Month: October 2012

Knicks center Marcus Camby out with calf strain

Marcus Camby

Marcus Camby has picked up where he left off during his first Knicks stint.

Fears this graybeard team would be susceptible to health woes already are being realized as the Knicks announced Camby will miss seven to 10 days with a left calf strain after an MRI exam.

In addition, Amar’e Stoudemire missed practice yesterday with a sore ankle after being held out of Friday’s scrimmage. To boot, Rasheed Wallace has not been cleared to scrimmage, deemed not in good enough shape.

Camby, 38, has called the Knicks frontcourt the deepest in the NBA, and all that depth may be needed. The average age of their top 13 players is a league-record-high 32.8 years old.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

James Harden still coming off Thunder bench

James Harden still coming off Thunder bench

It comes as no surprise, but after four days of training camp James Harden continues to practice with the second team despite starter Thabo Sefolosha nursing a leg injury.

Harden, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is expected to remain in his role this season once the Thunder returns to full strength. Harden, however, took his assignment in stride when told he just can’t seem to crack the first unit.

“Can’t,” Harden said, laughing. “Can’t do it. Them my guys. Me and Nick Collison, that’s my guy.”

Harden then said players have just filled in for starters Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins (wrist) and the second unit has remained largely intact.

— Reported by Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman

Suns forward Michael Beasley working to improve his defense

Michael Beasley

It is out with the old (Grant Hill turned 40 on Friday) and in with the new (Beasley is 23) for the Suns at small forward, where Beasley is expected to take the starting role Hill held for the past five seasons. Beasley is learning two positions because of his size (6 feet 10, 235 pounds) and athleticism at power forward.

That transition has been smooth on offense, but his attention and focus, two areas he has lacked as a pro, have been on defense.

“This is the first year I really applied 100 percent to the defensive side,” Beasley said. “I’m not really worried about the offense. Offense, I’m just trying to learn the plays. Defense, I’m just trying to be aggressive, trying to kind of guard two people at one time, trying to learn both positions and trying to stay on the glass as much as I can.”

In between two-a-day sessions during training camp at the University of California-San Diego, Beasley said he has been watching video of his defense.

— Reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic

J.R. Smith wants to start for Knicks

J.R. Smith wants to start for Knicks

J.R. Smith always had been content to be a backup — the mercurial sixth-man gunner. Not this October. The controversial Smith made it clear he prefers to start for the first time in his career.

He has a good chance, because free-agent signee Ronnie Brewer had knee surgery in early September and won’t start practicing for two weeks. Iman Shumpert, incumbent starter at shooting guard, may not be back until January as he rehabs from ACL surgery. The shooting guard position is Smith’s for the taking. He admitted concern about being pegged as a bench player, perhaps because of a bad-boy rep.

“I’d rather start. I’ve been playing [eight] years, coming off the bench,’’ Smith said yesterday. “Whether it stays [that way] or goes, I’m going to be same person I am. I prefer to start. I’d rather be a starter. If not, I understand that.’’

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol aims to be more aggressive

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol wants to be more of a giant

Gasol has promised himself and teammates that he’s going to do less facilitating this season. Gasol’s goal isn’t to be selfish, but to better identify times when he can impose his will.

“I can get better mentally — knowing when to be aggressive and when the team needs me the most,” Gasol said. “I’ll keep making plays for my teammates but, at the same time, I have to dominate at some point and take over.”

Like a preacher in church on Sundays, power forward Zach Randolph all but bellowed a big fat “Hallelujah.”

“I’ve been telling him that from Day 1,” Randolph said. “Be aggressive. Pick your spots. Big fella is so talented and he plays the right way. But sometimes you’ve got to be aggressive. Sometimes coach wants him to score. He’s the best skilled center in the game by far.”

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger makes strong first impression

Jared Sullinger

First impressions can be varied when a player joins a team, but Jared Sullinger’s initial work has highlighted one very specific quality for his older teammates to see.

And it’s not his most obvious strength as a rebounder and post player, though those talents certainly stood out in Sullinger’s team-high 16-point, eight-rebound performance during the Celtics [team stats]’ 97-91 loss to Fenerbache Ulker last night in their exhibition opener.

“His IQ is very high,” Kevin Garnett said of the rookie power forward. “I watched him a couple of times while he was (at Ohio State), and we saw a little of what he can do skill-wise. When you play with him you can actually see the IQ.”

Paul Pierce landed on the same spot.

“I think he has a great basketball IQ,” he said.

— Reported by Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald

Miami Heat players react to new flopping rule

Shane Battier

Shane Battier smiles and laughs when he talks. It’s one of the many personality traits that would one day make him a good politician.

Here’s another. Battier will look at you with a straight face and tell you he’s not one of the NBA’s serial floppers.

“Listen, I don’t flop like a lot of these guys,” Battier said. “I know a lot of people say I flop, but I’m too old for that.”

Then, after a few minutes of bantering, Battier will tell you he’s “wholeheartedly against” the NBA’s new “anti-flopping” rule.

“Reputation may play a big role in it,” Battier said.

And that’s exactly what Indiana coach Frank Vogel is hoping will happen this season when the NBA begins administering its new “anti-flopping” rule. The league announced this week that it will begin the tricky work of reviewing flops and dives around the NBA and slapping repeat offenders with fines.

— Reported by Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald

Indiana Pacers being cautious with Danny Granger`s knee

Danny Granger

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger is just like the rest of his teammates during most of practice.

He stretches with them and takes part in the same drills and scrimmages. But there comes a point in every practice when Granger makes his way to the sideline and becomes a spectator.

That’s because the Pacers continue to limit Granger’s practice time to avoid any flare-ups with his left knee.

“It is frustrating,” Granger said. “I’m just glad we still have plenty of time before the first game (on Oct. 31). I’m still conditioned, and when I’m on the court, my wind isn’t that bad.”

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Nets forward Gerald Wallace not a big city guy

Gerald Wallace

Basketball fans know him as “Crash,” the small forward willing to give up life and limb for a loose ball — the player the Brooklyn Nets will match up against LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant. But the Alabama product is so frightened of New York City that he refuses to drive over the Hudson River, let alone live close to the Barclays Center.

Trips into Brooklyn require a chaperone from his home in Fort Lee.

“I have a driver,” Wallace said. “If I’m going to the city, that’s pretty much how I’m getting in.”

Off the court, the Nets have been marketed as the gritty black & white urbanites, the vision of Bed-Stuy-born Jay-Z and Russia’s Mikhail Prokhorov. But there’s an unmistakable southern accent dominating conversations at the practice facility, whether it’s with Avery Johnson from Louisiana, Joe Johnson from Arkansas, Reggie Evans from Florida or Wallace from Childersburg, Ala.

The adjustment is probably most difficult for Wallace, a 30-year-old of few words with a voice so deep it has been mistaken for Barry White’s. While Joe Johnson says he’s “like a chameleon,” able to shift from Little Rock to his Manhattan home with ease, Wallace is more country than most.

“I’m afraid of New York City,” the 6-foot-7 forward said.

— Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News