January 2013 – Page 6 – NBA Blog

Nets recall Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor from D-League again

The Brooklyn Nets have recalled forward Tornike Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor from the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King. The two players were assigned to Springfield on January 22.

In three games for the Armor this season, Shengelia holds D-League averages of 28.3 points, 13.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Shengelia posted a franchise-high tying 39 points to go along with 18 rebounds on January 24 vs. Maine.

Taylor has averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in four D-League contests this season.

Jared Sullinger whistled for first NBA tech

Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger got tagged with the first technical foul of his NBA career after getting wrapped up by Miami’s Rashard Lewis during Sunday’s matinee at TD Garden.

Sullinger got ahead in transition and finished a layup at the rim late in the second quarter. As the ball fell through the cylinder, Lewis reached up to catch it, and found his arms around Sullinger’s head. The Boston rookie tried to run back up court, but Lewis did not move his arms. Frustrated, Sullinger delivered a two-handed shove to Lewis’ waist to free himself. Referees assessed a double-technical.

Did Sullinger deserve a tech?

“No,” said locker neighbor Jeff Green when that question was posed to Sullinger.

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston

Dallas Mavericks decide to keep Mike James

Mike James will be sticking around.

The guard’s second 10-day contract expired after Sunday’s game, and the Mavericks had to make a decision about whether to keep him or cut him loose.

They elected to sign him for the rest of the season, meaning the roster will remain full with 15 players heading toward the trade deadline.

“He’s done a terrific, solid job since he’s been here, so it’s good news for us,” coach Rick Carlisle said.

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Kobe leads Lakers past Oklahoma City 105-96

Kobe Bryant had 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, Steve Nash added seven of his 17 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 105-96 Sunday.

Pau Gasol scored 16 points in a reserve role as the Lakers picked up the most impressive victory of their thoroughly unimpressive season, coolly maintaining a small lead down the stretch of their second straight win after a four-game skid.

Los Angeles had lost nine of its last 11 against the powerful Thunder, including four of five in the clubs’ second-round playoff series last spring.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points and Russell Westbrook had 17 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds for the road-weary Thunder, who finished their longest trip of the season at 3-3.

Bryant and Westbrook briefly tangled in the third quarter in an exchange that earned a technical foul for Kobe. Both All-Star guards entered the fourth quarter needing just one rebound for a triple-double, but neither got it.

Westbrook also missed his first eight shots and 12 of his first 13 before finding his shot, but the Lakers didn’t wilt down the stretch…

Howard had eight points and 10 rebounds while fighting foul trouble and missing eight of his 10 free throws. Bryant and Nash led a passionate effort by the Lakers, whose season-long missteps and embarrassments have left them well out of the playoff picture heading into the second half of the season.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Celtics beat Heat in 2 OT; Rondo out for year

Paul Pierce hit a go-ahead jumper with 31 seconds left and the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 100-98 in double overtime Sunday after learning that All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Rondo will have surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was hurt late in Boston’s 123-112 loss, also in two overtimes, to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

This game was the first in Boston for Ray Allen since he left the Celtics after five seasons and signed as a free agent with Miami. He scored 21 points.

Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Pierce added 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Celtics, who ended a six-game losing streak, their longest in six seasons. LeBron James had 34 points for the Heat, whose winning streak stopped at four.

Pierce’s basket gave the Celtics a 99-98 lead. James had a chance to put the Heat ahead but missed a 12-foot jumper with 6.8 seconds to go from the left with defender Jeff Green jumping out at him. Pierce got the rebound and was fouled by Shane Battier.

He sank the first shot. Then, as a fan shouted ”This one’s for Rondo,” he missed the second.

Miami had one last chance, but Battier missed a long jumper at the buzzer.

The Heat also could have won in the first overtime, but Dwyane Wade, who had 17 points, also missed a long jumper as the buzzer sounded. They had led 93-89 after consecutive baskets by James, but Garnett hit a layup with 1:45 remaining and a shot from the right baseline with 1:14 to go.

— Reported by Howard Ulman of the Associated Press

Rajon Rondo tears ACL, out for season

Boston Celtics star point guard Rajon Rondo has torn his anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of the season.

The team made the announcement during Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat. The Celtics had lost six in a row heading into the nationally televised game despite back-to-back triple-doubles by the point guard who had been elected to start for the East in the Feb. 17 All-Star game in Houston.

Rondo injured his knee in Friday night’s double-overtime loss in Atlanta, a game in which the Celtics blew a 27-point lead. He reported to the TD Garden on Sunday for a pregame shootaround but was taken to a hospital after complaining of knee pain.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Clippers look for Lamar Odom to shoot more

The Clippers know Lamar Odom isn’t shooting the basketball well, but the team still wants him to take his shots.

They want Odom to be more aggressive on the offensive end. They especially want Odom to look for his shot more than he has.

Before the Clippers played the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night at the Rose Garden, Odom had taken a total of 200 shots, the ninth-highest on the team.

He’s making just 37% of his shots, 12.2% (six for 49) of his three-point shots.

But that doesn’t mean the Clippers don’t want Odom to shoot the basketball.

“I don’t want to rattle the boat,” Odom said after taking some extra shots at Saturday’s shoot-around.

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times

Houston Rockets, Royce White agree to new beginning

The Houston Rockets and Royce White on Saturday reached an agreement that addresses the major issues that they have been discussing, provides a new start, and gives Royce the best opportunity for long term success as a Houston Rocket.

This has been a learning process for both parties.

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have approved the settlement.

— Reported by Rockets.com

Pacers won’t rush Danny Granger into lineup

Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger is still progressing on schedule with the rehabilitation of his left knee.

The Pacers would like for him to play before the All-Star break next month. But they’re also looking at the possibility of holding him out until after the break to ensure that he’s ready for the stretch run of the season.

“That’s definitely a consideration,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “The week or so before the All-Star break, we’ll look to see if it makes sense to play him then or wait until after the break.”

Granger, whose season has consisted of two preseason games, has been cleared to do all team non-contact activities.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Rockets continue to beat the Nets

Jeremy Lin said the Houston Rockets just needed to see what they were doing wrong in order to fix it.

James Harden scored 29 points, Chandler Parsons added 16 points and a career-high 11 assists and the Rockets dominated inside to beat Brooklyn 119-106 on Saturday night for their 12th consecutive win over the Nets.

Omer Asik had 20 points and 16 rebounds for Houston, which outrebounded the Nets 50-31 and outscored Brooklyn 60-24 in the paint. Houston had 31 assists on 43 field goals and committed only 11 turnovers, the team’s lowest total in three weeks.

The Rockets dropped seven in a row from Jan. 9-19, and Lin said a lengthy film session on Thursday helped them correct their mistakes…

Nets star Deron Williams scored 27 points, but cooled off after a 20-point first quarter. He was ejected with 1:07 left after arguing a call with referee David Jones and didn’t speak to the media after the game…

Brook Lopez scored 21 points and Joe Johnson added 13 for Brooklyn, which trailed by as much as 18 in the first half.

“We dug a hole because we weren’t defending well or we couldn’t put the ball in the basket,” Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo said.

The Rockets had 17 assists on their first 20 field goals. Parsons had eight assists by himself in the first half, matching his career high for a game…

Harden missed a free throw, snapping a streak of 36 straight successful foul shots.

— Reported by Chris Duncan of the Associated Press