January 2012 – Page 17 – NBA Blog

Kyle Lowry charged with battery of ref in Vegas from September

Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry is facing a misdemeanor battery charge amid accusations that he threw a basketball at a referee and threatened her during a game at a Las Vegas training gym.

The criminal complaint says the 25-year-old Lowry was taunting 30-year-old Infini Robinson while she was officiating a game between NBA players Sept. 22.

Police say that when the game ended, he threw a ball at her torso and cursed at her for calls he didn’t agree with.

Robinson later was hit in the shoulder by another basketball in an area designated for officials. She said the ball hit her with such force that it pushed her body back in the chair where she was sitting, and said it likely would have broken her nose had she not been bent over changing her shoe.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Mavericks assign Sean Williams and Yi Jianlian to D-League

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have assigned Sean Williams and Yi Jianlian to the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League.

Willliams (6-10, 235) has played in three games with the Mavericks after being signed on Dec. 21. In three appearances, Williams is averaging 4.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 5.7 minutes while shooting .714 (5-7 FGs) from the field and 1.000 (4-4 FTs) from the free throw line.

Yi (7-0, 250) was signed by Dallas on Jan. 6 and has yet to see any action with the Mavericks.

Williams and Yi are scheduled to join the Legends tonight, Jan. 6, for their game in Austin against the Toros. They will also be in uniform on Sunday, Jan. 8 when Texas battles the Maine Red Claws on HP Court at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco.

Dallas Mavericks sign forward Yi Jianlian

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Yi Jianlian. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, it’s just a one-year contract.

Yi (7-0, 250) was the first round draft pick (sixth overall) in the 2007 NBA Draft of the Milwaukee Bucks. The 24-year old has played for three teams (Milwaukee, New Jersey and Washington) in his four-year career. He holds career averages of 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 24.1 minutes in 242 career games with 163 starts.

Yi played in 66 games (starting 49) as a rookie for the Bucks and averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. That year he was selected to participate in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge at the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend.

In June of 2008, Yi, along with Bobby Simmons, was traded to New Jersey in exchange for Richard Jefferson. Yi enjoyed the two best years of his career while with the Nets including a 2009-10 campaign where he averaged 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds in 52 games (51 starts). In June of 2010, Yi was traded to Washington where he played out the remainder of his contract and became a free agent.

A native of Shenzhen, China, Yi was a member of the Chinese National Olympic Team that competed in both the 2004 Athens games and 2008 Beijing games. His name is pronounced “EE jee-ENN-lee-ENN.”

Derrick Rose still dealing with sore elbow

Derrick Rose was still sore, but he had more mobility in his left elbow than he did after injuring it Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is preparing as though Rose will play when his 5-2 Magic hosts the 6-1 Bulls on Friday.

‘‘He’s an exceptional player, and . . . I think he has an exceptional attitude also,’’ Van Gundy said. ‘‘He’s a different breed. He’s all about winning and the team and trying to do what he can to get better. He’s the real deal as a player and a person and a teammate. They’re very, very lucky to have him.’’

Rose drove hard to the basket, was fouled by the Pistons’ Damien Wilkins and came down hard on his left elbow late in the Bulls’

99-83 victory.

— Reported by Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times

Hornets guard Eric Gordon likely out 2-3 weeks to rest knee

Hornets guard Eric Gordon suffered right knee swelling following Wednesday night’s game with the 76ers. Gordon missed the previous four contests prior to the Philadelphia game after he initially bruised the right knee in the second half of the team’s opening night game in Phoenix.

Team doctors have recommended rest for the 22-year old guard’s right knee and he will be sidelined an estimated 2-3 weeks.

Gordon has played just two games for the Hornets so far this season, averaging 21.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

The Hornets currently have a 2-4 record.

Nicolas Batum seeks Blazers extension

The agent for Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum said on Thursday that he plans to meet with the team next week to discuss a contract extension for his client.

Agent Bouna Ndiaye attended the Blazers’ 107-96 win over the Lakers on Thursday, but said he didn’t negotiate with the team. He said the plan is to meet next week, although no formal date or meeting has been arranged.

The team has until Jan. 25 to sign Batum to an extension. Otherwise, he becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Both the team, and Batum has expressed a desire to sign an extension.

