January 2017 – Page 2 – NBA Blog

Vince Carter turns 40 on Thursday

Grizzlies guard/forward Vince Carter is still going strong in his 19th NBA season as he prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The NBA’s oldest active player remains a key contributor for a Memphis team that is pursuing its seventh consecutive playoff berth. Carter is averaging more points (8.2) and minutes (23.8) than he did in either of the previous two seasons. The last player to average eight points or more for a season when he was at least 40 years old at any point was Karl Malone in 2003-04 (13.2 ppg).

Carter is approaching two significant milestones as well. The eight-time All-Star (24,288 career points) needs 81 points to pass Hall of Famer Allen Iverson (24,368) for 23rd place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Carter also needs four three-pointers to become the fifth player in NBA history with 2,000 for his career, joining Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Milwaukee’s Jason Terry and the LA Clippers’ Paul Pierce.

It is fitting that Carter is close to cracking an exclusive shooting club alongside Terry and Pierce. Carter, Terry and Pierce are three of the six active players who were drafted in the 1990s, a group that also includes San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Metta World Peace.

— Via NBA News

Jeremy Lin injury update: out another 3-5 weeks

New Brooklyn Nets point guard Jeremy Lin has spent far more time this season watching basketball than actually playing it.

Nets General Manager Sean Marks released the following statement today:

“During the course of his rehab, Jeremy re-aggravated his strained left hamstring and will be out approximately three to five weeks as he continues to work towards a full recovery. We understand and appreciate Jeremy’s competitive desire to get back on the court with his teammates, however, we are going to be cautious with his rehab in order to ensure that he is at full strength once he returns.”

The Nets are 9-34 this season, which is the worst record in the NBA. Lin has played in just 12 of the team’s 43 games, averaging 13.9 points, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals per outing.

Spurs sign Joel Anthony to 10-day contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward/center Joel Anthony to a 10-day contract.

It’s tough to predict if the Spurs will keep Anthony beyond the 10-day deal. He’s right on the edge between sticking around in the NBA and falling out of it.

Anthony (6-9, 245), was in training camp with the Spurs earlier this season where he appeared in six preseason games, averaging 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.9 minutes before being waived on Oct. 22.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Anthony most recently played with the Detroit Pistons during the 2015-16 season. The UNLV product has also played for the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, where he spent his first six-plus seasons and won back-to-back NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. Anthony has appeared in 471 career games, averaging 2.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.11 blocks in 14.7 minutes.

Anthony will wear No. 30 for the Silver and Black.

Timberwolves putting up wins lately

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on the Timberwolves, who are only 16-28 this season but taking a step in the right direction lately:

They’ve won two straight and five of their last seven games overall and for the fourth straight at home. For the second straight game the Wolves won a game decided by four or fewer points. This after going 0-for-10 to start the season in that category.

“We’re trying to establish a home court,’’ Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We want to make it tough for people to come in here. We have to understand, you don’t win because you’re at home, but because of what you put into winning.’’

They did tonight. Denver shot 51.2 percent for the game, but 45.5 percent in the second half, 40.0 percent in the fourth quarter, and just 3-for-12 after taking a nine-point lead with 6:06 left in the game.

The Wolves responded with a 20-8 run.

Orlando Magic sign Anthony Brown to 10-day contract

The Orlando Magic have signed guard-forward Anthony Brown to a 10-day contract, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. Brown becomes the 12th GATORADE Call-Up from the NBA Development League this season. He will wear #21 with the Magic.

Brown (6’7”, 211, 10/10/92) has played and started in 16 games this season with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, averaging 21.6 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 3.4 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 39.2 minpg., while shooting .472 (42-89) from three-point range. He also appeared in nine games this season with New Orleans, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 2.9 rpg. in 15.8 minpg. Brown was signed by the Pelicans on Nov. 21, then waived on Dec. 9.

Originally selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Brown has appeared in 38 career NBA games with the Lakers and New Orleans, averaging 3.9 ppg. and 2.5 rpg. in 19.5 minpg. He has also played in 23 career D-League games with Los Angeles and Erie, averaging 19.4 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 2.9 apg. in 37.5 minpg., while shooting .419 (57-136) from three-point range.

Brown played collegiately at Stanford University from 2010-15 (medical redshirt in 2012-13). He appeared in 144 career games (106 starts) with the Cardinal, averaging 10.8 ppg., 4.8 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 29.2 minpg., while shooting .403 (218-541) from three-point range. He was named the Pac-12 Comeback Player of the Year in 2013-14, helping Stanford reach the Sweet Sixteen during the NCAA Tournament.

The Orlando Magic and the Erie BayHawks are in the final year of a three-year single affiliation partnership. Orlando became the 16th NBA team to have a one-to-one affiliation with an NBA D-League team. The partnership, also referred to as a “hybrid affiliation,” allows an NBA team to control the NBA D-League team’s basketball operations, while the existing local ownership maintains primary responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations and community initiatives.

Sixers have won 8 of last 10 games

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the 76ers, who are playing very respectable basketball lately:

The Sixers are the talk of Philadelphia and are creating a huge buzz around the NBA, with just cause.

They won eight of 10 games heading into Saturday night’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks here at the Philips Arena. Their 16-25 record through 41 games is the best since they went 17-24 during the 2012-13 season…

The Sixers have a legitimate NBA All-Star Game candidate and runaway rookie-of-the-year contender in Embiid. They have a coach in Brett Brown who has been a part of four NBA championships as a San Antonio Spurs assistant. And they should have the services of a passer extraordinaire in Ben Simmons, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, sometime this season.

Still, Vegas lists the Sixers at 5,000-to-1 to win the NBA title. That’s understandable.

NBA fines Wizards, Sidney Lowe over Knicks game

Washington Wizards assistant coach Sidney Lowe has been fined $5,000, and the Wizards’ organization has been fined $15,000, for Lowe’s standing on the playing court and potentially impacting game action during Washington’s 113-110 win over New York on Jan. 19 at Madison Square Garden, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Sixers sign Chasson Randle to second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers signed guard Chasson Randle to a second 10-day contract today.

Randle has appeared in two games since being signed by the Sixers on January 9. He posted 10 points in 16 minutes in Monday’s win over the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Randle was most recently with the NBA D-League Westchester Knicks, where he appeared in 19 games and posted averages of 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in 32 minutes per game, while shooting 40% from three-point range.

Randle played four years at Stanford, posting career averages of 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal in 144 career games (142 starts). He was named to the All-PAC 12 First Team his junior and senior seasons, and capped his collegiate career as Stanford’s all-time leading scorer with 2,375 points.

Raptors coach Dwane Casey compares Joel Embiid to a young Shaq

At this point, fans around the league have an opinion on Sixers center Joel Embiid. He’s on the map. It’s too soon to know how great he may become, but early signs pointing to stardom are very promising. Here’s Raptors coach Dwane Casey sharing his view, as reported by PhillySport:

Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey had high praise for 76ers center Joel Embiid, comparing him at a similar stage to 15-time all-star and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal.

“He is physical, has size, athletic ability, like a young Shaq coming into the league and Shaq didn’t shoot it like this young man,” Casey said before Wednesday’s game at the Wells Fargo Center against the Sixers.

Embiid entered the contest averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.43 blocked shots in 25.3 minutes per game.

Rodney McGruder a key defender for Heat

The Heat are just 12-30 this season, which through Tuesday’s games is the second worst record in the Eastern conference. Guard Rodney McGruder isn’t putting up big stats but he has been making his mark on the defensive side of the floor. Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting:

Rodney McGruder didn’t expect to start this many games in his rookie season with the Heat.

And he definitely didn’t expect to be Miami’s go-to defender against the NBA’s top scorers.

But 42 games into the season, those expectations have changed. McGruder ranks sixth among rookies in starts with 25 and he’s already been asked to defend future Hall of Famers like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant.

“At this point, I think this is the world that Rodney knows,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s either going against MVPs, former MVPs, future MVPs, definite All-Stars every single night. Whoever that big-ticket player is, Rodney you got him. Make him work. He’s absolutely stepped up to that challenge.

“Does that mean he’s winning battles? No. But he makes you earn everything and fight for every inch that you get.”