March 2015 – Page 11 – NBA Blog

C.J. Miles, making music when off court

C.J. Miles, making music when off court

Here’s the Indianapolis Star reporting on C.J. Miles, who has been making music for a while now — but not promoting it too heavily:

He grew up singing in the church choir. Playing piano in middle school. Writing music as a teen, songs few people ever heard.

Now, Indiana Pacers guard C.J. Miles can be heard. He has ventured beyond writing to recording and releasing his own hip hop music – quietly.

Most fans who watch him on the court have no idea Miles is an undercover musician. That’s OK with him.

“I have no interest in being a rapper (as a career). I just like to do music. That’s why I don’t pub it or anything,” he said. “If people want to listen to it, they can listen to it. If they don’t, I’m still going to do it. It doesn’t really matter.”

Miles views music as his outlet, much like other guys play video games to relax. During the NBA season, while on the airplane or the bus, it’s not unusual to find Miles writing music.

Nick Young still out with knee injury

Nick Young still out with knee injury

The Lakers are 16-45 this season. Nick Young is scoring 13.4 points per game on horrible 36.6% shooting. Here’s the Los Angeles Daily News blog with a health update:

The outlook Lakers coach Byron Scott has on Nick Young’s progress on his swollen left knee no longer seems as positive.

Two days after holding out hope Young could begin on-court work to test out his knee, Scott revealed the possibility that Young could face a prolonged absence because of his injury that Scott said is “slowly healing.”

“It might take another week, or two or three,” Scott said about Young after talking with team doctors and head athletic trainer Gary Vitti. “[Nick] doesn’t know. It depends on how fast he heals. We’re not in a hurry. He still has some pain in there. That’s the biggest concern.”

Bucks retire Bobby Dandridge jersey

Bucks retire Bobby Dandridge’s jersey

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on the Bucks’ jersey retirement ceremony for Bobby Dandridge:

Bobby Dandridge said he was trying to stay emotionless in the hours before his No. 10 jersey was to be retired by the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

Speaking fondly of his nine seasons with the Bucks, though, the tears that welled up in the 67-year-old’s eyes betrayed him.

“My family’s here, friends have come in from out of town and my friends and the fans here in Milwaukee are real special,” Dandridge said during a halftime ceremony at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. “I’ll try to hold back the emotions, try not to tremble too much, but this is probably the greatest honor that I have received as a professional athlete.”

After being introduced by his friend and former teammate Oscar Robertson, who drew a roar from the crowd by saying Dandridge deserved to be considered for the Hall of Fame, Dandridge succeeded in holding his emotions in check.

Gary Neal scores 27, Wolves upset Blazers

Gary Neal scores 27, Wolves upset Blazers

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on a nice home win for the Timberwolves — just their 14th victory of the season. Neal has only played six games so far this season, averaging 11.7 points in 26.3 minutes per outing:

Gary Neal’s hand seemed just fine.

The Wolves guard suffered a right hand contusion during Friday’s practice but served as a spark off the bench in the 121-113 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night at Target Center. Neal finished with 27 points, his fourth consecutive game scoring in double figures.

“I was a little bit nervous before [Friday], but he should probably get his hand hit before every game,” Wolves coach Flip Saunders said.

Up five with eight minutes left, Neal scored 11 consecutive points, extending the Wolves’ lead to 98-93 with 5 minutes, 45 seconds left. The stretch ended with Neal drilling an off-balance jumper that was tightly contested by Dorell Wright. Then Blazers guard Steve Blake bit on Neal’s pump fake, creating a wide open jump shot that forced Blazers coach Terry Stotts to call timeout.

Anthony Davis is ridiculously talented

Anthony Davis is ridiculously talented

Here’s the New Orleans Times-Picayune reporting on Pelicans star Anthony Davis, who is an amazingly high-level basketball talent:

Right now, just a few days shy of his 22nd birthday, Davis’ skill set represents arguably the perfect package of basketball ability, certainly as complete as the NBA has seen in its nearly 70 year history.

His stat line in last Wednesday night’s win over the Detroit Pistons, having not played in 10 days, was historic though overshadowed by the play of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, who notched his fourth consecutive triple-double in an overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Davis’ 39 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks represented only the third time in league history a player accumulated numbers such as those.

Hakeem Olajuwon and Dwight Howard were the others.

Hawks handle Cavs in key East battle

Hawks handle Cavs in key East battle

Here’s the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting on the Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks, who appear to be the two best teams in the Eastern conference — especially if key Chicago Bulls keep suffering injuries:

The Atlanta Hawks treated the Cavaliers as if it were postseason time in Friday’s 106-97 home win. They showed their hand defensively, tormenting the visitors with a heavy dose of blitzes and traps in their pick-and-roll coverages.

If there was a time when LeBron James and Kyrie Irving were able to elude the defense and turn the corner, there were a flock of Hawks waiting near the painted area to deter them from finishing around the rim.

It led to contested shots and difficult cross-court passes. Either way, the percentages of securing a defensive stop were in the Hawks’ favor. James was limited to 13 field-goal attempts and he only converted on five. He coughed up the ball a game-high nine times.

Irving was better but not great, coming away with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting while committing five turnovers. Atlanta’s scheme was evident: Get the ball out of hands of the playmakers and make the others beat them.

Clippers sign Nate Robinson to 10-day contract

Clippers sign Nate Robinson to 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today they have signed free agent guard Nate Robinson to a 10-day contract. Robinson, 30, most recently played for the Denver Nuggets where he averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 assists and 1.2 rebounds over 33 games (one start) this season.

A 10-year NBA veteran, the Seattle native has appeared in 607 career games (106 starts) with averages of 11.1 points, 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 22.6 minutes of play with New York, Boston, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Chicago and Denver.

Originally drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns before being traded to New York on draft day, Robinson is a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion (2006, 2009, 2010) and was a key contributor in helping Boston reach the 2010 NBA Finals. He spent three years at the University of Washington where he was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 performer.

Robinson will wear #8 for the Clippers.

Private funeral for Anthony Mason attended by various former Knicks

Private funeral for Anthony Mason attended by various former Knicks

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the funeral for a beloved former New York Knick:

Anthony Mason got one last pep talk from his old coach Friday as friends and former teammates said farewell Friday to the former Knicks power forward.

Pat Riley was among those who spoke at Mason’s funeral, a private sendoff that was attended by his former teammates Patrick Ewing, John Starks and Herb Williams, and other retired NBA players like ex-Knick John Wallace and Jayson Williams, who played for the New Jersey Nets.

“The four years I coached him in New York and the one year in Miami, he’s one of the best players I’ve coached,” Riley told the Daily News after the service at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Queens.

“He had something that was special and unique, and not many players had it. He engulfed all of that in his competitiveness desire to win and to separate himself from the pack.”

Bucks sign Chris Johnson to 10-day contract

Bucks sign Chris Johnson to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Chris Johnson to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Johnson is the 44th Gatorade Call-Up of the 2014-15 NBA Development League season.

Johnson, 24, most recently played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-League where he’s averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 17 appearances. He began the season with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he appeared in nine games (two starts) and averaged 6.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest before being waived on Nov. 15. Johnson also signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz on Jan. 28 and appeared in two games, tallying 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Undrafted out of the University of Dayton in 2012, Johnson was later chosen by Rio Grande Valley with the seventh overall pick of the 2012 NBA D-League Draft and has spent time the Vipers in each of the last three seasons, logging 76 total games with career averages of 15.0 points, 5.2 rebounds 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals. He also received a pair of 10-contracts from the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2012-13 NBA season, and was called up to the Boston Celtics during the 2013-14 season. In all, Johnson has appeared in 59 NBA games with averages of 5.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest.

Clippers sign Jordan Hamilton to second 10-day contract

Clippers sign Jordan Hamilton to second 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today they have signed forward Jordan Hamilton to a second 10-day contract.

Hamilton appeared in four games (two starts) for the Clippers averaging 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 11.5 minutes.

Hamilton, who was the 40th GATORADE call-up of the 2014-15 season, appeared in 27 games (22 starts) for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League and averaged 18.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 28.6 minutes.

Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, Hamilton was traded to the Denver Nuggets on Draft Day. He has career averages of 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes over 130 games (17 starts) with the Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Clippers.

The Los Angeles native spent two years at the University of Texas, earning second team All-American by the USBWA following his sophomore season. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists for his career at Texas over 70 games.