March 2013 – Page 24 – NBA Blog

Every game counts for playoff-hungry Warriors

Just over an hour before the Warriors tipped off against Sacramento on Wednesday, a backroom off the Warriors locker room erupted into cheers. Moments later, several players exited looking like they’d just won something.

In a way, they had.

Utah, part of a group of six teams contending for the final three playoff spots in the Western Conference, just put the finishing touches on a collapse at Cleveland, which allowed Golden State to extend its lead over the Jazz to 2.5 games later in the night.

Being in contention for the postseason has turned the Warriors into fans of teams they’d usually have no interest in monitoring.

“It’s a little bit of a different mindset,” All-Star forward David Lee said. “We’re watching Utah play and we’re watching Houston play before our games start and the Lakers play. We’re all excited about the outcomes of those games and we’re rooting for teams in the Eastern Conference.”

— Reported by Kyle Bonagura of CSN Bay Area

Kobe Bryant doing what he can to salvage season for Lakers

It was Kobe Bryant’s 1,443rd game as a Los Angeles Laker. And there he was on Wednesday night, soaking his 34-year-old feet in ice water, feet that helped carry the Lakers to a 108-102 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at the New Orleans Arena, one that left the 31-31 Lakers 2½ games out the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Because the Lakers remain in danger of missing the playoffs for only the second time during Kobe’s 17th season in Los Angeles, Kobe’s drive to get them into the postseason has become one of the NBA’s most interesting sidebars.

To say the least, it has been a wild ride. The Lakers are playing for their second head coach this season. And their legendary owner Jerry Buss died of cancer at a time he felt he had put together a team, with the acquisition of guys like Dwight Howard and Steve Nash joining folks like Kobe and Pau Gasol, good enough to win a 17th NBA championship.

Let’s say this much. Bryant is doing his best in what seems to be a lost cause.

— Reported by Peter Finney of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Campaign to keep Kings in Sacramento continues

The public relations campaign to keep the Kings in town continued today with a blast from the franchise’s past.

Former Kings star Mitch Richmond greeted a few dozen fans at midtown’s Firestone Public House, signing posters and hats. Richmond has pledged $1 million to be part of a local ownership contingent seeking to block the Kings’ move to Seattle.

“It would be a sad day if the Kings leave this community,” Richmond said. “I know Seattle is a good place, I think Seattle’s team (the Sonics) should have never left. But we want our team here.”

— Reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

Bradley Beal inches closer to return for Wizards

Bradley Beal waited for his teammates in the locker room after the Washington Wizards’ 87-82 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, listening to them discuss the turnover problems that led to their demise and offering humor to keep the spirits from staying down.

Beal missed his eighth game of the season and first with a sprained left ankle that he suffered on Sunday against Philadelphia. When asked how he was feeling after the Timberwolves game, Beal said, “Better.”

The Wizards (19-40) are now 2-6 without Beal this season but his absence has been felt lately on the road, where they have lost four consecutive games without the promising rookie shooting guard on the court.

Beal remains day-to-day, but Coach Randy Wittman said that he is making progress.

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

Danny Ainge discusses Celtics play without Rajon Rondo

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s weekly appearance on Boston sports radio WEEI (93.7 FM), speaking on how the team has played differently without Rajon Rondo: “…Sometimes it’s the fact that the players defer to the other great players. Sometimes they don’t practice it because it’s just so easy to get the ball to Rondo to bring up all the time instead of Avery grabbing the defensive rebound and pushing the ball up the court himself, and Rondo running on the other wing and the ball being swung to Rondo and now he’s coming off the pick-and-roll. And so, I think that we’re all learning from this. We’re all learning that the respect of the other players is growing and they get the respect that they now deserve, as opposed to being the guys that aren’t living up to their potential.

“It’s just amazing that two months ago it was Jeff Green and Courtney Lee and Jason Terry that weren’t playing well enough. And now all of a sudden we’re 13-4 and those guys are playing great. And I think that Rondo was, like, voted a starter on the All-Star team and now it’s like we’re better without him. I mean, this stuff is crazy, how the trends go. I think there’s a tiny bit of truth in all of it, like Rondo can adjust his game to allow other players to play a little better, move better without the ball, play more, cut harder, and shoot more, shoot his mid-range jump shot more. I think all those things, and turn the ball over less. But I think that we have a much better chance of beating Miami in a playoff series with Rajon Rondo.”

— Reported by Greg Payne of ESPN Boston

Lakers assign Darius Morris and Robert Sacre to D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers today assigned Darius Morris and Robert Sacre to the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignments are the record 143rd and 144th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons. Morris becomes the record 55th NBA player to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season, while Sacre is on his third assignment of the season.

Morris (6-4, 190, Michigan) has played in 42 games this season for Los Angeles, averaging 4.4 points, 1.7 assists and 1.2 rebounds. On Dec. 16, he tallied 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field in a 111-98 win over the 76ers. He appeared in one game on assignment last season for the D-Fenders and scored 21 points in a 99-98 win over the Dakota Wizards.

Sacre (7-0, 260, Gonzaga) has appeared in 27 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 1.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 7.2 minutes. He has played in four games on assignment with the D-Fenders, averaging 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 31.0 minutes. He returned to the Lakers following a 22-point performance vs. Sioux Falls at the 2013 NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nev.

Both players are expected to join the D-Fenders and be available when the team hosts the Austin Toros on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Bobcats guard Ramon Sessions out 2-4 weeks

The Charlotte Bobcats announced today that guard Ramon Sessions could miss approximately 2-4 weeks after an MRI on his left knee revealed that he suffered a second degree MCL sprain during last night’s game against Brooklyn. His meniscus and other ligaments are intact and no surgery is needed.

Sessions has appeared in all 61 games this season, with averages of 14.4 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 27.1 minutes.

The Bobcats have a 13-48 record, which is worst in the NBA. They are led in scoring by Kemba Walker at 17.2 points per game. Sessions is their second-leading scorer. He’s followed by Gerald Henderson, who averages 13.2 ppg.

LeBron James to marry longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson in September

LeBron James will marry longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson in mid-September in San Diego, Cal., according to several reports, including Chris Chase’s for USAToday.com.

James, 28, was born in Akron and played his first seven NBA seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers before leaving as a free agent to join the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010.

The USA Today report includes a look at the invitation, which apparently doesn’t give a specific date for the wedding ceremony, referring to “September 13-15, 2013.”

James, a three-time NBA MVP, and Brinson have two sons, LeBron Jr., 8, and Bryce, 5.

— Reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kyrie Irving`s knee still a concern for Cavaliers

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott says he would consider shutting down All-Star guard Kyrie Irving again if his right knee is still sore.

After scoring 20 points and leading the Cavs to a comeback win over Utah on Wednesday night, Irving said his knee still hurt and the only way it would get better is if he sat out the rest of the season. The Cavs recently rested Irving for three games after he hyperextended his knee when he banged it during practice.

— Reported by Tom Withers of the Associated Press

Austin Rivers out 4-6 weeks with broken hand

New Orleans Hornets rookie guard Austin Rivers will miss four to six weeks with a broken bone in his right hand, according to a USA Today report.

Rivers fractured fourth metacarpal bone during the first half of Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He smacked his hand on teammate Greivis Vasquez’s body after making a steal. He exited the game for good with 4:28 left in the second quarter.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange