March 2015 – Page 10 – NBA Blog

Shawn Marion should be back soon for Cavs

Shawn Marion should return fairly soon for Cavs

Here’s ESPN.com reporting some good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are enjoying great success these days and will get a bit deeper in the fairly near future:

Shawn Marion returned to the practice court Monday for the first time in more than two weeks after being sidelined with a left hip strain.

“Shawn is out on the court, which is a good sign,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. “He’s still not ready. He’s definitely coming along in the process well.”

The Cavs begin a four-game road trip Tuesday in Dallas, then Thursday in San Antonio. Blatt said if Marion responds well to practice Wednesday, the 36-year-old forward could play on the tail end of the trip in Orlando and Miami.

Kobe Bryant wants Rajon Rondo to join Lakers this summer

Kobe Bryant wants Rajon Rondo to join Lakers this summer

Would you want to play with Kobe Bryant? In his prime, sure. What about now, as his career winds down? Depends on the other teammates, we’d assume. If Rajon Rondo has to make a decision and it’s going to be Rondo, old Kobe and a rebuilding project, that’s probably not too attractive to Rondo. Anyway, here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting:

Rajon Rondo knows Kobe Bryant is recruiting him to join the Los Angeles Lakers when Rondo becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

And the Dallas Mavericks point guard is obviously flattered to hear Bryant admit as much publicly, as Bryant did in late January.

But Bryant’s recruiting efforts appeared especially strong Sunday, when he appeared on the Lakers sideline for the first time since his season-ending shoulder injury Jan. 21 — just in time to watch Rondo’s Mavericks beat the Lakers 100-93.

“When he speaks, it speaks volumes,” Rondo said after finishing with eight points, nine assists, four rebounds and three turnovers. “It’s an honor and a compliment that he’d want to play with a guy like me, but right now, I’m focused on winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks.”

Would Rondo want to play with Bryant, who will enter his 20th, and likely final, NBA season in 2015-16?

“I’m focused on what I have to do right now,” Rondo said. “It’s impossible to play with Kobe right now.”

Chandler Parsons concerned that his shoes were factor in his injury

Chandler Parsons concerned that his shoes were factor in his injury

Here’s ESPN Dallas reporting on something we don’t get to hear much about: the impact that shoes have on NBA player injuries. There are plenty of suspicions in many cases. But few quotes or info to go on. Here’s the report:

Dallas Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons returned Sunday after missing seven games due to an ankle injury.

His signature shoes were nowhere to be seen, however.

Parsons, who has a $1 million per year endorsement deal with the Chinese shoe company Anta, wore Jordan Brand sneakers with the logos covered during the Mavs’ 100-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers because of concerns that his shoes contributed to the sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle.

“I just am trying to figure out if it was one of the shoes that I was wearing that bothered me,” Parsons told ESPNDallas.com. “I just wanted to fix them and make them stiffer.

“The injury that I had, [Mavs athletic trainer Casey Smith] was telling me how [the Anta shoes] were a little too flexible in the ankle, so I guess they said Jordan Brand had a stiffer shoe. In the meantime, I blacked out the logo and am trying to wear those until my new shoe is out.”

Julius Randle returns to court for non-contact basketball drills

Julius Randle returns to court for non-contact basketball drills

Here’s the Orange County Register with an update on a promising Lakers rookie who has gained at least a partial NBA education this season but won’t really begin until 2015-16:

Officially speaking, Julius Randle’s rookie season will have consisted of 14 minutes of basketball before it ended with a cruel twist and a bad break.

Unmeasured by statistics, is the vast majority of his season that has consisted of two surgeries, multiple stints on crutches and monotonous hours on an elliptical machine.

Finally, Randle was back on the court with the Lakers on Monday, more than four months after breaking his tibia on opening night, and two months after surgery to replace a screw in his right foot.

While Randle will not play again this season, the Lakers are slowly adding to his workload, which on Monday meant working with the coaching staff on some post moves and shooting.

CJ McCollum back in Blazers rotation

CJ McCollum back in Blazers rotation

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the aftermath of the Wesley Matthews injury in Portland:

It’s not the circumstances he likely pictured, but Trail Blazers second year guard CJ McCollum is back in the role he envisioned for himself heading into the season.

He’s a top option off the bench for a Portland team making a playoff push.

Of course, now he’s backing up Arron Afflalo and not Wesley Matthews, but McCollum’s role, the minutes and opportunity are back to where they were in the beginning of the season.

