Month: October 2012

Cavs coach Byron Scott dishing tough love early

byron scott

After two years of wallowing as one of the league’s worst teams, Cavaliers coach Byron Scott is putting everyone on alert. This season, he is expecting more.

That was evident Tuesday when Scott benched — and then ripped — rookie Dion Waiters for not running the right play in a preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Scott typically has been patient before publicly ripping players in the past. He gave J.J. Hickson all of training camp two years ago before blasting him before the start of the regular season for not knowing the playbook. He gave Omri Casspi nearly all of last season before ripping him for the same thing.

Waiters, however, lasted one week before catching Scott’s wrath.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Brandon Roy feeling good early in NBA comeback

Brandon Roy feeling good early in NBA comeback

A day after an encouraging performance in his first NBA game since the 2010-11 season, Timberwolves shooting guard Brandon Roy said his knees “feel good” and that he was able to participate in all phases of the team’s practice Thursday, Oct. 11, at Target Center.

“I went through everything today,” Roy said after the Timberwolves’ 90-minute workout. “I’ve had a bunch of stepping stones, and this was another one. The biggest thing for me is that I felt good after the game (Wednesday) night, so I wasn’t expecting too much soreness today.”

— Reported by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Nets guard MarShon Brooks out 7-10 days

Nets guard MarShon Brooks out 7-10 days

MarShon Brooks hopes to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award, but the Nets guard won’t be leaving the bench just yet.

Brooks did not participate in practice Thursday, sidelined with tendinitis in his right foot. The second-year guard was sporting a walking boot, having already had an MRI exam, which came back negative, but may not play for seven to 10 days, according to Nets coach Avery Johnson. The coach hopes to have him back for next Thursday or Friday’s preseason games.

“He felt something there maybe a day or two ago,” Johnson said. “He was good for the first 80 percent of practice [Wednesday], then he felt it. The doctor has him in a boot for precautionary [reasons], let the tendinitis just settle down a little bit.”

— Reported by Howard Kussoy of the New York Post

Atlanta Hawks waive Keith Benson and Isma’il Muhammad

The Atlanta Hawks have waived Keith Benson and Isma’il Muhammad, President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry announced today.

Both players appeared in one preseason game (last night’s contest at San Antonio), as Benson finished with 10 points and two rebounds in 10 minutes (5-8 FGs), and Muhammad recorded one point and two assists (1-2 FTs) in 12 minutes of action.

Atlanta’s training camp roster now stands at 17.

Tristan Thompson says he paid for Myck Kabongo to visit Cleveland

Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson said he paid for Texas guard Myck Kabongo to come to Cleveland earlier this year — and was reimbursed by Kabongo’s brother — where Kabongo worked with a trainer.

The NCAA said Thursday that it is investigating possible improper benefits provided to Kabongo byThompson’s agent Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James.

Yahoo! Sports first reported the investigation. According to Yahoo!, the NCAA is investigating who paid for Kabongo’s trip and expenses, and who provided his workout with New York-based trainer Jerry Powel. The report also said that Paul called NBA front offices on behalf of Kabongo before this year’s NBA draft.

— Reported by Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Spanish national basketball players trashed Olympic apartments after loss

Spain’s basketball players have been slammed for ‘trashing their apartments’ following their gold-medal loss in the London Olympics to the U.S.

Manager Sergio Scariolo’s team racked up more than $14,400 in damages to their two London 2012 rooms after the 107-100 loss, it was revealed Thursday.

The exact nature of the damage has not yet been confirmed, but the Spanish media has condemned the actions as “despicable” and “disrespectful”.

And a source within the Spanish Basketball Federation, which has officially denied any knowledge of the vandalism, said: “The leaving parties are usually a regular thing when players finish a tournament. After living together for six weeks, preparing and competing, they have it. But it has never led to this.”

— Reported by Lee Moran of the New York Daily News

Kobe talks about Dwight Howard toughness

dwight howard

Kobe Bryant suggested this week that fun-loving Dwight Howard needs to bring out the “dog” in him night in and night out, the quality that earned him three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

“It’s there, it’s just a matter of him digging deep and pulling it out. It’s already there. .It’s just a matter of him having it become habit,” Bryant said Tuesday.

Howard said he wasn’t offended by Bryant’s statements. After the Lakers’ second exhibition loss Wednesday, the All-Star center said he understood where his new teammate was coming from.

“I heard about what he said,” Howard said. “People might take that the wrong way. He’s not saying be a jerk or an a-hole to people, he’s basically saying, ‘On the court, he loves the way I play but I can be more of one of those people.’ ”

— Reported by Janis Carr of the OC Register

Kobe Bryant disses Smush Parker

Kobe Bryant disses Smush Parker

“I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team,” Bryant said before Wednesday’s 93-75 exhibition loss to Portland. “I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown.”

Bryant was referring to 2005-06 when the Lakers’ roster included Brian Cook, Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Parker, Mihm and Brown.

Bryant continued, taking aim at his favorite whipping boy, Parker, calling him “the worst. He shouldn’t have been in the NBA but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. So we let him walk on.”

— Reported by Janis Carr of the OC Register