March 2011 – Page 12 – NBA Blog

Raja Bell struggles with addiction to strawberry bubblegum

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune reports (via blog):

For Jazz guard Raja Bell, it is complete, unfiltered obsession.

Bell has such a drug-like affinity for Bubblicious strawberry chewing gum that he requests the candy during games, hand-selecting a single, special piece from a tupperware container that features an assortment of delicacies.

“I was having a bad game and was looking for something to do to get my mind off of it,” Bell said. “There was this fragrant piece of gum that stood out amongst the others. Ever since then, I’ve been popping ’em.”

He added: “The good thing about it is, the flavor runs out really quickly. So you only got to chew it for like five minutes, and you’ve got what you need out of it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: This is obviously a serious problem. NBA fans everywhere need to let Bell know that he has support. And Bell needs to realize that strawberry bubblegum abuse can lead to other serious addictions like grape or cherry bubblegum addition, which are known as gateway substances leading to things like chocolate milk abuse, or even worse, being an adult who loves Justin Bieber albums. Get help, Raja.

Trade to Blazers made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports:

Trade made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Clearly, ex-Charlotte Bobcat Gerald Wallace hasn’t gotten over the shock and hurt he felt over being suddenly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers last month.

“Basically, you feel betrayed by somebody you love,’’ Wallace told the Observer before Saturday’s Blazers-Bobcats game. “I totally didn’t see it coming. I’d been there seven long years and then you feel like you’re not wanted anymore. That’s a bad situation to be in, especially for me, who committed so much to the organization.

“I understand the situation – it’s a business and they’re looking to start all over. They wanted cap room, and I guess I was the logical answer for them trying to get draft picks.’’

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Celtics sign Carlos Arroyo

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Carlos Arroyo. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Arroyo, a 6’2” guard, appeared in 49 games this season for the Miami Heat including 42 starts, averaging 5.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He also is shooting a career-high 43.8% from three-point range. In his 42 starts he has averaged 6.4 points, 2.2 assists and has shot 45.9% from beyond the arc. In his ninth NBA season, Arroyo owns career averages of 6.7 points and 3.1 assists per game. He posted a season-high of 18 points at Milwaukee on December 6.

In London NBA game, Nets beat Raptors in 3OT

The AP reports:

Travis Outlaw and the New Jersey Nets were up to the challenge of providing excitement for the NBA’s European fans.

The Toronto Raptors more than did their part, too.

Outlaw scored the final eight points for New Jersey in a 137-136 triple overtime win Saturday night that gave the Nets a sweep of their two games in London.

The game featured four missed buzzer-beaters and provided exactly the kind of thrilling finish league officials were looking for when they decided to bring regular-season games to Europe for the first time… Brook Lopez had 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets but fouled out in the second overtime.

Deron Williams added 21 points and 18 assists for his fifth straight double-double since joining the Nets from Utah last week.

Sasha Vujacic had 25 points—including six 3-pointers—and Kris Humphries added 20 points and 17 rebounds for New Jersey. Outlaw finished with 14 points.

DeMar DeRozan finished with 30 points for Toronto (17-46) for the second straight night.

Ed Manning, one of the original Trail Blazers owners, dies at 68

One of the original Trail Blazers, Ed Manning, passed away yesterday at the age of 68.

Selected from Chicago in the 1970 NBA Expansion Draft, Manning appeared in 79 games during Portland’s inaugural 1970-71 season. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his only year with the Trail Blazers and last in the NBA.

“It’s a sad day as we have lost an original Trail Blazer with the passing of Ed Manning,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “We’ll honor Ed with a moment of silence tonight pregame. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to the Manning family and friends.”

Manning continued his basketball career in the ABA following his stint in Portland. He played in 604 games over nine seasons in the NBA and ABA from 1967-76, averaging 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

Following his playing days, Manning served as an assistant coach at North Carolina A&T and then under Larry Brown at the University of Kansas from 1984-88. The Jayhawks won the National Championship in 1988 when his son and current Kansas assistant coach, Danny Manning , was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

More recently, Manning worked as an assistant coach and scout with the San Antonio Spurs.

“Ed was an important part of our first Blazer team and what a fine gentleman he was,” said Trail Blazers President Emeritus Harry Glickman. “He later became an assistant coach for several teams in the NBA and is probably most noted that his son, Danny, became the first pick in the NBA draft in 1988.”

The Trail Blazers will hold a moment of silence in honor of Manning prior to tonight’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Dwight Howard suspended one game for 16th technical foul of season

The Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard has received a one-game suspension without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2010-11 season, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended for an additional game.

Howard received his most recent technical foul with 1:41 remaining in the second quarter of Orlando’s 89-81 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, March 4, at Amway Center. Howard will serve his suspension Monday, March 7 when the Magic face the Portland Trailblazers at Amway Center.

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Eric Dampier fined for foul on Tony Parker

Eric Dampier of the Miami Heat has been fined $10,000 for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat’s 125-95 loss to the Spurs at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX on March 4.

Rashad McCants set to rejoin D-League

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

After three months away from the game, Rashad McCants is planning to come back to Texas to try to revive his NBA career.

McCants reconnected this week with the D-League’s Texas Legends and has been invited to rejoin the team after leaving the Legends in December to sign a more lucrative contract in China.

The Chinese deal with Lionang Panpan, however, collapsed almost immediately after McCants left Frisco. The former 2005 lottery pick appeared in only three games with the Legends before his departure and hasn’t played organized ball since.

But McCants, who likewise hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2008-09 season, asked to rejoin the Legends after receiving an offer to join the recent flurry of NBA veterans — headlined by Allen Iverson — to sign in Turkey this season. The 26-year-old apparently convinced Legends co-owner and Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson that he’s ready to commit to a D-League stint as opposed to signing somewhere in Europe where he can make more money.

Grizzlies sign Leon Powe

The Memphis Grizzlies signed free agent Leon Powe, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Originally selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, the 6-8, 240-pound forward owns career averages of 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds on .516 shooting in 14.3 minutes in 223 games (19 starts) over four-plus seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, who acquired his rights from the Nuggets on draft night.

The former University of California standout averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds on .492 shooting in 13.4 minutes in 14 games (three starts) for the Cavaliers this season before he was waived on Feb. 24.

A key reserve for the Celtics during their 2007-08 NBA Championship run, Powe has appeared in 28 playoff games, averaging 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.8 minutes. The 27-year-old gives Memphis three players with NBA Championship experience, including Powe’s former Celtics teammate Tony Allen and Jason Williams, who captured the 2005-06 title as a member of the Miami Heat.

The Grizzlies have a full roster of 15 players.

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In first NBA regular season game in Europe, Nets beat Raptors

The AP reports:

The New Jersey Nets are still far away from their Russian owner’s goal of making the team a global brand and NBA champion. But for now, at least, they’re the league’s most successful team in games played in Europe.

Brook Lopez scored 25 points and New Jersey ended a six-game losing streak with a 116-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday in the first regular-season game on the continent.

Kris Humphries had 18 points and 17 rebounds and Deron Williams earned his first win since being acquired from the Utah Jazz last week, adding 16 points and 11 assists…

The Nets and Raptors will face each other again at the O2 on Saturday, as the NBA decided to bring regular-season games to Europe for the first time as part of its push to increase its fan base on the continent. The O2 has hosted preseason games for the last four years.

The attendance for Friday’s game was an announced sellout of 18,689, but there were some empty seats.

“I loved the crowd,” said Bargnani, who was the highest-scoring European player on the night. “I really felt the excitement. I was nervous in the first half. I think it’s going to be better tomorrow.”

The unusual venue meant the public announcer had to do some extra work, explaining some of the basic rules every now and then to the British crowd— like pointing out that a player fouled while shooting gets two free throws.

And with crowd support split between the two teams—despite the Nets being listed as the home team—players had the rare experience of being booed by rival fans before every free throw, and then cheered by their own supporters if the shot was good.