April 2010 – Page 17 – NBA Blog

Knicks win over Celtics features Earl Barron, electric atmosphere

Tuesday night in New York, the Boston Celtics visited the Knicks in Madison Square Garden and left with a loss. The highlights of the evening were the scoring of Danilo Gallinari, the fantastic play of Earl Barron, and the amazing, electric atmosphere in MSG.

Although the Knicks leading scorer was Gallinari, who shot 10-of-15, and hit 10-of-11 free throws for 31 points and five rebounds, the real surprise of the evening came from Barron, a random free agent center the Knicks recently picked up to help them close out the season.

Starting alongside David Lee, Barron was fantastic, shooting 8-of-13 for 17 points and 18 rebounds in over 44 minutes of play. There was no reason to consider taking Barron out. He constantly set screens, moved without the ball, created passing lanes, and helped the team virtually every minute he was on the floor.

Barron is auditioning for a real NBA contract, but yesterday’s play showed he belongs on a roster. He showed a high basketball IQ in almost everything he did.

The Knicks can also be proud of their fans and home arena. The Garden was simply electric. And in the 4th quarter, as it became apparent the Knicks really might win, fans were going bonkers. Fans gave up home long ago that the team would make the playoffs. Yet they continue to pack MSG and provide very loud support.

For the Celtics, no one really stepped up. They were led by Ray Allen’s 17 points (6-of-9), but the shooting guard had no rebounds and just one assist. Kendrick Perkins (6-of-8) had 14 points and eight rebounds. Kevin Garnett was disappointing with 14 points on 12 shots, just four rebounds and four assists. Paul Pierce was underwhelming as well, with 13 points on 10 shots, six rebounds and more turnovers than assists. Rajon Rondo had just six points and six assists.

The bright spots for the Celtics were 54.8% shooting, and the fact that they almost won despite almost everyone on the roster having an off night.

To keep perspective, Boston is mainly focused on staying healthy for the playoffs, while New York will miss the post-season and has a roster is filled with players who will be free agent this summer.

But fans in Madison Square Garden last night enjoyed a real thrill.

Chris Bosh has surgery to repair displaced nasal fracture

$Chris Bosh has surgery to repair displaced nasal fracture$

Raptors forward Chris Bosh underwent successful surgery today to repair a displaced nasal fracture. The procedure was performed by Dr. Frank Papay at The Cleveland Clinic. Bosh will remain in the hospital overnight in Cleveland.

Bosh left last night’s game in Cleveland at the 9:52 mark of the first quarter after receiving an inadvertent elbow to the face. A CT scan taken at The Cleveland Clinic revealed both a non-displaced maxilla fracture and a displaced nasal fracture to the right side of his face.

The Raptors play host to Boston tonight at Air Canada Centre (7 p.m., TSN2/FAN 590).

Shane Battier out for rest of season

Rockets F Shane Battier is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season for precautionary reasons relating to the sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee which he sustained at New York on March 21.

After consulting with the Rockets medical team, a mutual decision was reached to keep Battier out of action for the team’s remaining five games.

The eighth-year veteran is expected to make a full recovery and be available to commence his usual offseason training program with no limitations beginning in mid-April.

The NBA regular season ends in one week, on April 14.

Thaddeus Young will miss remainder of season

Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young will miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season due to a right thumb fracture. Based on the results of x-rays taken last evening, which were evaluated by Dr. Jack McPhilemy of Main Line Health, the injury has not healed sufficiently enough to allow Young to return to game action.

“While Thaddeus did everything asked of him in an attempt to return to action this season, we feel it necessary to take the appropriate precautions to allow this injury to heal properly,” said Sixers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski.

Young appeared in 67 games with 45 starts this season, averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.21 steals in 32.0 minutes per game. He recorded six double-doubles this season after having just two his first two seasons combined. For his career, Young is shooting 49.5% from the floor.

Suns assign Taylor Griffin to D-League

Phoenix Suns forward Taylor Griffin was re-assigned to the Iowa Energy, the Suns’ NBA D-League affiliate, it was announced today. The re-assignment is the 36th time an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate during the 2009-10 season and the third for Griffin.

In two previous stints with the Energy this season, Griffin, 6-7, 238-pounds, averaged 9.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 12 games (11 starts). He scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 94-82 victory over the Dakota Wizards on Dec. 11 in Iowa.

Selected in the second round (48th overall) by the Phoenix Suns in the 2009 NBA Draft, Griffin has appeared in eight games this season for the Suns, scoring 10 points in eight minutes.

