Day: March 27, 2012

Clippers guard Mo Williams out at least 2 weeks

maurice williams

Clippers guard Mo Williams will be sidelined at least two weeks and potentially longer with an injured left big toe he suffered against the New Orleans Hornets last Thursday.

Williams was evaluated by a specialist over the weekend and was ruled out for the next two weeks, it was announced Monday before the Clippers played the Hornets.

“It’s going to be at least a couple of weeks and then we’ll re-evaluate him then,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said.

— Reported by Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles

Monty Williams apologizes for Jason Smith foul on Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin
blake griffin
Prefers to not be hacked

New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams said before Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers that he sent Clippers forward Blake Griffin an apologetic text after Jason Smith leveled him to the ground in last week’s game between the two teams.

Williams, in his second season as the Hornets’ coach, texted Griffin on Friday, waiting until the day after Smith hit him to earn a two-game suspension for the buzz to die down, he said. Smith sat out Monday’s game — which the Clippers won 97-85 — to complete the suspension.

“I’ll say this, because I’m here in this city: What Jason did was wrong,” Williams said Monday. “I told him that it was and that he went about it the wrong way, and that’s why I reached out to Blake to let him know that it wasn’t something we do on a regular basis.”

— Reported by Pedro Moura, special to ESPN Los Angeles

Silas says Byron Mullens is a power forward, not center

Byron Mullens

Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas said before Monday’s game that 7-footer Byron Mullens’ future is at power forward, possibly alongside rookie Bismack Biyombo. Mullens just isn’t providing the consistent rebounding and low-post defense Mullens needs at center.

“Byron is not a center… He’s a power forward, but we don’t have a backup center,’’ Silas said. “I just don’t know if you can make a tough guy out somebody who is not (tough.)”

Mullens came to the Bobcats in a preseason trade. The Bobcats sent a 2013 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer