January 2016 – Page 10 – NBA Blog

Clippers re-assign Branden Dawson to D-League

The L.A. Clippers announced today they have assigned forward Branden Dawson to the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League pursuant to the Flexible Assignment System.

This is the third Development League assignment for Dawson and his second in Grand Rapids this season. Dawson played in seven games for the Drive from Dec. 4 – Dec. 24 and averaged 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.1 minutes.

In 13 total games played for both Bakersfield and Grand Rapids this season, Dawson is averaging 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 16.8 minutes.

With the Clippers, Dawson appeared in two games and is averaging 1.0 point and 1.5 rebounds.

Jarrett Jack suffers torn ACL knee injury

A tough season for the Brooklyn Nets just got tougher.

Nets guard Jarrett Jack has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and small medial meniscus tear in his right knee. The injury occurred during the second half of the Nets’ game at Boston on Saturday, January 2. Jack will miss the remainder of the season and will undergo surgery on a date that has yet to be determined.

Jack has played and started in 32 games for Brooklyn this season, posting averages of 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 7.4 assists per game.

The Nets are 10-23 this season – the third worst record in the league.

Kings score 142 points on Suns

Coach George Karl moved into a tie for fifth on the NBA wins list with 1,155 when DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points and nine rebounds Saturday to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 142-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns, who lost their eighth in a row.

Karl matched Phil Jackson with the milestone win. The 63-year-old Karl is 1,155-795 in 27 seasons…

Darren Collison had 21 points and six assists and Marco Belinelli had 19 points for the Kings. Rudy Gay added 16 points and Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 15 assists.

— Associated Press

Brook Lopez puts up big game against Celtics

Brook Lopez’s size was too much for Boston’s smaller lineup.

The 7-footer scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 100-97 victory over the Celtics on Saturday.

“I did my best to make the right play every time, realizing that, and just tried to read the double teams,” said Lopez, who scored seven of his points in a key 9-2 run when Boston was making its charge with a smaller, trapping lineup…

Joe Johnson added 20 points, Thaddeus Young 16 with 10 boards, and Bojan Bogdanovic 13 points for the Nets, who won for just the third time in 11 games.

— Associated Press

Kyrie Irving playing time may soon increase

Since recently returning to action from last season’s injury, Kyrie Irving is averaging a modest 13.0 points and 3.0 assists on disappointing 34% shooting for the 21-9 Cavaliers. Here’s Cleveland.com reporting the latest:

Kyrie Irving may soon receive more playing time

It was nearly two weeks ago when point guard Kyrie Irving made his much-anticipated season debut against the Philadelphia 76ers. Since that Sunday contest, Irving has been on a minutes restriction, yet to top 26 minutes in four games.

“We’re getting close to being beyond that,” Cavs head coach David Blatt said Friday when discussing Irving’s workload. “He’s pretty healthy. I don’t see him going out there and playing 40 minutes anytime soon. We’ve moved along pretty well, we’ve been pretty specific and committed to a certain path in terms of bringing him back.”

Part of the Cavs’ plan involved Irving getting rest during a challenging West Coast road trip, a stretch where the team played four games in five nights.

He missed the Portland game, one night after an exhausting game against the Golden State Warriors and sat out the finale against Denver on Tuesday.

So far, Ish Smith is helping the Sixers

The Sixers have won two of their last four games, which doesn’t sound like much. And they’re still a bad team in the middle (???) of a rebuilding period. But they’ve looked better lately. Here’s CSN Philly reporting on guard Ish Smith, who is shooting a low FG percentage in his four Sixers games but otherwise is clearly adding structure to the squad:

Call it the Ish Smith effect.

Since acquiring the point guard from the New Orleans Pelicans on Christmas Eve, the Sixers have been noticeably more competitive. They’ve even won a few games.

New chairman of basketball operations Jerry Colangelo, who has spent some time with the Sixers during their trip out on the West Coast, has seen a drastic change in the team firsthand.

“There’s a different feeling about the team right now,” he said during the broadcast of Sixers-Lakers on Comcast SportsNet Friday night. “They really believe they have a chance to win every game they’re going out to play now. It’s amazing what one addition can make. In this particular case, Ish has been a great, great addition in terms of raising the bar for all the players.”