ejected from Friday’s loss at Phoenix after making contact in the game’s final second with referee Michael Smith, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he was merely trying to defend himself.

“I put my arm up to keep him from coming any farther,” said Sloan, whose forearm met Smith’s chest. “I’ve had trouble with him before. So that’s why I did that.”

Sloan first tried to approach the referees while they were reviewing a hard last-second Grant Hill foul that floored Jazz backup point Ronnie Price, who appeared to try for a meaningless dunk as the 110-100 loss came to a close.

Security stopped him because coaches and players aren’t allowed to be near the refs during video reviews, but the two met after the review had concluded.

Cavs assign Darnell Jackson to D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have assigned forward Darnell Jackson to the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Jackson has averaged 0.7 points on .333 shooting and 0.8 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per game in 26 games. In his one game with the BayHawks this season, he posted game highs of 34 points on 14-22 shooting (.636) and 12 rebounds while adding two assists, four steals and one block in 42 minutes in Erie’s 114-108 victory over the Dakota Wizards on Feb. 25th. The second-year forward will be available to play tonight for the BayHawks in their game versus the Dakota Wizards at 7 p.m. at the Tullio Arena in Erie. The game will air on VERSUS presented by Papa John’s at 11:30 p.m.

The BayHawks are the D-League affiliate of the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.

Tyreke Evans suffers concussion and more

Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports:

Sure, it would have been fun for two parts of the NBA Rookie of the Year debate to duel on the court Friday night at Arco Arena.

But the Kings’ star rookie wouldn’t be around late. And there’s no telling when he might be back.

Tyreke Evans suffers concussion

Tyreke Evans left the game late in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied for a 114-108 double-overtime win.

Evans suffered a concussion in a fall and went to the locker room with 24.4 seconds left in regulation and the Kings ahead 91-89.

Evans also suffered lacerated gums and a chipped tooth, and doctors will check to see whether he has a broken jaw. Evans will not travel today with the team to Los Angeles for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

MARCH 20 AFTERNOON UPDATE

Sacramento Kings’ guard Tyreke Evans had an X-ray and CAT Scan taken this morning, of which the results came back negative for a fractured jaw. He will not travel with the team this afternoon to Los Angeles for tomorrow’s game against Clippers. Evans also suffered a slight concussion in last night’s 114-108 double overtime loss to Milwaukee at ARCO Arena. He will be re-evaluated Monday.

Evans, currently in his rookie NBA season, is averaging a team-leading 20.3 points (.461 FGs, .252 3FGs, .746 FTs), 5.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.45 steals per game through 64 outings of which he has started in all 64.

Wizards sign Shaun Livingston for rest of season

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard Shaun Livingston for the remainder of the season.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Livingston originally signed with Washington on February 26, and was signed to a second 10-day contract on March 9.  In 10 games for the Wizards (two starts), Livingston has averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 assists in 15.5 minutes per game, including season-highs of 18 points and eight assists vs. ORL (3/13).

Jeremy Tyler quit Israeli team Maccabi Haifa

ESPN reports:

Former U.S. high school basketball star Jeremy Tyler quit Israeli team Maccabi Haifa and returned home Friday, cutting short a disappointing first pro season.

The 18-year-old Tyler arrived in Israel on a wave of publicity in August after deciding to skip his senior year at San Diego High School to gain professional experience.

However, his time in Israel was fraught with problems, and he left five weeks before the end of the season.

“Due to personal matters, Jeremy chose to leave the team on his own will on March 18 and return home to San Diego,” Maccabi Haifa owner Jeffrey Rosen said in a statement. “We wish Jeremy all the best.”

In the 10 games Tyler played for Haifa, the 6-foot-11 power forward averaged only 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 7.6 minutes. Tyler, who reportedly earned a $140,000 salary, found it hard to adapt to the pro game and couldn’t find a place in Maccabi Haifa’s starting lineup.

Earl Clark rocks first D-League game

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports (via blog):

Earl Clark rocks first D-League game

Suns rookie Earl Clark went to Iowa to get some playing time and Iowa got some quality time out of the deal.

In his D-League debut Wednesday night with the Energy, Clark tallied 27 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and a block in 45 minutes of play during Iowa’s 135-132 overtime victory against Dakota. He missed the Suns’ NBA season high scoring game Tuesday but helped Iowa’s second highest scoring game of the season.

Clark made his first six shots of the game, including two he made at the rim while getting fouled. He had 25 of his points through three quarters of play in front of 1,955 fans at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena. Clark scored 12 of his points on layups or dunks but was 5 of 8 from the perimeter, all taken inside the 3-point arc.

Pau Gasol calls police after paparazzi tail his car

The AP reports:

Pau Gasol calls Rpolice after paparazzi tail his car

Police in Redondo Beach, Calif., say two men they stopped for following Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol turned out to be Spanish paparazzi.

Sgt. Phil Keenan says Gasol told officers he saw the men following him before he got into his car Wednesday afternoon.

Keenan says the men tailed Gasol’s car and the athlete was worried that they might be stalkers.

LeBron will reach 15,000 points two years younger than Kobe did

George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal reports:

Cavaliers forward LeBron James scored 32 points Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers and needs three points to become the youngest player ever to score 15,000 points in a career. Kobe Bryant was 27 years and 136 days old when he became the youngest to score 15,000 points. James is 25. With his sixth rebound, James passed Jim Chones for fourth on the Cavs’ all-time list. Chones has 3,790. James finished with nine rebounds and now has 3,794.

James’ triple-double against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday moved him into the third slot among active players, behind Jason Kidd (104) and Grant Hill (29). James has 28. Additionally, with 23 triple-doubles of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, he topped Michael Jordan (22) and ranks third behind Magic Johnson (40) and Larry Bird (29).