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The AP reports:
Atlanta Hawks reserve forward Josh Powell was arrested before Saturday’s game for refusing to move his car for an oncoming ambulance, according to a team official.
The 28-year-old Powell was not at Philips Arena while the Hawks played the Portland Trail Blazers.
“We are aware of the traffic incident concerning Josh and that he is not at the game tonight,” Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said. “Until we gather more information, we will have no additional comment.
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:
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Veteran Antonio McDyess started for the Spurs for a second consecutive game, with second-year power forward DeJuan Blair again coming off the bench.
For Blair, it is a familiar role, since he came off the bench in 59 of the 82 games he played in his rookie season.
“I just bring energy off the bench now,” he said after scoring 14 points and grabbing six rebounds in 22:23. “That’s the only thing. Just come in here and be the same person. I’m just not starting no more.”
Blair didn’t need any words of encouragement from his veteran teammates to accept the change.
“I did it enough last year to know what it is,” he said. “Hopefully, I can be that spark that they need off the bench.”
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star reports:
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He had 12 points and 13 rebounds in Friday’s win over Indiana, he’s scored at least 12 points in five of his last seven games and in five of his last 12, he’s had at least 13 rebounds.
He leads all rookies in field goal percentage, shooting an impressive 60.5 per cent from the field, and his per-game rebound average of 6.9 would place him tied for fourth among all rookies had he played enough games to qualify for the league-leading list.
“He’s showing a lot of progress and the future is looking real good for him,” teammate Reggie Evans said of Davis.
And Evans plays a role.
“A lot of times on the defensive and offensive glass, they’re trying to box out Reggie and that leaves me open to get tip-ins and easy rebounds,” said Davis.
The most noticeable area of improvement has come in Davis’s offensive game.
He’s always shown an ability to gather offensive rebounds but he’s far more comfortable now stepping out and shooting jump shots. There is still a lot of work do on that aspect of his game but for the short time he’s been a regular in the rotation, the improvement has been alarming.
The New York Knickerbockers and New York Rangers today released season ticket information for the 2011-12 seasons when Madison Square Garden will debut the first phase of the building’s top-to-bottom Transformation. The company also announced that it will not institute Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) in the transformed Arena.
For the 2011-12 season Knicks season ticket prices will increase an average of 49%, and Rangers will increase an average of 23%. Knicks tickets have only been raised once in the last ten seasons, including staying flat for the past six, and Rangers ticket prices did not increase for the 2010-11 season. Knicks and Rangers season ticket holders will be contacted directly by their personal relationship manager with specific information on their account.
“Our top priority is to create a world class experience for every person that visits Madison Square Garden. The Garden Transformation will provide our fans with best in class service, new amenities, and outstanding food and beverage offerings. This will be a new state-of-the-art arena with wider concourses, new seats, better sightlines, and improved social settings,” said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. “Our commitment is for Madison Square Garden to not only be recognized as The World’s Most Famous Arena, but the world’s most spectacular one as well – something our fans, partners and all New Yorkers deserve. While ticket prices for Knicks and Rangers will be increasing, we will continue to offer a variety of price points for our fans and will not be instituting PSLs.”
As a result of the Transformation, the seating configuration in the lower bowl of the Arena will completely change beginning next season, the upper bowl is expected to follow in the 2012-13 season. Season ticket holders will be relocated to new seats accordingly.
“The seating configuration and layout of The Garden will change with the Transformation, and we have been planning for several years with our customers in mind,” said O’Neil. “We have the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in the world and it’s our intent and plan to manage a transparent and smooth seat relocation process – maintaining similar sightlines and upgrading experiences. We have a process in place and dedicated staff to work directly with our customers to ensure that everything is seamless and meets their expectations.”
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed center Earl Barron (7-0, 245) to a second 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Barron was signed to his initial 10-day contract on March 1.
Barron has appeared in three games with the Bucks and has averaged 4.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 11.0 minutes. In his Bucks debut, Barron contributed four points and a season-high nine rebounds on March 1 in a win over Detroit.
Barron, 29, appeared in 12 games (six starts) earlier this season with the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 3.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.3 minutes.
The Bucks roster remains at 15 players.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Jarron Collins to a second 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.
Portland signed Collins to a 10-day contract on March 1. He has appeared in three games for the Trail Blazers, totaling six rebounds and one assists.
Collins, 32, holds career averages of 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.8 minutes in 540 games (216 starts) with Utah, Phoenix, L.A. Clippers and Portland.
A 10-year NBA veteran who played collegiately at Stanford, Collins (6-11, 249) also spent the 2009 preseason with the Trail Blazers, averaging 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in four games.
The AP reports:
An Atlanta nightclub has dismissed a lawsuit against Miami Heat star LeBron James.
The Opera nightclub had filed a complaint Monday in Fulton County Superior Court accusing James of canceling a March 17 appearance for which he was supposed to be paid $25,000. It also accused the owners of the rival Gold Room nightclub in Atlanta of instead arranging a visit there.
The AP reports:
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Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer is day-to-day with a sprained left ankle and could be out for as much as a week.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday that the power forward could be out “anywhere from a couple days to a week” after he was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s 101-84 win at Charlotte.
Boozer was going for a layup when he was knocked to the floor on a flagrant foul by Kwame Brown. His leg bent awkwardly, his ankle twisting, and he limped off the court.
X-rays and an MRI confirmed the extent of the injury.
“It was a hard foul, but that’s part of it,” Thibodeau said. “You just have to move on, get ready for the next game.”
Marco Belinelli of the New Orleans Hornets has been fined $10,000 for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
Belinelli was initially called for a Flagrant Foul, Penalty One against Shawn Marion of the Dallas Mavericks. The league office has upgraded the call to a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two.
The incident occurred with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter of the Hornets 93-92 win over the Mavericks at New Orleans Arena on Wednesday, March 9.
Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has assigned center Byron Mullens to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
During his two previous assignments in Tulsa this season, Mullens appeared in six games (six starts) and averaged 16.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 31.7 minutes.
Mullens will be in uniform tomorrow night when the 66ers take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce at the Tulsa Convention Center.