November 2014 – Page 3 – NBA Blog

Lou Williams, DeMarcus Cousins named Players of Week through Nov. 23

Toronto Raptors guard Lou Williams and Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 23.

Williams helped the Raptors to a 3-0 week, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference with 23.7 ppg and ninth with 2.0 spg. He scored a career-high 36 points and matched his career high with 15 free-throws made, becoming the first player in team history to come off the bench to shoot 15-for-15 from the line, in a 110-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 22. He connected 10 of his 19 attempts from three-point range. Williams has sparked the Raptors to their best start in franchise history and an Eastern Conference-best 11-2 record.

Cousins led the Kings to a 2-1 week and paced the league in rebounding (16.3). He averaged 25.7 points (second in the league) on .577 shooting (30-for-52) and tallied five blocks. On Nov. 22, he recorded his sixth consecutive double-double with 31 points and 18 rebounds, matching his season high, in a 113-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Denver’s Ty Lawson, Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, Miami’s Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers, Memphis’ Marc Gasol, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic and Phoenix’s Markieff Morris.

Damien Wilkins named D-League Performer of Week

Damien Wilkins of the Iowa Energy today was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Friday, Nov.14, through Sunday, Nov. 23.

A 6-6, 225-pound guard/forward out of Georgia, Wilkins averaged 28.3 points (fourth in the league) on .561 shooting (32-for-57), 10.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists to lead Iowa to a 3-0 start to the season. On Nov. 14, he recorded a double-double, scoring 32 points and snatching 13 rebounds, to go along with nine assists, one block and one steal in a 152-144 victory over the Reno Bighorns. On Nov. 15, he tallied 30 points, 11 rebounds and two steals in a 102-100 victory over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Wilkins is in his first season in the NBA D-League and was selected by Iowa in the 2014 NBA Development League Draft with the 16th overall pick.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s JaMychal Green, Bakersfield’s Elijah Millsap, Canton’s Alex Kirk, Delaware’s Ronald Roberts Jr., Fort Wayne’s Andre Emmett, Idaho’s Kevin Murphy, Reno’s Brady Heslip, Rio Grande Valley’s Earl Clark and Texas’ Eric Griffin.

Eric Gordon out with left shoulder injury

The New Orleans Pelicans are off to a 7-5 start this season and enjoying the rise of star forward Anthony Davis, and look to be on the rise, but they’ve just suffered an injury to their starting lineup.

The team announced today that guard Eric Gordon will be out indefinitely with a left shoulder injury. An MRI revealed Gordon suffered a torn labrum as a result of the left shoulder subluxation injury that occurred Saturday night at Utah.

Gordon will undergo further evaluation throughout this week by the team’s medical staff to determine the best course of action moving forward.

Gordon, who starts at shooting guard, hasn’t been a standout this season, averaging just 9.5 points and 2.0 assists in 31 minutes per game, and shooting just 39.8% from the field.

More details will be released as they become available.

Mavs recall Ricky Ledo from D-League

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have recalled Ricky Ledo from the Texas Legends.

Ledo (6-7, 200) averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 33.0 minutes in two games (two starts) with the Legends.

Ledo will join the Mavericks tonight when they take on the Indiana Pacers at 7:30 p.m.

Cavs recall Alex Kirk from D-League again

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled center Alex Kirk from their D-League affiliate Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today.

Kirk has played in three games (all starts) for the Charge this season with averages of 23.7 points on .483 shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 39.3 minutes per game. He has appeared in two games for the Cavs this season.

Grizzlies hire Glynn Cyprien as basketball operations assistant and scout

The Memphis Grizzlies have added Glynn Cyprien as a basketball operations assistant and scout, Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace announced today.

“Glynn is an outstanding talent evaluator who is as well connected on the grassroots and collegiate levels as anyone in the game,” Wallace said. “He has recruited and worked with many future NBA players and that experience will serve him well in his new position.”

According to the Grizzlies press release, Widely considered one of the top assistants and recruiters in the country during his years on the collegiate scene, Cyprien returns to the city of Memphis, where he helped guide the University of Memphis to 49 victories and consecutive postseason tournament appearances in two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach under Josh Pastner. The Tigers went 25-10 during the 2010-11 season, winning the Conference USA Tournament Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Most recently, Cyprien served three seasons (2011-14) as associate head coach at Texas A&M University. Working directly with the Aggie guards, Cyprien oversaw the development of Elston Turner Jr. – the son of current Grizzlies assistant coach Elston Turner – who went on to capture First Team All-SEC and USBWA All-District honors after finishing third in the conference in scoring as a senior in 2012-13.

Prior to stops at the University of Kentucky (2007-09), the University of Arkansas (2006-07) and New Mexico State University (2005-06), Cyprien worked four seasons (2000-04) as an assistant on Eddie Sutton’s staff at Oklahoma State University and played a significant role in guiding current Grizzlies guard Tony Allen. With Cyprien on the staff, the Cowboys had a combined 97-32 record and earned four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, going 31-4 and advancing to the 2004 NCAA Final Four in Cyprien’s final year in Stillwater.

Cyprien posted top-ranked recruiting classes as an assistant at UNLV (1995-2000) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his one season (1994-95) at Western Kentucky University. He began his coaching career with stints at Jacksonville University (1991-94), Lamar University (1990-91) and the University of Texas-San Antonio (1987-90).

The New Orleans native lettered two seasons as a player at Southern University-New Orleans and earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from UTSA in 2004.

Spurs recall Kyle Anderson from D-League

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have recalled forward Kyle Anderson from the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League.

In his lone appearance with Austin, Anderson posted a double-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists in 41 minutes in the Spurs 110-105 victory vs. Santa Cruz Warriors on Nov. 23.

The former UCLA Bruin has appeared in six games this season for San Antonio, averaging 1.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest.

Hawks recall Adreian Payne from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled rookie forward/center Adreian Payne from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Payne appeared in two games with the Mad Ants (at Erie on 11/21 and 11/22), averaging 12.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 31.1 minutes. In last night’s contest, he totaled 17 points, 13 rebounds (five on the offensive glass), two assists and two blocks in 31 minutes (4-9 FGs, 9-11 FTs).

Celtics assign James Young to D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have assigned guard/forward James Young to the Maine Red Claws.

Young has appeared in one game for the Red Claws this season, an 81-80 win over Fort Wayne on November 16. The rookie scored 21 points and pulled down five rebounds in 36 minutes of action.

He made his NBA debut against the Houston Rockets on November 1 and has averaged 3.0 points in 3.9 minutes over three appearances this season.

Spurs assign Kyle Anderson to D-League

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have assigned forward Kyle Anderson to the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League.

This will mark Anderson’s first assignment to Austin this season. The former UCLA Bruin has appeared in six games this season for San Antonio, averaging 1.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest.

Anderson will be available when Austin hosts the Santa Cruz Warriors this afternoon at 3 p.m. inside the Cedar Park Center.