Month: March 2014

Knicks get blown out by Suns, 112-88

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Knicks, who despite their 30-43 record still have a shot at making the playoffs:

In the immortal words of Phil Jackson, “just awful.”

That phrase, uttered by Jackson following the Knicks’ dreadful performance against the Lakers Tuesday night, applies to just about everything Mike Woodson’s team did on Friday night. From Raymond Felton’s defense to the Knicks’ idea of being in a playoff race, Mike Woodson’s team continues to make a compelling case for why it doesn’t deserve a postseason berth.

“We weren’t ready for them,” Carmelo Anthony said following the Suns’ 112-88 victory. “We weren’t prepared for them and they ran us out of the gym. We didn’t fight. We didn’t have it and they had it in all aspects of the game.”

The Knicks (30-43) have now lost three of their last four and are now two full games behind the Atlanta Hawks with nine games remaining starting with Sunday against Golden State.

“If you ask me, I think we can win all nine games,” said Amar’e Stoudemire, trying to sound optimistic.

Wizards step up and beat Pacers, 91-78

John Wall scored 20 points, and the Washington Wizards avenged two of their biggest losses of the season Friday night, never trailing in a 91-78 win over the cold-shooting, turnover-prone Indiana Pacers.

Marcin Gortat added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Al Harrington added 12 points, including a personal 10-0 run in the second quarter, for the Wizards, who dropped their first two games against the Pacers this season by a combined 47 points. Of Washington’s three losses by 20-plus points this season, two have been against Indiana.

But Indiana was due for a letdown, two nights after a big win over the Miami Heat in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers committed five turnovers in the first four minutes Friday and shot 35 percent overall.

Paul George scored 19 points, and Lance Stephenson had 13 points and matched a career-high with 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who have lost a season-high four straight road games.

— Associated Press

Brooklyn Nets keep winning at home

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets and their success at home in Brooklyn:

Paul Pierce understands the Nets have made this bed with their ugly start and subsequent hiccups.

But, boy, with the way they’ve been playing lately at Barclays Center, Brooklyn could really benefit from home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Nets won their 12th straight at home on Friday night, profiting from an effective barrage from downtown in a 108-97 victory over the hapless Cavaliers. It snapped a two-game losing streak, and was a much-needed breeze following three straight overtime games on the road.

Still, the fifth-seeded Nets (38-33) didn’t gain any ground in the division race because the Raptors (41-31) toppled the Celtics. The Nets did, however, move to within 1½ games of the fourth-seeded Bulls (40-32), who were blown out by the Blazers.

Father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad sentenced to prison

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on the father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad:

A federal judge sentenced the father of former UCLA basketball player Shabazz Muhammad to 37 months in prison Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas.

Ron Holmes pleaded guilty in December in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $2.5-million mortgage fraud scheme.

Holmes, who played basketball at USC from 1981 to 1985, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and must pay $1.7 million in restitution. He’s been under house arrest in Las Vegas since late May.

Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he is not worried about extension

Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting on the Golden State Warriors, whose head coach Mark Jackson recently demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine:

Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he is not worried about extension

Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Thursday that not having a contract extension past next season does not bother him.

“There is not a piece of me that’s bothered that an extension has not been agreed upon or anything of that nature,” Jackson said on his weekly radio show on KNBR. “We move forward. I had the deal. They picked up my option for next year, and I think that obviously speaks volumes even though for some folks it doesn’t say anything.”

Jackson also said that he appreciated Stephen Curry’s vote of confidence in response to a Yahoo Sports report on the team’s “increasingly dysfunctional atmosphere” in the wake of assistant coach Brian Scalabrine’s reassignment earlier this week. Curry said he and the rest of the team supported Jackson 100 percent.

“Obviously he’s a guy that had an opportunity and a platform to show his loyalty, his support for me,” Jackson said of Curry. “I don’t take it for granted, and it’s not a surprise because he knows how I feel about him.”

Metta World Peace reportedly interested in returning to Knicks

Here’s the New York Post reporting on former Knicks forward Metta World Peace, a veteran who at this point in his NBA career would be best given limited minutes off the bench as a defensive stopper:

ron artest

It was equivalent to a job interview. Metta World Peace, who lives in Beverly Hills, ran up to Phil Jackson’s Staples Center suite during halftime from his courtside seat for a chat Tuesday night during the Knicks’ 127-96 blowout loss to the Lakers.

World Peace is more than a month removed from a Knicks buyout — one he wouldn’t have asked for had he known the Zen Master was waiting in the wings as team president.

World Peace has told confidants he yearns for a second chance as a Knick after his first stint went sour. When asked if the former Ron Artest wants another shot at New York when he’s a free agent this summer, the confidant told The Post:

“Abso-bleeping-lutely.’’

Kings sign Willie Reed for rest of season

Kings sign Willie Reed for rest of season

The Sacramento Kings today signed forward-center Willie Reed for the remainder of the season, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Reed will report immediately to the Reno Bighorns, the team’s D-League affiliate.

Reed, a 6-10, 220-pound forward-center, was averaging 14.8 points (.590 FG%, .612 FT%), 10.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.6 blocks per game in 31.8 minutes per game in 44 games of which he started 33 this season for the NBA D-League Springfield Armor.

Reed previously played with Sacramento during the 2012 preseason when he averaged 0.8 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 1.0 rebounds, and 2.8 minutes per game in four preseason contests before being waived. He went on to play in his first stint for the Springfield Armor, earning Honorable Mention All-Development League Team honors after averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game before joining the Memphis Grizzlies for the remainder of the season.