February 2013 – Page 23 – NBA Blog

Danny Granger returning soon for Pacers

Danny Granger’s impending return has the Indiana Pacers thinking hard about how to work him back into the rotation.

He could jump right into the starting lineup and play limited minutes or he could come off the bench for a few games to get back in rhythm. He could come back as soon as Wednesday or he could wait until after the All-Star break. Whatever the decision is, the Pacers believe teaming one All-Star forward with another during the second half of the season will make them a better team come playoff time.

”Our best lineup last year was when Paul (George) and Danny were wings together,” coach Frank Vogel said before Monday night’s game against Brooklyn. ”There’s merit to having either one of those guys coming off the bench, but putting their length and wing span together makes us better.”

Even without Granger, the Pacers have been pretty darn good.

— Reported by Michael Marot of the Associated Press

Dwight Howard thinks opponents are targeting his shoulder

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard told Yahoo! Sports that opposing teams are trying to injure his sore shoulder.

He made the comments after the Lakers’ 107-97 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday.

Howard said Heat players grabbed at his injured right arm on his first trip down the court.

“They got me early,” he said. “They would yank it back.”

He also said the Charlotte Bobcats did the same thing during Friday night’s game.

“It’s like a jolt,” he said. “Then it hurts the rest of the night.”

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Wizards continue to struggle on the road

The Wizards (14-35) are averaging a measly 86.2 points on the road, reaching triple digits just four times. They are also shooting just 40.6 percent and connecting on 33.7 percent from long distance. Opponents are outscoring them by an average of 9.1 points away from Verizon Center. Washington has suffered seven of its 10 double-digit losses on the road, including a 100-68 loss to the Pistons.

Even the return of John Wall hasn’t been a remedy for the Wizards’ road woes, with the team going 2-6 away from home.

“You’ve got to play better on the road. That’s the bottom line in this league,” [Coach] Wittman said. “We’ve got to figure out a way to play better on the road and do it consistently. And it starts defensively, getting it going. That’s our next step. Take it on the road. I feel good about going into these next two games because of what we’ve done [at home]. We went through a tough stretch of games here. A lot of good games.”

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

Gordon Hayward back soon for Utah Jazz

Gordon Hayward was expected to practice Monday and could return to game action as early as Tuesday, coach Tyrone Corbin said.

The third-year reserve has missed eight games with a right shoulder sprain suffered at the end of the Jazz’s win over Indiana on Jan. 26.

“Hopefully he can have a good practice today,” Corbin said, “and be ready to go tomorrow in the game to get him back on the floor these last two games before the break and get him back acclimated to playing in the games.”

Hayward has played in 44 games, and averages 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The Jazz are 4-4 without him.

— Reported by Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune

After injury, Anthony Morrow not part of Hawks rotation

I asked coach Larry Drew about the status of Anthony Morrow. The guard, who missed 17 straight games with a right hip strain followed by a sore lower back, has been available for the past five games. However, he has seen action in just one – for a total of four minutes.

“Right now, I just can’t play everybody,” Drew said following Sunday’s practice. “I would like to get him in there but I just can’t play 11, 12, 13 people. You just can’t do it. He was out awhile and we got a rotation while he was out and right now I’m teetering on whether to disrupt that. Right now I have some guys that I definitely want to play and those guys aren’t getting the type of minutes I was hoping they would get. It’s just a situation that he has to stay ready.”

— Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Blog)

D-Wade cool with LeBron getting all the headlines

Dwyane Wade is fine with all of this.

Really, he is.

Wade played in the spotlight for seven seasons, but things have changed. The attention has diminished now that he’s paired with a teammate who is playing like a superhero.

And apparently LeBron James’ super power is making his future Hall of Fame teammates look like mortals. Although Wade completed his best five-game stretch of the season, it was just a footnote to all the gushing of James’ recent play.

“I’m not looking for headlines, but I’ve been playing all right,” Wade said. “He (James) can have all the headlines. It’s cool.”

James is playing so well that Wade’s week went all but ignored. He averaged 24.8 points, six rebounds, 5.8 assists and three steals during the Heat’s five-game winning streak. While the media was constantly updating James’ field goals numbers on Twitter, Wade was quietly shooting 51 percent.

“He’s been making so much history, so I’m glad I can be in a little bit with him,” Wade said.

— Reported by Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Chris Wright named D-League Performer of Week

Chris Wright of the Maine Red Claws was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Feb. 4-10.

Wright (6-8, 225, Dayton) averaged 26.3 points while shooting 66 percent from the field to go with 14.3 rebounds as the Red Claws went 2-1 on the week. Wright notched a season-high 27 points in a 108-94 road win over the Springfield Armor before coming out the next night and matching his point total in a 104-94 loss to the Bakersfield Jam. He finished the week with a 25-point outing in a 104-100 win over Springfield in Maine.

A 2013 NBA D-League All-Star, Wright is averaging 17.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 35.4 minutes in 22 games, all starts, for the Red Claws this season.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Cory Joseph, on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, Bakersfield’s Jerel McNeal, Canton’s Kyle Gibson, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell, Idaho’s Carlon Brown, Iowa’s Paul Harris, Los Angeles’ Lazar Hayward, Reno’s Samardo Samuels, Rio Grande Valley’s Glen Rice, Jr., Santa Cruz’s Travis Leslie, Sioux Falls’ Donald Sloan, Springfield’s Carleton Scott, Texas’ Justin Dentmon and Texas’ Rasual Butler.

LeBron James, Russell Westbrook named NBA Players of Week

Miami Heat forward LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Feb. 4 through Sunday, Feb. 10.

James led the Heat to a 4-0 week, which included wins over the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 31.3 points (second in the league) on .738 shooting from the field (second in the league), and added 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. James scored at least 30 points in all four games and shot better than 61 percent from the field in each contest. His streak of 30-plus point games while shooting 60 percent or better stands at five straight, tied with Moses Malone (1981-82 season) and Adrian Dantley (1979-80 season) for the NBA record.

Westbrook guided the Thunder to a 4-0 week, which included wins over the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns (twice). He averaged 21.8 points, 6.0 assists, 3.3 steals and 3.0 rebounds. Oklahoma City won each game by 20 or more points as it improved to 39-12 (.765). The Thunder trails the San Antonio Spurs by ½ game for the top record in the league.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s David West, New Orleans’ Greivis Vasquez, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, San Antonio’s Tony Parker, Toronto’s Rudy Gay and Washington’s Martell Webster.

Deron Williams out two games for Nets

Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams will miss the next two games, tonight at Indiana and Wednesday vs. Denver, due to synovitis (inflammation of ankle joint linings) in both ankles. Williams received PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment on both ankles earlier today and is expected to return to action following the All-Star break.

Williams has played in 50 games for Brooklyn this season, posting averages of 16.7 points, 7.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Danny Granger should return for Pacers soon

The Pacers may get their fifth starter from last season — Danny Granger — back as early as Wednesday against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Granger, out all season with a left knee injury, went through his first full-court practice Sunday.

The Pacers must decide if it’s important for Granger to play before the All-Star break next weekend or wait until Feb. 20 against the New York Knicks.

Granger is staying in Indianapolis over the break to continue working out.

“I thought he looked great,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said about Granger’s first extensive practice. “We have to see how his body responds, obviously. Have him go through another practice Tuesday and see where we’re at. I think it could be helpful to get his feet wet on Wednesday, but we have to make sure he feels good.”

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star