A four-year contributor at Oklahoma, Griffin averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds during his senior campaign for the Sooners while shooting 54 percent from the field. During his college career, he was named to the Big 12 All-Academic Second Team during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.

Chris Bosh injured, taken to hospital

The AP reports:

Toronto All-Star forward Chris Bosh is undergoing tests at a hospital after being accidentally elbowed in the face during Tuesday night’s game.

Bosh dropped to the floor after he was struck by Cleveland’s Antawn Jamison in the first quarter. As play continued, a dazed Bosh got to his knees as blood dripped from his mouth and nose area. When there was finally a whistle, medical personnel from both teams went onto the floor to attend to Bosh, who was in obvious pain.

Heat sign Shavlik Randolph

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed free agent forward Shavlik Randolph. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Randolph, a 6’10”, 230-pound forward, has appeared in 94 career NBA games (seven starts) averaging 2.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 8.1 minutes while shooting 44.5 percent from the field. He has appeared in five games this season with both Miami and Portland totaling six points, eight rebounds, one assist and one block in 29 minutes of action.

The Duke University alum was previously signed by the Heat as a free agent on September 28, 2009 and after appearing in two games, was later waived on December 14, 2009. He was then signed by Portland on December 30, 2009, appearing in three games for the Trail Blazers and was waived on January 6, 2010. Portland then signed Randolph to a 10-day contract on January 8.

Randolph will wear number 42.

Kobe Bryant contract details

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports:

More details emerged about Kobe Bryant’s contract extension that he signed Friday. The guard’s three-year deal is worth $83.546 million, just below the league maximum of about $90 million, according to several NBA team officials who were not authorized to speak publicly.

His three-year deal averages out to $27.85 million per season.

Bryant, who earns $23 million this season and $24.8 million next season, will get $25.244 million for the 2011-12 season, $27.849 million 2012-13 and $30.453 million in the 2013-14 season when he turns 35.

Bryant, 31, has a no-trade clause in the contract, but he doesn’t have an opt-out clause as he had in his last contract.

However, if Bryant does accept a trade, his contract has a trade kicker that could be worth as much as 15% of the remaining years left on the contract.

Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels out of Celtics rotation

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:

Doc Rivers said Nate Robinson, who will return to New York tonight for the first time since being traded by the Knicks, and Marquis Daniels, are out of the playing rotation. Neither played Sunday against Cleveland.

Robinson has shot fewer than 39 percent as a Celtic and hasn’t scored in double figures since March 12. The club expected scoring punch off the bench and solid point guard play but Robinson has been tentative offensively. Rivers said he was upset that Robinson attempted a 3-point shot with 19.9 seconds left in the first quarter Friday against Houston with 19 seconds remaining on the shot clock.

Daniels has struggled since returning to the lineup in February after recovering from a torn left thumb ligament. He was signed to spell Rajon Rondo and provide solid defense, but he has gradually lost Rivers’s confidence. He averaged 9.4 points in nine games after returning from injury, but has averaged 3.7 in 18 games since.

Duke beats Butler 61-59 to win 2010 NCAA championship

Behind 19 points from Kyle Singler, 15 from Jon Scheyer and a huge inside presence from Brian Zoubek, the Duke Blue Devils beat the Butler Bulldogs 61-59 to win the 2010 NCAA basketball championship.

Along with his 19, Singler had nine rebounds and three blocks. And with his 15, Scheyer had six rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Also for Duke, Nolan Smith had 13 points and four assists, though he shot just 5-of-15. Playing much of the game in foul trouble, big Zoubek contributed eight points and 11 rebounds.

Butler struggled from the field, hitting just 20-of-58 shots (34.5%). Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack each scored just 12 points. And both struggled, with Hayward shooting 2-of-11, Mack 5-of-14. Hayward did grab eight rebounds and had three steals. But more offense was needed.

Barely anyone on Butler stepped up offensively. Matt Howard scored 11. And Avery Jukes came off the bench for a nice boost of 10.

Butler finished with zero blocks.

The game almost ended with an incredible half-court buzzer-beater from Butler, but the shot, which almost banked in, failed to result in a miracle victory.

The AP reports:

Butler (33-5) shaved a five-point deficit to one and had a chance to win it, when its best player, Hayward, took the ball at the top of the key, spun and worked his way to the baseline, but was forced to put up an off-balance fadeaway from 15 feet.

He missed, Zoubek got the rebound and made the first of two free throws. He missed the second one intentionally, and Duke’s title wasn’t secure until Hayward’s desperation heave from halfcourt went off glass, hit the rim and bounded out.

Basketball fans discussed the game live as it happened in this forum topic.