— Reported by Jason Quick of The Oregonian

Jason Kidd leaves game with back injury

Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd injured his lower back in the first quarter of Thursday’s 93-71 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Kidd will be examined Friday in Dallas and his status for Saturday’s game is uncertain.

“We’ll see where we are,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “It happened on a play and I don’t know which one, but it definitely happened on a play.”

The injury apparently occurred toward the end of the first quarter, but Kidd tried to fight through it. He could be seen reaching for his back a few times before finally exiting the game with 24.7 seconds left in the first.

— Reported by Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas

Isiah Thomas questions Knicks acquisition of Tyson Chandler

Isiah Thomas, FIU coach and former Knicks president, finally spoke out on the club’s acquisition of center Tyson Chandler and did not sound enthused.

Conveniently appearing on the Sid Rosenberg Show on Miami radio yesterday following the Knicks’ 2-4 start, Thomas questioned Glen Grunwald’s acquisition of Chandler, which forced the team to cut Chauncey Billups to get under the salary cap.

Thomas said the NBA has become a guard’s league, and the Knicks cannot win solely with a star-powered frontcourt of Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. The Chandler commitment cost them a shot at point guard Chris Paul with next summer’s salary cap space, and Paul was subsequently dealt to the Clippers.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Sacramento Kings name Keith Smart new head coach

The Sacramento Kings today named Keith Smart as the team’s 24th Head Coach, according to President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. It may be a two-year deal, but we’ll confirm this later tonight here on this page.

“Keith will bring a new perspective to the team as we try to move forward with the season,” said Petrie. “He’s very well prepared and will assume the job with some new ideas and new approaches of his own. We’re all excited and looking forward to working with him.”

Smart, who spent last season as head coach of the Golden State Warriors where he compiled a 36-46 record, brings over 22 years of professional basketball experience as either a coach or player. Prior to his appointment as head coach for Golden State, Smart served seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Warriors, giving him the longest tenure of any assistant coach in Golden State history.

“I had a chance to work for Paul Westphal in the brief time that I’ve been here and really enjoyed it,” explained Smart. “He was very supportive every step of the way. I want to thank Geoff Petrie and the Maloof family for giving me this opportunity. I’m looking forward to implementing a few new things with what we want to try to do with our basketball team. Hopefully, they’ll respond to what I want them to do, and I believe they will. I think our players will be excited with some of the ideas that I have for our team moving forward.”

The 47-year-old Smart originally joined the Warriors prior to the 2003-04 campaign after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was named the Cavaliers interim head coach in the middle of the 2002-03 season upon taking over for John Lucas. At the time, he was the second-youngest head coach in the NBA.

“When I asked Geoff to add Keith Smart to our staff, I knew that he would be a tremendous asset going forward,” said Westphal. “Keith has my respect and blessing as he assumes the position he is exceptionally qualified to fill.”

Before joining the Cavaliers, Smart spent three seasons as the head coach of the CBA’s Fort Wayne Fury, compiling a record of 85-83 (.506) and guiding the team to its first back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history in 1997-98 and 1998-99. In his first campaign as a head coach at any level in 1997-98, he guided the Fury to a franchise-record 31-win season and a trip to the playoffs. The club made the playoffs again in 1998-99, despite having a single-season franchise record nine players signed to NBA contracts. He was awarded the American Conference Coach of the Month Award five times during his tenure with Fort Wayne and had a CBA-high 21 players signed to NBA contracts.

During his professional basketball playing career, Smart spent six seasons in the CBA, two seasons in France and one in Venezuela. He also played briefly with the San Antonio Spurs during the 1988-89 season.

Smart was originally drafted by the Warriors in the second round (41st overall) of the 1988 NBA Draft out of Indiana University. He is widely remembered for his Final Four heroics in 1987, in which he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after leading Indiana to a National Championship with his game-winning shot versus Syracuse in the title game.

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili out 6 weeks after hand surgery

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that guard Manu Ginobili underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand this morning in San Antonio. He is expected to miss approximately six weeks.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Mark Bagg. During the surgery screws and a plate were inserted into Ginobili’s hand. The injury occurred in the second quarter of Monday night’s Spurs-Timberwolves game in Minnesota.