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New Orleans Hornets head coach Monty Williams has been fined $25,000 for public comments that were critical of the NBA’s concussion policy, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.
Williams’ comments were made prior to the Hornets game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, Nov. 3.
More info will be added to this page later today.
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The Charlotte Bobcats announced today that guard Gerald Henderson could miss approximately 2-4 weeks after further examination on his left foot confirmed the mid-foot sprain he suffered November 3 at Dallas.
Through two games, Henderson is averaging 12.5 points, 3.0 steals, 2.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 28.0 minutes.
According to the Charlotte Obsever, “I drove down the middle of the lane and got fouled. I slipped, and my foot kind of dragged on the ground and turned a little weird,’’ Henderson described. “I got up and felt something was wrong. I just couldn’t put a whole bunch of pressure on it, so I knew something was wrong.’’ The Bobcats will be scrambling to fill all the things Henderson does. Along with being the starting shooting guard he’s been the backup small forward this season. He’s third on the Bobcats in scoring at 12.5 points per game and sixth in the NBA in steals at three per game.”
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This time the call didn’t have to come from the rafters. When the sound of “Sheeeed” spread across the Wells Fargo Center, Rasheed Wallace had already checked into the game. A full 5:34 remained in the third quarter. This was not mop-up duty. Apparently, the Brian Scalabrine minutes are over.
Wallace logged 13:33 in the Knicks’ 110-88 dismissal of the Sixers last night, proof he’s rapidly rounding into game shape enough to provide quality minutes off the bench earlier than expected.
After two years away from basketball, there was really no timetable for when the 38-year-old could be counted on to play extended minutes. Anything he contributed early on was considered gratis. But the Knicks haven’t gotten out of their first week of their season before Wallace is already making an impact.
— Reported by George Willis of the New York Post
Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Blake has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a fan, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred with 29.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 105-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, November 2 at Staples Center.
According to the Los Angeles Times, ” Steve Blake has been punished by the league office for yelling at Lance Jackson, the adult son of Steve Jackson, a footwear mogul and longtime Lakers fan known for his block of eight courtside seats. Next thing you know, Laker Girls will be sprouting whiskers. Said Blake: “It’s one of those moments you’re not proud of.” Said Lance Jackson: “I’m just sorry it got to this point.” That’s not exactly what they were saying to each other during Friday night’s Lakers loss to the Clippers at Staples Center. While playing for the injured Steve Nash, Blake was struggling, hitting just two of his six shots while the Lakers were falling to 0-3.”
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The Dallas Mavericks announced today that an MRI confirmed forward Shawn Marion has a sprained left medial collateral ligament (MCL). He will be listed as out tomorrow and will not travel with the team to New York and Charlotte later this week. He will be re-evaluated next week.
In four games this season, Marion has averaged 8.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 27.0 minutes while shooting 51.9% (14-27 FGs) from the field.
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Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were apt to follow up a tough loss with another defeat. Things are slowly changing.
Rookie Dion Waiters hit seven 3-pointers in scoring 28 points and Kyrie Irving added 24 points in a 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night that snapped a two-game skid two nights after losing by three to Milwaukee.
Some of the biggest shots were hit by Waiters, whose points and 3-pointers set career highs in his fourth NBA game…
Tyler Zeller added 15 points and Anderson Varejao had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavs, who took the lead for good late in the first quarter.
Blake Griffin scored 20 points, Jamal Crawford added 19 and Chris Paul had 17 for the Clippers, who lost their second straight after opening the season with two wins. Their 25 turnovers led to 21 points for the Cavs.
— Reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press
Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and JR Smith had 17 to lead the New York Knicks to a 110-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
Raymond Felton scored 16 points and Tyson Chandler had 14 to lead the Knicks to their first 3-0 start since the 1999-2000 season. The Knicks beat the Sixers 100-84 on Sunday in the opener of the home-and-home series.
The Knicks busted the game open in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 21 points. They got a surprising third from 38-year-old Rasheed Wallace, who scored eight points and hit a couple of 3-pointers, including a 26-footer at the buzzer to end the quarter.
After a solid first, the Sixers fell apart, and got nothing going with their set offense. Jrue Holiday led them with 17 points.
Wallace was wooed out of retirement by coach Mike Woodson following two years off spent in quiet in North Carolina. He gave the Knicks a nice, unexpected boost in the quarter from long range. Several thousand Knicks fans came out to the Wells Fargo Center and they went wild when Wallace unleashed his 3-point attempts.
— Reported by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press
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Believe it or not, but he was among the first two NBA players to receive a warning under the league’s new flopping fine policy.
He got a warning for flailing his arms but not falling Friday night on a play when Sacramento’s Jimmer Fredette gave him a stiff arm and got called for the offensive foul for driving into him.
The NBA considered that some over-acting by Barea.
Barea expressed surprise — almost bordering on pride — that he received a warning, even though he claimed the league hadn’t yet told him.
— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune
A few hours before taking over Verizon Center, pop music sensation Justin Bieber paid a visit to Wizards practice, peeking down from the railing above the court. Martell Webster and John Wall had a chance to meet with Bieber, who is only 10 months younger than rookie Bradley Beal.
Bieber later sent out a message to his 29 million-plus Twitter followers that read, “pre-concert warmup. ballin with the wizards. #DC”
The pint-sized pop star didn’t actually hit the court, though A.J. Price said he would’ve liked to have seen the youngster come down in some shorts and high tops to show Bieber a few things. As assistant coach Sam Cassell headed to the locker room after practice, he shouted, “I got Bieber fever!”
— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post (Blog)
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Avery Bradley’s return from shoulder surgery is still on pace, but, according to Rivers, he’s six weeks or more away.
Said Bradley: “We’ve got a timetable, but at the end of the day it comes down to how I feel.”
He has still not been cleared for contact. . . .
The Celts and Wizards are in the midst of a home-and-home that will be completed Wednesday in Boston. The quick series brings together head coaching pals Rivers and Randy Wittman, who were once the Hawks’ backcourt.
— Reported by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald