March 2016 – Page 6 – NBA Blog

Serge Ibaka gets a game to rest

It took 69 games, but Oklahoman City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan finally employed the Gregg Popovich regular season strategy.

Facing the floundering 9-win Sixers on Friday night, Donovan rested power forward Serge Ibaka, the first time Donovan has sat one of his players strictly to give him an off-day. Veteran forward Nick Collison started in Ibaka’s place.

And the timing made sense. The Thunder plays again Saturday night in Indiana, the much tougher end of this back-to-back. Plus the playoffs are now only a month away and Ibaka, who has had an inconsistent season, looked exhausted during some recent games.

— Oklahoman

Jose Calderon says he wants to stay with Knicks

New York Knicks point guard Jose Calderon isn’t sure if he will be around next season, but he claims he wants to be, even if he’s utilized in a backup role.

“For sure, 100 percent,’’ Calderon said at Saturday’s morning shootaround at Georgetown before he faced the task of guarding of Washington Wizards speed demon John Wall. “A couple of years ago, if my team needed me to do that? I’m not the one putting me in the starting position. That’s question for coach but, yes, 100 percent.’’

Calderon, 34, has played in 107 games in his two seasons as a Knick — all of them as a starter. He will enter the final year of his contract that pays him $7.6 million.

— New York Post

Nets sign Sean Kilpatrick to multi-year contract

The Brooklyn Nets today signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a multi-year contract.

Initially signed to the first of two 10-day contracts on February 28, Kilpatrick played in nine games with Brooklyn, averaging 11.9 points on 49.3 percent shooting from the field and 47.1 percent from three-point range in 19.1 minutes per game. Kilpatrick has scored in double figures six times, including each of the last four games.

In 21 career NBA games split between Brooklyn, Denver and Minnesota, Kilpatrick has averaged 7.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game.

Suns sign Alan Williams to multi-year contract

The Phoenix Suns today signed forward/center and Phoenix native Alan Williams to a multi-year contract. Williams initially signed with the Suns on March 8 and made his debut with the team last night at Utah.

Williams, who went undrafted in 2015, played earlier this season with Qingdao DoubleStar of the Chinese Basketball Association where he led the league with an average of 15.4 rebounds in 35 games this season, in addition to scoring 20.8 points per contest. Williams played with Houston at NBA Summer League 2015, averaging 20.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games with the Rockets in Las Vegas. He earned All-NBA Summer League Second Team honors with his top performances including a 22-point, 21-rebound game against Philadelphia on July 17 and a 27-point, 10-rebound game against the D-League Select team on July 10.

A 6-8, 260-pound post player, Williams completed a decorated four-year career at UC Santa Barbara in 2015. The Gauchos’ all-time leading rebounder (1,125) and second-leading scorer (1,732), Williams led the nation with an average of 11.8 rebounds in 2014-15 and ranked second nationally with 11.5 in 2013-14. He was named Big West Player of the Year after averaging a career-best 21.3 points in 2013-14 as he averaged 15.5 points in 112 career appearances.

Born in Phoenix, Williams attended North High School where he was a part of two state title teams and was named All-Arizona as a senior in 2011.

Celtics sign Coty Clarke to second 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have signed Coty Clarke to a second 10-day contract.

The 6’7” forward has appeared in two games for the Celtics since signing his initial 10-day contract on March 7. Clarke has totaled three points and one rebound in three minutes of game action, but the team seems to like him enough to at least keep him on the squad for another 10 days.

When Clarke was recalled from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League he was averaging 16.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.0 minutes per game. Clarke has also appeared in one game for the Red Claws on assignment from the Celtics where he recorded 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal in just under 20 minutes against Erie on March 10.

With a 39-29 record this season, the Celtics are tied with the Heat and Hornets for the 4th best winning percentage in the Eastern conference.

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown to 10-day contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a 10-day contract.

A 6-5, 189-pound guard, Brown’s NBA average is 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games played with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. He was signed to two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns this season, with whom he averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 7.6 minutes in eight games.

A second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown most recently played for the Detroit Pistons NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

No NBA playoffs for Carmelo Anthony again

The New York Knicks’ next loss, which could come as early as Saturday in Washington, D.C. against the Wizards, will clinch a third straight losing season, and sooner than later Phil Jackson’s team will be eliminated again from NBA playoff contention.

This is rare and uncomfortable territory for forward Carmelo Anthony, who never missed the NBA playoffs in his first 10 years in the league yet is now going on three years and counting without postseason basketball.

Maybe the reality that his career with the Knicks is stuck in neutral hit Anthony as he sat at the end of the bench during the final moments of Wednesday’s embarrassing loss to Steph Curry and the Warriors. It certainly seemed to be weighing on his mind in the locker room afterwards.

— NY Daily News

Spurs keep winning at home, beat Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday became the latest victim of San Antonio’s AT&T Center.

With a little shooting from forward LaMarcus Aldridge, a lot of passing from guard Tony Parker and a host of contributions up and down the roster, the Spurs beat the Blazers 118-110, sweeping the three-game season series.

San Antonio (58-10) won its 43rd consecutive game at AT&T Center, improving to a perfect 34-0 at home this season.

Aldridge finished with 22 points and six rebounds, Parker recorded 18 points and 16 assists and Kawhi Leonard added 22 points and three blocks for the balanced Spurs, who received scoring from 10 players.

— Oregonian

Jeremy Evans undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery

Dallas Mavericks forward Jeremy Evans had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The surgery was performed by team physician Dr. Daniel Worrel at The Carrell Clinic in Dallas.

Evans will miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

Signed by the Mavericks as a free agent on July 31, 2015, Evans averaged 2.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 8.4 minutes in 30 games (two starts) in his first season in Dallas.

Nets sign Henry Sims to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Henry Sims to a 10-day contract. The team’s roster is now 15 players.

The 6’10”, 248-pound Sims has played in 121 games (57 starts) in parts of three seasons with New Orleans, Cleveland and Philadelphia, recording averages of 7.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.8 minutes per game.

Sims spent the 2014-15 season with the 76ers, averaging 8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.2 minutes per game in 73 games (32 starts).

The Baltimore native went undrafted in the 2012 NBA draft after a four-year collegiate career at Georgetown.