“Take advantage of whatever minutes you get and continue to gain trust,” McCollum said of his mindset at Blazers on Monday. “That’s the biggest thing. The past is over with.”

David Stockton named D-League Performer of Week through March 8

David Stockton named D-League Performer of Week through March 8

Reno Bighorns guard David Stockton was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Monday, March 2 – Sunday, March 8. The honor is the first of Stockton’s career and the first for the Bighorns this season.

Fresh off a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings, Stockton led the Bighorns to a 2-1 record last week, averaging a double-double of 38.7 points and 13.7 assists to go with 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 steals.

In his first game back in Reno, Stockton scored a career-high 44 points, dished out 10 assists and notched a near-quadruple-double registering eight steals and seven rebounds in a 158-152 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Two days later, he amassed 22 assists to go with 37 points and five rebounds as his Bighorns defeated the Texas Legends 147-111. To finish the week, Stockton tallied 35 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as Reno fell 117-115 to the Iowa Energy on the road in Des Moines.

This season Stockton ranks fourth in the NBA D-League averaging 8.4 assists and second on the Bighorns averaging 18.5 points.

Other top performers considered included Austin’s Orlando Johnson, Bakersfield’s Jerel McNeal, Delaware’s Victor Rudd, Erie’s Peyton Siva, Iowa’s Jarnell Stokes on assignment from the Memphis Grizzlies, Maine’s Tim Frazier, Santa Cruz’s Darington Hobston, and Texas’ Eric Griffin.

Mo Williams, Russell Westbrook named NBA Players of Week through March 8

Charlotte Hornets guard Mo Williams and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 2, through Sunday, March 8.

Williams led the Hornets to a 4-0 week, which included two road wins and a home victory over the Toronto Raptors. Williams’ 19.5 ppg was tied for 10th in the East, while his 10.8 apg led the conference. He scored 20-plus points in three of four games, and posted two point-assist double-doubles. On March 6, he connected on four three-point field goals en route to 23 points and added seven assists during a 103-94 win over the Raptors.

Westbrook averaged a triple-double as he led the Thunder to a 2-1 week. His 40.7 points led the league, while his 11.3 assists placed third in the West. Westbrook also averaged 11.3 rebounds – good for fifth in the conference, and his 3.0 steals were second-best in the conference. Westbrook recorded his seventh triple-double of the season on March 8, posting 30 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds during a 108-104 win over the Raptors.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Houston’s James Harden, the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, Miami’s Dwyane Wade, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Orlando’s Victor Oladipo, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

Jared Dudley in serious shooting slump

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on a veteran Buck:

Jared Dudley is in a serious shooting slump.

Since the Milwaukee Bucks returned from the all-star break, Dudley has compiled only a few hits and plenty of misses.

How bad is it?

The 29-year-old forward is shooting 14.3% from three-point range (3 of 21) and 25.5% overall (13 of 51) in his last eight games.

It got so bad on Saturday night that he had two wide-open looks in a matter of seconds early in the fourth quarter and missed both.

This is the same player who was shooting 44.2% from beyond the arc and 50.6% overall before the break. It’s the same player who hit all 10 of his shots in a game against the Atlanta Hawks in December, including 4 three-pointers, while leading the Bucks to a 30-point victory over one of the league’s top teams.

Steven Adams back in action for Thunder

Steven Adams back in action for Thunder

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on the Thunder:

Four Sundays after breaking his hand against the Clippers, Steven Adams returned to the Thunder lineup

In OKC’s win over the Raptors, Adams was relatively effective in his 16 minutes. Adams entered to a rousing ovation from the home crowd and immediately blocked a shot on his first possession.

For the game, Adams finished with six points, six rebounds and two blocks. He nailed a pair of floaters with that surgically repaired right hand – which was covered by a protective glove – including a smooth buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.

“He’s still getting his timing back,” teammate Anthony Morrow said. “But he did a great job defensively tonight.”

For the first time this season, though, Adams came off the bench. Enes Kanter started and played extremely well, compiling 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Heat sign Michael Beasley to second 10-day contract

Heat sign Michael Beasley to second 10-day contract

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Michael Beasley to a second 10-day contract.

Beasley, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on February 26, has appeared in six games with Miami this season averaging 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 23.6 minutes while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. In the HEAT’s last two games, he posted 13 points, all in the fourth quarter, on March 6 at Washington and then a season-high 18 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block on March 7 vs. Sacramento.

Beasley, who was originally drafted by the HEAT in the first round (second overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft, has appeared in 415 career NBA games (199 starts) averaging 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 24.8 minutes while shooting 45 percent from the field.