Month: March 2012

Spencer Hawes anxious to return for 76ers

Spencer Hawes

Remember Spencer Hawes? Starting center for the Sixers. Had a terrific start to the season and was a big reason as to why the team got off to such a tremendous start. He’s missed over a month of action now, but he seems close to putting on the uniform again.

After this morning’s shootaround in which the Sixers prepared for tonight’s home game against the Boston Celtics, Hawes met with the media for the first time in a few weeks. He looks good, not having put on any weight during his absence. In fact, he says he’s even lost a couple of pounds.

“It’s been encouraging the last couple of days to go out on the court, move around and not even think about it,” said Hawes of his strained Achilles’. The first time I tried to come back (a two-game stint) I was definitely favoring it. This time, checking with everybody who is observing me, they’re telling me it looks like it’s back to normal pretty much.”

— Reported by Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News (Blog)

All quiet for Mavericks in trade market

There’s a little more than a week left before the trade deadline and the Mavericks aren’t in the middle of the rumor mill.

“Our phone hasn’t been ringing at all about anybody and we’re not calling anybody,” owner Mark Cuban said. “I told Donnie to take calls, but we’re not making calls. There you have it.”

This isn’t normal around these parts. But it is expected.

The Mavs are trying to contend for a championship while maintaining the financial flexibility to create major space under the salary cap this summer. They aren’t going to make a deal before the deadline that reduces their odds to repeat.

— Reported by Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas

Manu Ginobili making strong comeback after several days

manu ginobili

After one game back in the lineup and two practices afterwards, Manu Ginobili said he’s pleased with his recovery as he comes back after a pulled oblique muscle that caused him to miss five games.

Ginobili said he felt good after playing more in the Spurs’ loss against Denver Sunday night than he initially expected.

“I played 23 minutes and was expecting to play 15,” Ginobili said. “I felt good. Of course, my muscles get tight still. I need to play for more than five games. But I felt good.”

Ginobili finished with eight points, hitting a pair of 3-point shots. He also logged eight minutes in the fourth quarter as the Spurs unsuccessfully attempted  to rally against the Nuggets.

— Reported by Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News (Blog)

Wizards adjusting to boos for Andray Blatche

Andray Blatche

Coach Randy Wittman isn’t sure if there is anything that he can do to help Andray Blatche ease his way onto the floor during games at Verizon Center. When Wittman sent Blatche to the scorer’s table to check in for JaVale McGee in the first quarter of the Wizards’ loss to Golden State, Blatche was serenaded with boos and was obviously shaken by the response.

He put Blatche in during a timeout in the third quarter, fans didn’t boo him until he touched the ball. But Blatche was ineffective, no matter how he was inserted.

Wittman said all that he can really do is push him to keep fighting through the jeers. “I talk to him every day. I’m just trying to encourage him. His play is going to get up there. It’s getting better. Sitting out that long, he wasn’t going to come back and be the Dray of old, and we knew that, he knew that, and it’s tough. Hey, that’s a tough situation, and I’ve just got to encourage him as much as I can and he’s doing some good things while he’s on the floor, from a defensive standpoint, rebounding. His offense, he’s got no legs right now, and if have no legs, you’re going to struggle scoring the ball. I think that’s what everybody is just kind of looking at right now, but I’ve just got to be there to encourage him.”

— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post (Blog)

Boris Diaw raises issue of trade or buyout from Bobcats

boris diaw

The chances of Boris Diaw not finishing the season with the Charlotte Bobcats are growing, with his agent inquiring about a buyout that would free Diaw to sign elsewhere.

Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins told the Observer Tuesday that he met with Diaw before the All-Star break about Diaw’s role and his expiring contract. Higgins said he has since had discussions with Diaw’s agent, Doug Neustadt.

“Boris and I had a meeting prior to the All-Star break, maybe Wednesday before. We talked about quite a few things,” Higgins said. “The issue with the buyout, it was raised on their side, from Doug. We haven’t gone down that road any further.”

Initial attempts to reach Neustadt by telephone and email Tuesday failed. The possibility of Diaw accepting a buyout was briefly raised in the French sports daily L’Equipe. Diaw is from France.

— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Chris Bosh returns to Heat after family funeral

Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat were thrilled to see each other again Tuesday.

Bosh returned to the team after missing nearly a week to deal with his grandmother’s death, and is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday night when Miami plays host to the New Jersey Nets. Bosh missed Miami’s three-game trip to Portland, Utah and the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Heat were beaten in the last two of those contests.

“Very good to see him,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said Tuesday morning after Miami’s game-day shootaround practice. “You realize how much you missed the guy. Had a little bromance moment for a minute. Wanted to hug him. But I didn’t. I kept it cool.”

Bosh was clearly missed in a lot of areas. In the losses to Utah and the Lakers, Miami was outrebounded 94-67, a staggering discrepancy for any team, especially one that had outrebounded its previous nine opponents by 7.8 per game.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Fran Vazquez still might someday join Magic

Fran Vazquez
Fran Vazquez
Apparently does exist

Remember Fran Vazquez?

The Magic haven’t forgotten the forgotten man of their 2005 draft.

Smith said Vazquez’ contractual situation will allow him to come over to the states and maybe finally attempt to make the Magic’s roster.

“That’s the plan,” Smith said of the Spanish power forward.

Vazquez is playing for FCB Regal in Spain. Smith said Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik and scout Sam Foggin have seen and spoke with Vazquez.

The Magic still own the NBA rights to Vazquez. The club drafted Vazquez with the 11th pick, but he decided to remain in Spain.

— Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

Odom says meeting with Carlisle before extended layoff was positive

Lamar Odom
lamar odom
Keeps up with the Kardashians

Lamar Odom said his meeting with Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Feb. 21 was positive despite the nature of the discussions.

The meeting came the day before the Mavs played the Lakers, a game Odom missed when he returned home to Los Angeles to tend to a personal issue.

“I had to make myself think it was a positive that he’s coming to talk to me,” Odom said before Monday’s game against Oklahoma City. “When you’re in this business and when they don’t talk to you is when it’s a problem.”

Odom said he knew he had a decision to make, but he didn’t inform Carlisle at the time.

“We had a great meeting with him to make sure that he understood that our expectation is not that he be concerned about his stats,” Carlisle said. “It’s that any time he steps on the floor he’s completely into the game playing full out with as much intensity and presence and energy as he can, and the other stuff will take are of itself.

“We had a very positive meeting that day and the next morning he got a phone call that there’s a serious thing going on and he had to leave us for a while.”

— Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Kyrie Irving won’t play for Australia in 2012 Olympics

kyrie irving

Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving won’t play for Australia in the London Olympics this summer.

Irving was born in Australia in 1992, while his father was playing professional basketball in Melbourne. He holds dual U.S. and Australian citizenship, making him eligible to play for either country under FIBA rules.

Irving said Monday night, after Cleveland lost to Utah 109-100, that he will remain with Team USA. He hopes to make the Olympic team in 2016 and play again for Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Irving said he received confirmation that Krzyzewski will coach Team USA in four years in the Rio Olympics. Irving played for Krzyzewski at Duke last season before becoming the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

— Reported by ESPN.com with information from the Associated Press