Month: March 2011

The good Richard Hamilton is back

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

The good Richard Hamilton is back

Rip Hamilton has reverted to 2004 form since he says he buried the hatchet with Pistons coach John Kuester.

After scoring 23 points in Saturday night’s victory over the Pacers, he is averaging almost 19 points per game to boost his scoring average to 14 points. He is also defending better and turnovers have become rare.

But while his performance has surged, he has been silent — politely refusing interview requests during his consistent streak.

He spoke to the media Saturday night and addressed several topics.

Q: Did your confidence wane?

A: Not at all. Not at all. Not one bit.

Q: Why is that?

A: I know what I bring to the table. I know what I’m capable of doing. I’ve had so many great years here. So many great things. So many special things.

Suns move Gortat, Dudley into starting lineup

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Suns move Gortat, Dudley into starting lineup

The Suns won’t say they are giving up on the now, but they made changes Sunday that looked just as much about the future.

Suns coach Alvin Gentry inserted center Marcin Gortat and swingman Jared Dudley into the starting lineup, putting Gortat into the spot of Robin Lopez, who had been groomed as a future franchise center, and Dudley in place of guard Vince Carter, who likely won’t be with the Suns next season.

Gortat, 27, has received minutes and produced the numbers as if he were a starter and embraces the idea of a bigger role in the future. Sunday was his first start as a Suns center after receiving one previous start at power forward alongside Lopez.

“There’s a lot of room for me to improve,” said Gortat, who returned after having a broken nose reset Saturday. “I believe that watching our situation right now with the team, it sounds crazy ,but maybe one day I could be the leader of this team and be one of the main leaders of this team and be the guy who’s going to be the big boost in this team.

“I ain’t scared of doing it. I’m pretty confident. I know I’m going to work hard in the summer to improve my game, especially post game with my back to the basket. I’m going to be ready.”

Lakers hold off Hornets, go to 15-1 since All-Star break

The AP reports:

Phil Jackson always keeps his Los Angeles Lakers far more focused on the day-to-day journey than the destination during the regular-season grind, even though the last five weeks of their trek have been awfully smooth.

The New Orleans Hornets? They were reminded they’re heading down a perilous road without David West.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, Pau Gasol had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and the Lakers inched closer to the top of the overall NBA standings with their 15th win in 16 games since the All-Star break, 102-84 over New Orleans on Sunday night.

Andrew Bynum added 13 points as the Lakers jumped to an 18-point lead in the first half and weathered the Hornets’ fourth-quarter rally to sweep the four-game season series with a possible first-round playoff opponent…

Carl Landry had a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul had 10 points and nine assists in the Hornets’ second game without West, their injured scoring leader.

LeBron, Wade, Bosh each reached 30-point, 10-rebound mark in Heat win over Rockets

The AP reports:

With the playoffs looming, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are finding a new gear.

And they accomplished something Sunday that hadn’t been done in more than 50 years.

Each of them had 30-10 nights—James with 33 points and 10 rebounds, Bosh had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Wade shook off a bruised tailbone to finish with 30 points and 11 boards—as the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets 125-119 for their eighth win in nine games.

It was the first time since February 1961 that three teammates finished with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a non-overtime game.

“Unbelievable,” James said.

“That’s why we get paid the big bucks,” Wade said.

The last time a team had three players score 30 in the same game was Feb. 26, 2010, when Houston had Martin, Aaron Brooks and Scola combine for 94 against San Antonio. Before that, you’d have to go back all the way to Nov. 14, 1997, when Portland’s Isaiah Rider, Brian Grant and Arvydas Sabonis all had 30-plus points and 10 or more rebounds in a quadruple-overtime win over Phoenix.

Thunder recall Byron Mullens from D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled center Byron Mullens from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Over three stints in Tulsa, Mullens has appeared in 14 games (all starts) averaging 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 assist in 27.7 minutes per game.

He will join the Thunder for tonight’s 7:00 PM game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Oklahoma City Arena.

Under NBA rules, a player can only be sent to the D-League a maximum of three times during the season.  Mullens is no longer eligible to play for Tulsa.

Wade, James show up to watch Rafael Nadal tennis match

The AP reports:

Dwyane Wade

dwyane wade
Prefers basketball

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James tried a different sort of courtside view on Saturday night.

At tennis.

The Miami Heat stars showed up at the Sony Ericsson Open to be part of a coin toss before world No. 1 Rafael Nadal played against Japan’s Kei Nishikori. Wade’s two sons, Zaire—the actual flipper of the coin—and Zion, were there as well, on the court for handshakes from Nadal and a quick photo or two just before the match.

“There’s certain things in Miami that guys should experience,” Wade said. “So I had to drag LeBron out here, but I think this is something he’ll probably come back to next year and come back for years after that. This is a good experience. It’s something different and it’s a great day off, getting over here with the kids.”

Wade’s sons were handed oversized tennis balls as they entered the stadium, and immediately, they started dribbling them like basketballs.

“Anything that bounces, they’re good to go,” Wade said.

Hornets sign Patrick Ewing Jr. to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed forward Patrick Ewing Jr. to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ewing Jr. has played in 49 games this season with the Reno Bighorns and Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League, averaging 17.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Originally drafted 43rd overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2008 NBA Draft, the 6-8 235 lb. forward was then traded to the Houston Rockets and later the New York Knicks with whom he participated in the 2008 preseason. After being waived by the Knicks, Ewing Jr. was signed by the teams’ D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns, where he spent the 2008-09 campaign and averaged 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in 30 games.

Ewing, the son of Hall of Fame center and current Orlando Magic Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing, played collegiately at Indiana University (‘03-‘04 and ‘04-‘05) before sitting out the ’05-’06 season while transferring to his father’s alma mater Georgetown University for his final two years of eligibility. In his senior season, Ewing Jr. was named the Big East Sixth Man of the Year with averages of 6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

The Hornets roster now stands at 15.

David West will have reconstructive surgery on torn ACL as soon as possible

Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports:

David West will have reconstructive surgery on torn ACL as soon as possible

West said Friday night he plans to have reconstructive surgery to repair the damage as soon as possible, although he’ll remain with the team through the end of this road trip that concludes Sunday night in Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I wasn’t expecting this, but things like this happen,” said West. “It’s part of the game. I just landed the wrong way. I don’t know. In all honesty, I knew something was wrong because of the amount of pain I was in. I didn’t know the severity, obviously, until this morning. I wasn’t expecting ‘ACL’, but I knew there’d be some sort of damage to the knee.

“It’s just a tough time. The last couple of steps to the season … it’s not the time … you just can’t plan on thing like this to happen.”

West said there has been limited swelling in the knee, which will lessen the waiting time necessary for doctors to perform the surgery.

He has not yet decided, he said, which orthopedist will do the procedure, either Hornets team physicians or someone such as noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

Jared Sullinger claims he will return to OSU for sophomore season

Dana O’Neil of ESPN reports:

Here, then, Ohio State fans is your silver lining: Jared Sullinger says he is coming back.

Sitting in the Ohio State locker room following the top-seeded Buckeyes’ 62-60 loss to Kentucky, the freshman said he would not be entering his name for the NBA draft and would return for his sophomore season.

“I’m going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year,” he said. “This isn’t why I came here, to come in here and see my seniors in here crying. I came here to win a national championship.”

Plenty of people make pledges in the rubble of an emotional loss only to change their mind later, when the sting and suddenness of the season fades and the promise of the NBA looms.